WAXHAW — T.J Tolbert scored 19 points and Colby Rhodes added 17 as the Marvin Ridge High boys basketball team defeated Cuthbertson (2-5) 81-63 on Wednesday evening.

Tolbert connected on five 3-pointers while Rhodes made three triples – the Mavericks (2-3) totaled 12 from beyond the arc.

Rhodes sparked the Marvin Ridge offense early with 11 points, three rebounds and two assists in the second quarter.

“[Rhodes] was huge,” MR coach Gosnell White said. “He’s learning how to run the point because the last two years he played off the ball so we could take advantage of his scoring. Now that we got him out on the ball a lot, it’s different for him – but he’s adjusted well.”

Just before halftime, Rhodes pump-faked a 3-point shot and drew the defender into his body, but getting a shot attempt off in time to draw a foul with time expiring. Rhodes made all three free throws, swinging momentum towards the Mavericks as they led 51-32.

The third quarter began with MR senior forward David Powell stealing the opening possession and soaring to a dunk in the face of his defender.

The Cavaliers would not go out quietly though, largely attributed to junior Cody Esser’s shooting (20 points, five 3-pointers) and junior Mike Cuthbertson’s strength at getting to the rim.

Cuthbertson (16 points, six rebounds) came alive in the third quarter after seeing mostly double teams in the first half. Following an Esser 3-pointer, Cuthbertson drew a foul while finishing at the basket, making the free throw and bringing the deficit from 19 points to just six.

“We just wanted to run people at [Mike Cuthbertson],” White said. “We knew they probably wouldn’t be able to take him off the floor too much, but towards the end of the game he got a little winded.”

The Cavaliers came close, but would never close the gap. Just as Cuthbertson fans erupted, the Mavericks opened up a 17-3 run that led into the fourth quarter and helped MR head home with its second consecutive win.

“We didn’t cave in on the run,” White said. “They’re at home and we knew it’s going to be a big rivalry so they were going to come at us. We made a couple of substitutions and got some fresh guys out there and I think that kind of spearheaded our run a little bit.”

MR girls cruise

The Marvin Ridge girls rolled over Cuthbertson 74-12.

Mavericks senior guard Toni Lashley scored a game-high 16 points, Rachel Walker scored 11, and Eryn Curry and Casey Tarwater each recorded five assists – the Mavs totaled 19 assists.

Cuthbertson hosts West Stanly on Friday and the Mavericks head to Salisbury next Monday.