Despite a 9-3 start, there was a lingering doubt in coach Ray Hartsfield's mind about exactly where his team stood midway through the season in regards to the PAC-6 conference. Were they as good as they showed in their first league victory over Jordan 59-50 on Dec. 11? Or were they as bad as they looked in getting wiped out 74-54 by Riverside, ranked No. 2 in the 4-A polls, in their final game before holiday break?

Through their first 12 games, East had only claimed two victories in an opponents' gym. In the days leading up to Friday's game at Southern Durham, Hartsfield told his squad they wouldn't be a contender until they claimed a league win on the road, a challenge his team answered resoundingly Friday night.

The Wildcats (10-3, 3-1 in the PAC-6) defeated the Spartans 52-38 Friday at Spartan Gymnasium. Point guard Aaron Law paced the Wildcats with 21 points, while Randall Davis added 10.

After Southern Durham started the game with a 10-1 spurt, East outscored the Spartans 12-2 in the rest of the first quarter. In the second half, ECH held them to four field goals.

"That's something I love to hear," said Hartsfield, whose team defeated Northern Durham 64-44 on Tuesday in the first game of the calendar year. "We fought through the early mistakes because their intensity knocked us back a step. We came out flat and didn't have the right mindset early."

After Southern's David Jordan and Geoffrey Hunter opened the game with two field goals each in the opening four minutes, Law sparked the East comeback, first by setting up a three-pointer from Randall Davis, then canning his own trey at the end of the quarter to give East an 13-12 lead.

"That's what he's supposed to do as a senior," said Hartsfield. "When things got tough in the first quarter, he came up with some big shots, and that's why we have him as a co-captain."

Even without reserves Bryson Gibson (sprained ankle) and Robert Jones (hip fracture), Hartsfield still had enough depth to play 10 players in the first half to wear down the short Spartan bench. Keyed by nine points from fearless backup point guard Michael Wolfe, the Wildcats outscored Southern's bench 17-6.

With both teams employing a flex offense, East wore down the Spartans through the rest of the first half. Law opened the second quarter with consecutive three-point plays, keying a 12-2 East run that gave the Wildcats a 23-16 advantage, and led at the half 29-22.

Neither team mounted much offense in the third quarter. East only scored two points in the opening six minutes, yet still led 31-27 because Southern went 5:26 without a field goal. By that point, East regained its bearings and finished the frame on a 9-2 run, keyed by a contested dunk by Strathern that created the biggest pop of the night from Southern's own fans.

If Friday night proved that East can be a contender, the week ahead may determine if catching Riverside for first place is feasible. The Wildcats travel to Hillside on Tuesday, then host Chapel Hill in a rescheduled game on Wednesday night. On Friday, they travel to Roxboro to face Person.

EAST CHAPEL HILL 52, S. DURHAM 38

Friday, at Spartan Gym, Durham

EAST CHAPEL HILL

Aaron Law 21, Ross Whisenant 3, Randall Davis 10, Gabe Strathern 4, Michael Magnum 2, Michael Wolfe 9, Thomas Meyer 2.

SOUTHERN DURHAM

David Jordan 7, Geoffrey Hunter 8, Evan Collins 3, Julian Saunders 9, Jordan Riley 5, Dorian Belcher 2, Allen Lea 2, Prince Jones 2.

3-point goals East Chapel Hill 5 (Law 3, Davis 2); Southern Durham 1(Collins). Fouled out: none. Technical Fouls: none. Rebounds: East Chapel Hill 21 (Alston, Strathern 4), Southern Durham 38 (Lea 9). Turnovers: East Chapel Hill 8, Southern Durham 18. Steals: East Chapel Hill 6 (Davis, Alston 2), Southern Durham 1 (Riley). Blocks: East Chapel Hill 3 (Davis 2), Southern Durham 5 (Riley 2).