The immediate impact of Amiyah Ware into the Cedar Ridge women’s basketball lineup was apparent in her first game in a Red Wolves’ uniform.
Cedar Ridge, who opened the year without Ware in its opening six games as she recovered from a torn ACL in her right knee, went from losing by 60 points to Chapel Hill to taking East Chapel Hill down to the wire in a matter of days. The Red Wolves had a chance to tie on its final possession but a final shot fell short and the Wildcats held on to win 54-51.
Three days later, the Red Wolves ended a 39-game conference losing streak with a 50-27 victory over Person in Roxboro. It was Cedar RIdge’s first conference win since February 8, 2019.
On Friday night, Ware permanently branded her name in the Cedar Ridge record books when she scored 37 points against Eastern Alamance at Jobe Gymnasium in Mebane. Ware broke the previous record set by Madison Wardlow, who scored 35 points against Northern Durham on February 5, 2019. Wardlow is the only female player in Cedar Ridge history to score over 1,000 points.
Eastern Alamance held on to defeat the Red Wolves 56-47.
On Thursday night, Ware scored 22 points to lift Cedar Ridge past Franklin Academy 38-30 at Red Wolves Gymnasium. It was the Red Wolves first home win of the season as well as its first nonconference victory.
Cedar Ridge never trailed against the Patriots as Ware scored six points in the opening quarter. Annora Leaf added another bucket as Cedar Ridge led 8-2 at the end of the first quarter.
Franklin Academy’s Sarah Godwin keep the Patriots (6-10) alive in the second half. Godwin had ten points in the third quarter, including two 3-pointers, to reduce the Red Wolves lead to 27-20. Koryn Shearin knocked down a 3-pointer with 56 seconds remaining in the third quarter, but Franklin’s Illiana Rodriguez, a 6-foot-3 center, got her long arms on a rebound for a stickback bucket. Franklin’s Ashley Probasco got a steal and threw in a set shot as the third quarter buzzer sounded to cut the Red Wolves lead to 31-25 going into the fourth quarter.
To open the fourth quarter, Ware drew an offensive foul when Godwin was called for using the off-arm against her on offense. On the subsequent possession, Shearin threw a skip pass to Ware, who jumped up-and-down calling for the ball before she finally drained a 3-pointer for her 20th point. It was the Red Wolves only field goal of the second half, but it turned out to be all they needed. Godwin scored on a stickback field goal with 4:20 remaining to reduce the Red Wolves lead to 33-28.
The Patriots had several attempts to cut the Red Wolves’ deficit to one possession in the final four minutes, but Cameron Copeland tied up Rodriguez to force a held ball that sent the possession back to Cedar Ridge. A moment later, Ware knocked the ball away from Franklin’s Emily Capps. Copeland took the loose ball and drew a foul against Rodriguez, which was her fifth.
Probasco missed the front end of an 1-and-1 with 2:55 remaining. Franklin missed another 3-point opportunity and Shearin got the rebound. Young finally ended the long scoreless string with a free throw, and Ware got a key steal to preserve the Red Wolves lead on the next possession.
Godwin had 17 points for the Patriots.
Grace Young added seven points for the Red Wolves.
Ware, a transfer from the Burlington School, started her career playing at the age of eight at the Orange Parks and Recreation Department.
Cedar Ridge will host Western Alamance on Tuesday night at 6, the first of three straight home games. They will also host Walter Williams on Friday night, which will mark the halfway point of the conference schedule. The Red Wolves will face Person again on January 20 at Red Wolves Gymnasium.