In a winner-take-all matchup between two schools with 8-1 Yadkin Valley Conference records, the South Stanly Bulls boys’ basketball team defeated North Stanly 64-57 at home on Thursday to claim the regular-season conference title.
The Bulls’ (20-4, 9-1 Yadkin Valley) seven-point victory over the runner-up Comets (18-6, 8-2 Yadkin Valley) — ensuring South’s first regular season YVC title in four years — arrived just 11 days after North came out on top over the Bulls in a 61-50 finish in New London.
Senior guard Drew Gaddy led South with 23 points while junior guard Gavyn Miller added 14 points and junior forward Jaxon Valler had eight points. For North, Junior guard Jack Williamson led the Comets with 24 points as junior guard Jalen Walker added 11.
With the YVC Tournament beginning this week, both top-seeded South and second-seeded North received first-round byes and will play at home in the semifinals on Wednesday. The championship game is set for Friday night.
Piedmont 71, West Stanly 42
Over in Red Cross, West Stanly has now finished its Rocky River Conference regular season in fifth place out of seven teams.
In Friday’s season finale, the Colts (12-12, 5-7 Rocky River) suffered a 29-point home loss to the first-place Piedmont Panthers (16-8, 11-1 Rocky River).
After a four-game winning streak that began in late January, West closed out the regular season with three consecutive losses. The Colts will now battle in the RRC Tournament in a matchup to be determined.
North Stanly 76, Albemarle 69
The Albemarle Bulldogs (3-20, 2-8 Yadkin Valley) fell to the Comets in a 76-69 finish on Feb. 13 in New London.
The team’s regular season marked a stark difference between last year’s roster that achieved a 14-13 (8-5 conf.) record.
In the first round of the YVC Tournament on Monday night, fifth-seeded Albemarle faced the fourth-seeded Union Academy Cardinals (6-18, 4-6 Yadkin Valley) in Mount Pleasant. The winner will play at South on Wednesday.
South Stanly 85, Gray Stone 29
On Feb. 13, the Gray Stone Knights (1-19, 0-10 Yadkin Valley) were defeated by the Bulls in a 56-point home loss in Misenheimer.
With a semifinal matchup at North awaiting for the winner, the sixth-seeded Knights squared off with the third-seeded Mount Pleasant Tigers (11-12, 7-5 Yadkin Valley) in Mount Pleasant on Monday night in the first round of the YVC Tournament.