Teams began play Friday night in the Piedmont Athletic Conference and there were a couple of close games in girls’ basketball.
Defending champion Randleman received 21 points and 10 rebounds from Audra Petty in a 47-41 home victory against Wheatmore.
Providence Grove edged visiting Uwharrie Charter Academy 59-53 with Brooke Ingram racking up 25 points.
Southwestern Randolph had an easy time with visiting Trinity in a 55-4 result.
Eastern Randolph is slated to begin PAC play this week.
Earlier last week, Jordin George scored 21 points when Southwestern Randolph trounced visiting North Davidson 55-28 in non-conference action.
Boys’ basketball
Providence Grove opened PAC play by winning 51-46 against visiting UCA behind Will Dabbs’ 19 points.
Randleman benefitted from defense in defeating visiting Wheatmore 50-36 to begin PAC play.
Trinity’s conference opener came with Dominic Payne tallying 35 points in a 69-56 victory at Southwestern Randolph.
** Eastern Randolph opened its season with a 72-57 loss at Oak Grove last Thursday despite Nicah Taylor’s 19 points.
The Wildcats, who fell into a 38-17 hole, hoisted 95 shots in that game, making just 22 (23.2 percent). They were 5-for-31 on 3-point attempts.
That was the first of three games in three days for Eastern Randolph, which won 83-66 at Albemarle and then lost 86-72 to Oak Ridge Military Academy.
** Jerquarius Stanback posted 19 points and David Rodriguez had 16 points when Asheboro defeated visiting Providence Grove 63-32 in a non-conference game.
** There were several solid point totals for area players in defeats last week.
Parker Kines had 20 points when Wheatmore lost 54-52 in overtime to visiting South Davidson.
Randleman’s Greg Price had 19 points in a 50-47 loss to visiting Oak Grove.
Nathan Ellis of Southwestern Randolph racked up 22 points in a loss at East Davidson. Brayden Chapman had 15 points for the Cougars in that game a night after scoring 16 in a loss to visiting North Davidson.
