DOBSON — Surry Central boys basketball coach Ken Eiswald had a premonition before his team’s game against East Surry Friday night and it turned out to be correct.

“I said it’s going to be one possession at a time,” he said. “That’s how these games always are.”

To prove their coach right, the Golden Eagles won 47-44 in a back-and-forth game in which each team held the lead several times. The victory was the third this week for Surry Central and sixth in a row.

Point guard Ethan Wilmoth scored a game-high 19 points for the victors, followed by Tanner Hudson and Jake Levesque, who scored 10 apiece.

The Cardinals were paced by Ryan Johnson’s 11, six of which came in the fourth quarter.

After taking a 21-20 lead into the locker room, the Golden Eagles began the third quarter with a 6-0 run. But East Surry closed the gap to two points when Blake Gilley made a hoop and the ensuing free throw. Later in the frame, Johnson hit a 3-pointer to put the Cardinals back in front, 30-29.

The score went back and forth from there, as both teams traded buckets and turnovers before Wilmoth swished a long 3 as the quarter expired to put the Golden Eagles ahead, 34-32 going into the final quarter.

With 5:33 remaining, Johnson made a hoop and foul shot to give the visitors a 38-37 advantage. Surry Central rallied and built a lead that evaporated by virtue of two late turnovers.

With a minute left, it was a one-point game.

After Hudson nailed a pair of free throws, the Cardinals missed a last-gasp 3-pointer.

“A score like 47-44 means they were playing tough defense and so were we,” Eiswald said. “And, you know, we just managed to make one more play.”

East Surry coach Jason Anderson said, “Some people don’t like watching defensive teams play, but I’ll tell you what, that was a tight ball game from start to finish all the way through.”

Anderson said the Golden Eagles played the best defense he’s seen this season. A big reason why is because the two teams play similar styles on both ends of the floor.

“It was like looking in a mirror,” Anderson said. “They did a better job at it than we did tonight.”

SC 47, ES 44

ES 8-12-12-12 — 44

SC 5-16-13-13 — 47

Cards clip Eagles

East Surry girls held Surry Central to a scoreless second quarter before wrapping up a 54-31 victory last night.

Sabra Bryant and Kelsey Long each scored 11 for the victors. The Golden Eagles were led by Emily Marshall’s eight points.

The Cardinals scored double digits in every quarter. The Golden Eagles rallied for 16 points in the final quarter, but the Cardinals’ lead had become insurmountable by that point.

ES 54, SC 31

ES 18-11-13-12 — 54

SC 6-0-9-16 — 31