By DAN BISER

Ben Rouse scored 24 points and Dustin Williamson tallied 21 Tuesday night in leading the Waccamaw Academy boys basketball team to a 71-57 victory over visiting Flora Macdonald Academy of Red Springs.

The Warriors took the decisive victory despite a 37-point effort by FMA center Jason Tyson.

The loss avenged a 61-27 loss to FMA Jan. 17 at Red Springs.

“We put together a pretty good game tonight,” said Warrior coach Clarence Ganus, whose team led 41-24 at halftime. “Everybody got a little tired at the end but our kids hung in there. We really needed a win tonight and we were able to get it.”

The Warriors got off to a strong start, outscoring the Cougars 24-10 in the first quarter.

Nathan Long and Warren Fischer each scored eight points and Matt Ward had seven for the Warriors, who put their season record at 2-7.

Flora Macdonald won the girls game 45-8.

BOYS GAME

FLORA MACDONALD (57): Tyson 37, D. McKenzie 8, M. McKenzie 7, Sheminski 3, Castillo 4.

WACCAMAW ACADEMY (71): Long 8, Fischer 8, Rouse 24, Williamson 21, Ward 7.