CANTON — Despite missing junior center Mariah Lewis, who wasn't even
in attendance due the flu bug, the Pisgah varsity girls basketball
team managed to squeak out a 49-48 non-conference victory over
visiting North Buncombe Friday night.

The Black Bears improved to 5-3 overall, while the Black Hawks slipped to 5-5.

By the end of the first quarter, junior guard Sheridan Pressley scored
seven of her team-high 16 points to help Pisgah to a 17-9 lead. The
momentum of the first eight minutes and baskets by Sarah Johnson,
Brooklyn Allen, Brooklyn Gaylean and Sydney Singleton, gave the Black
Bears to a 25-9 lead in the early stages of the second quarter.

But without Lewis and her commanding presence in the post, North
Buncombe rallied and close the quarter on a 10-3 run, pulling to
within in nine points, 28-19.

During the break, North Buncombe changed its defensive strategy and
employed a box-in-one specifically designed for Pressley.

It worked as planned as Pisgah's playmaker was held scoreless in the
quarter and the Black Hawks outscored their host, 19-8, to take a
38-36 lead going into the fourth quarter.

North Buncombe even scored the first two baskets in the fourth and
took a 42-36 lead.

But from that point, Pressley (seven points) solved the defensive
puzzle and took over, helped by Allen and (Taylor) Galyean as Pisgah
fought back to a one point deficit, 48-47, and possession of the ball
with 19 seconds left in the game.

And it was Pressley who made the game-winning shot, a driving layup
with 13 seconds left.

North Buncombe's Monica Taylor finished with a game-high 20 points.