By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

They’re ending the year on a winning note.

The Callaway Cavaliers, while winning for the fourth time in five games to improve to 4-2, shrugged off a late challenge from Valley to capture a 62-52 victory on Friday night in their final game of 2019.

Valley, which trailed by 12 points at the close of the third quarter, made things interesting late.

The Rams got within two with 3:56 remaining, but the Cavaliers regained control and ended up winning comfortably.

The Cavaliers’ late surge was led by a suffocating defense that forced a number of turnovers that led to points.

“I think defense won it, all the pressure we put on them,” said Callaway senior Duke Simpson.

Simpson was a key part of that defensive effort, and the senior got it done on the offensive end as well with a team-leading 17 points.

Antinez Blount added 15 points, including eight points in the fourth quarter, and Javontay Boddie scored 12 points.

Demetrius Coleman scored 11 points, and he made seven free throws in the fourth quarter to help Callaway put it away.

The Cavaliers had a seemingly comfortable 40-28 lead after three quarters, but the Rams went on a 15-5 run to make it a two-point game.

The Cavaliers answered with a 9-0 run to take a 54-43 lead with 2:20 remaining.

The Cavaliers kept charging, and after Boddie came up with a steal, Blount drained a 3-pointer to make it a 60-45 game with less than a minute remaining, and the outcome was sealed.

Next up for Callaway is a Region 5-AA road game against Temple next Friday.

Callaway is 2-0 in the region after beating Heard County and Lamar County last week.