Jeff Linville | The News

Surry Central’s Luke Haymore slices to the basket for a score around West Stokes’ Josh Spainhour (3). The Eagles fell to the Wildcats 56-39.

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DOBSON — Surry Central stayed close with West Stokes for a half, but lost 56-39 Friday night.

The Wildcats built a 23-15 lead early in the second quarter, but the Golden Eagles responded with a 7-2 run to cut the margin to three.

Then in the final 1:07, West’s Josh Spainhour hit a free throw and then a three-pointer for a 29-22 halftime lead.

When it was 25-22, it seemed like a Surry Central-type game, noted assistant coach Jeff Edmonds. The tempo was slowed down, West wasn’t getting any easy looks in transition

“We didn’t end the half well, and they did,” he said. The score probably should have been closer considering how the game was played.

That might have caused some hangover for the second half as the Eagles struggled to score.

West Stokes came out with better defensive intensity, Edmonds said. “When we were able to get good looks, we didn’t shoot a decent percentage.”

Of course, the Eagles had to contend with a Wildcat front line that could match up well with a small college.

West started 6-foot-6 Zach Hartle, 6-foot-4 Alston Furr and 6-foot-5 Reid Goodson. Then four players on the bench are 6-foot-3 or taller.

They aren’t just long, they are good players with length, noted Edmonds. Like teams with a lot of quickness, it is hard to simulate something like that in practice.

Furr finished with a game-high 22 points.

They are a challenge, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be beaten, the assistant said. The Eagles needed to continue to do the right things throughout the game.

“We’re learning,” he said. “We’re a lot farther along than we were two weeks ago.”

Luke Haymore led the Eagles with 11 points. Brett Mosley, who had been the top scorer off the bench, moved into the starting lineup and posted eight points.

Zach Wilmoth had six points and a team-high six rebounds.

Kenyon Martin came off the bench for three points, a team-high four assists and two charges drawn.

Reserve Jake Wilmoth missed the game with an illness that has been going around the school.

The Eagles (4-4) are the only area team in action midweek as they travel to West Forsyth Wednesday.