Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Polk County broke open a close game Tuesday with a huge third-period run, pulling away for a 63-42 girls basketball win over Highland Tech in Gastonia.

 

The Wolverines (4-2) defeated the Rams (1-6) for the second time in five days, having scored a 63-32 win at home on Friday in the first meeting between the two teams.

 

How it happened: Polk County led just 26-20 at halftime, but the Wolverines kicked off the second half with a 23-8 spurt to seize command of the game.

 

Bailey Staton hit a pair of 3-pointers and Polk County was 9-of-11 at the foul line during the rally, which boosted the Wolverine lead to 49-28 entering the fourth quarter.

 

Scoring: Staton finished with 16 points to lead Polk, with Charley Dusenbury and Kylie Lewis each scoring 11. Dusenbury had seven of her 11 points in the second period to help give the Wolverine the lead at halftime.

 

Dusenbury and Lewis each also had nine rebounds while Staton had six assists.

 

Mia Bradley finished with nine points, with Gavionna Carson adding six. Sarah Gray had four points, with Exziah Staley scoring two.

 

Next up: Polk County returns home Thursday to host Landrum in the final meeting between the two neighboring schools this season.