When the North Moore boys’ basketball team traveled to Winston-Salem for their second-round state 1-A playoff game Wednesday, they pretty much had the deck stacked against them going up against the defending state 1-A champions Winston-Salem Prep.

Not only did only the Phoenix have eight players 6-foot-3 or taller, which is taller than all the Mustang players except one, but the school brings in players from all across Forsyth County and the surrounding counties, creating a virtual all-star team.

With their talented players, Winston-Salem Prep jumped to a 30-7 first quarter lead and went on to a 97-43 victory. The Phoenix, the Midwest Pod’s No. 1 seed, are now 28-1 and move on to the third round Friday to face fourth-seed Lake Norman Charter, another school that can accept players from across school and county boundaries.

North Moore ended its season with a 15-12 record and finished third in the Yadkin Valley Conference with a 10-6 mark. The game also marked the end of five seniors’ basketball career as North Moore players.

They are Landon Auman, Adam Bullard, Denzel Herron, Daniel Purvis and Adrain Wall.

North Moore, coming off its first playoff win in nearly two decades with a win over Central Academy in Monroe Monday, was unable to handle the taller and more athletic Winston-Salem Prep players and their constant pressure defense.

The Phoenix were able to use their defense to create Mustang turnovers for easy buckets and the 30-7 first-period lead.

After the break between the first and second quarters, the Mustangs played much better, scoring 16 second-period points. But the host Phoenix added 21 points for a 51-23 lead at the halftime break.

The third quarter was almost a replay of the opening frame, with the Mustangs only able to score eight points while Winston-Salem Prep added 24 points for a 75-31 lead going into the final stanza.

While Phoenix coach Andrea Gould and North Moore coach Grant Smith substituting freely in the fourth period, Winston-Salem Prep outscored the Mustangs 22-12 in the fourth quarter for their victory.

Auman led the Mustangs with 12 points followed by Malik Chisholm with 11 points, Quashan Davis 7, Purvis 5, Matthew Spivey 3, Bullard 2, Aaron Richardson 2 and Wall 1.

The Phoenix had four players in double figures, led by Aaron Lipscomb with 18 points. Mike Huges added 15 and D.J. Harrison 15, Raekwon Harney 12, Will Tibbs 9, Coye Simmons 9, Austin Collins 6, Omar Roseboro 5, Jalen Tate4, Greg Howard 2, Philip Bailey 1, and Matthew Stevenson 1 to the Phoenix cause.