Prep Basketball: Eastern Randolph teams reach PAC finals; Asheboro boys suffer upset loss

Asheboro’s Hakeeme Butler takes a shot against Oak Grove during the Mid-Piedmont Conference Tournament semifinals. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

RAMSEUR – Both Eastern Randolph basketball teams will be in the championship games on their home court Friday night.

The finals matchups for Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament were set after Wednesday night’s results.

The 6 p.m. girls’ game pits Randleman (23-1) against Eastern Randolph (17-6) followed by the boys’ title game between Trinity (20-6) and Eastern Randolph (23-2)

On the girls’ side, second-seeded Eastern Randolph defeated visiting Southwestern Randolph 75-49 behind Brecken Snotherly’s 37 points.

The third-seeded Cougars (18-8) received 14 points from Maddie Small.

** Top-seeded Randleman rolled past fifth-seeded Uwharrie Charter Academy 58-40 with Jordan Booker pouring in 17 points, Audra Petty posting 16 points and Graycn Hall adding 15 points.

Ashara Spurill scored 10 points for visiting UCA (11-15).

** In the boys’ tournament, top-seeded Eastern Randolph had a difficult time in turning back fourth-seeded Randleman 48-45.

The Wildcats had scored at least 58 points in every previous game this season. They led by 12 points at halftime, but couldn’t put Randleman away.

Davonte Brooks racked up 18 points and 13 rebounds for Eastern Randolph.

Greg Price’s 18 points led Randleman (15-11), which closed the gap in the final seconds on Christian Long’s 3-pointer on the game’s last shot.

** Dominic Payne scored 30 points as third-seeded Trinity edged second-seeded Southwestern Randolph 67-66.

Dylan Hodges had 17 points and Brandon Campbell provided 13 points for the visiting Bulldogs.

Southwestern Randolph (15-10) had been the only PAC team to defeat Eastern Randolph this season. Nathan Ellis had 21 points and Sean Adkins added 16.

Mid-Piedmont Conference

Wednesday night at Ledford, fifth-seeded Oak Grove upset top-seeded Asheboro 67-61 in the conference tournament semifinals.

Asheboro (19-5), which was the defending tournament champion, had gone through the 10-game league slate undefeated in the regular season. It had an 11-game winning streak overall.

The Blue Comets, who’ll await the pairings for the Class 3-A state playoffs, received 21 points apiece from Jerquarius Stanback and Hakeeme Butler.

** In the girls’ tournament a night earlier, third-seeded North Davidson topped last-place Asheboro 76-68 despite Salem Lee’s 24 points and Sion Murrian’s 20 points. Sixth-seeded Asheboro’s season ended with a 4-21 record with 10 consecutive losses.

By Randolph Record