In the final contest before taking a break for the holidays, the North Moore girls’ basketball team hosted West Montgomery in an important Yadkin Valley Conference showdown.

Both teams are still in the early-season hunt for the regular-season title with the host Lady Mustangs sporting a 2-2 league mark and the Warriors a 3-1 record.

The game was tight with the Lady Warriors leading most of the way, but the Mustangs stayed within striking distance until the final seconds of the third quarter and the first minute of the fourth period. Using their height advantage, the Warriors ran off nine straight points in pushing their lead to 50-36 en route to a 60-39 victory.

The Warriors had three players in double figures, with senior Latoya Cuthrell leading the way with 17 points and 23 rebounds. West Montgomery finished the contest with 47 rebounds, including 20 coming off the offensive glass. The Warriors outshot North Moore at the foul line, hitting 17-of-23 attempts, while the Mustangs managed to connect on nine-of-15 attempts.

While the Warriors were dominating the boards, the Warriors’ defense held the Mustangs’ leading scorer, senior Jalisa Davis, to a season low 14 points. Davis went into the game averaging more than 25 points per game.

The game started fast with the Mustangs tying the game at 6-all with back-to-back three-pointers from senior Jessie Sheffield and junior Heather Dunmyer. The Warriors went on a 6-0 spurt and held a 16-8 lead with 1:38 left in the first quarter.

The Mustangs closed the period on a 4-0 run on a putback by Tiosha McCaskill and drive by Davis, closing the gap to 16-12 at the end of the opening frame.

The Mustangs scored the first three points of the second quarter on a free throw by Davis and rebound bucket from McCaskill, closing the gap to 16-15. The two teams swapped buckets over the next four-plus minutes with the Warriors leading 22-21 with 2:05 left in the half. Then Cuthrell converted a three-point play and had a putback for a bucket, giving West Montgomery a 27-21 lead at the break.

With less than four minutes left in the third quarter, McCaskill hit a short jumper and converted a pair of free throws, pulling her team to within three points at 37-34.

The Warriors outscored the home team 6-2 over the remainder of the quarter for a 43-36 lead going into the final period.

West Montgomery scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter, opening a 14-point lead before Mustang sophomore Casey Turner hit one-of-two free throws.

Following Davis in the Mustangs’ scoring column was McCaskill with 12 points.

W. Montgomery 16 11 16 17 — 60

North Moore 12 9 15 3 — 39

West Montgomery: Cuthrell 8 1-1 17; Dumas 3 6-7 13; Morris 2 7-9 11; Waddell 3 1-2 7; Lindsey 1 2-2 4; Diggs 2 0-2 4; Johnson 1 0-0 2; Steele 1 0-0 2. Totals 21 17-23 60.

North Moore: Davis 6 1-3 14; McCaskill 3 6-6 12; Dunmyer 2 0-0 6; Sheffield 1 0-0 3; Horn 1 1-4 3; Turner 0 1-2 1. Totals 13 9-15 39.

Three-point goals: WM 1 (Dumas); NM 4 (Dunmyer 2, Davis, Sheffield).