Jeff Linville | The News

North Surry’s Kristina Rumplasch sticks back an offensive rebound over Mount Airy’s Symone Simmons (21) and Kathryn Beasley (10). Four of the Hounds’ first eight baskets came off the offensive boards.

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The Lady Bears made a run in the third quarter, but the Lady Greyhounds clamped down on defense for a 48-33 win on the road.

North Surry took a 37-23 lead in the third quarter on a three-point play by Malaya Johnson, the first free throw by either team.

A shorthanded Mount Airy team scored the last eight points of the quarter to close to 37-31.

Then North Surry outscored the home team 11-2 in the final period.

At the start of the game, Mount Airy had a different look with three typical starters on the bench.

Mikayla Seivers and Alex Atkins were in street clothes with illnesses, and Kathryn Beasley came off the bench. In their places were Dana Brown, Andi Moore and Jasmine Varney.

In the first quarter, it was Mount Airy’s outside shooting against North Surry’s inside strength.

Moore and Varney hit threes, while Kristina Rumplasch and Malaya Johnson were active on the offensive glass. Of the Hounds’ first eight baskets, four came on putbacks.

Johnson had 10 rebounds, and seven of those were on offense, noted North Coach Shane Slate.

Rumplasch had seven and Johnson six as the Hounds took a 17-10 lead into the second.

Erin March hit a three, and Johnson scored three times as the Hounds went up 28-15 at the break.

In the third quarter, Brown got hot, hitting three long shots and a midrange jumper for 11 of her team-high 14 points on the night.

Slate said the Hounds weren’t getting back quickly enough in transition and finding shooters.

The lead could have been cut to less than the 37-31 margin, but some of the other Bears missed open looks.

In the fourth quarter, the Hounds scored the first six points as Mount Airy went four minutes without a basket.

Then North scored the last five points for the final 15-point margin.

In a cleanly played game, North Surry shot just three free throws, and Mount Airy got one on a three-point play by Davi Barvour.

Johnson had a game-high 19 points, March 15 and Rumplasch 12 as the big three scored 46 of the 48 points, with an early basket from Jordan Badgett.

Rumplasch had 10 boards and three assists, and Johnson had four assists.

With two out and others forced into starting roles, the Bears had just four points from their bench. Between the two teams, 75 of the 79 points came from the starters.

Tuesday Results

Editor’s Note: North Surry played at West Stokes on Tuesday, and the results were not available in time for Wednesday’s paper.

KING — The Lady Greyhounds stayed perfect with a 61-39 win over West Stokes late Tuesday.

North Surry improved to 9-0 in the Northwest Conference (15-1) overall with a steady performance throughout the game.

Rather than make a big run in any given quarter, the Hounds outscored the Lady Wildcats in each quarter: seven points, seven, four and four.

North’s Kristina Rumplasch hit four three-pointers on the way to a game-high 25 points, while providing a team-high four steals on defense.

“We did a good job offensively of moving the ball, and we got some opportunities inside,” said Coach Shane Slate.

When the defense collapsed inside on Malaya Johnson and Erin March, then the Hounds kicked out to shooters for open looks.

March and Morgan Hawks also hit three-pointers.

Johnson finished with a double-double of 17 points and 11 assists to go with five blocks. March added 12, Maddison Hawks four, Morgan Hawks three and Abby Andrews one.

Small forward Jordan Badgett led North in rebounding with eight. She chased down some long caroms and also picked up some boards with the big bodies banging on the inside, Slate said.

Those big bodies include West co-captains Chris Madigan and Makala Bozman.

Slate said Johnson and Madigan played each other, while March took most of the defensive burden on Bozman, the Cats’ leading scorer.

The two Cats combine for 23 points a game, but the Hounds held them to 13 – 10 for Bozman and three for Madigan.

All-conference guard Abby Harris led West Stokes with 17 points. After Bozman, no other Wildcat had more than three.

Slate said the defense lost sight of some players at times, and he wanted to do a better job against Mount Airy.

Because Friday’s game with the Bears was postponed, the Hounds play three games in four days this week.

“It’s not ideal, but with the weather and cancellations, you just have to do the best you can,” he said.