The Apex girls’ basketball team upended Cary on Friday 64-32 by using its superior depth against the injury-plagued Imps.

The game began competitive, as Apex (10-6, 4-1) led 14-9 at the end of the first quarter and pushed ahead for a 33-20 lead at the end of the first half. Apex forward Kelsey Mancini scored seven of her 12 points in the second quarter.

Though Cary (0-14, 0-5) appeared within reach at the half, starting guards DeeDee Pennington and Mia Harris were both nursing minor injuries that slowed them in the second half and allowed Apex to exploit its superior backcourt depth.

Harris had been playing through shin splints, said Cary assistant Patrick Stone, and Pennington suffered an injury in the second quarter after contact on a made shot. Though both played in the game, their productivity was limited.

“You’re not going to beat a lot of teams when you lose your top two point guards,” Cary coach Donald Kent said. “I told them, ‘If Carolina loses Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington, you’re not going to beat Duke.”

With Cary’s backcourt limited, Apex exploited the Imps in the third quarter, holding Cary scoreless, and quickly converting misses and turnovers into baskets. According to Apex senior point guard Kim Durham, who finished with 14 points, defensive intensity was the key in Apex’s 18-0 third-quarter run.

“Our defense was a lot better in the third quarter, and they didn’t score,” Durham said. “I thought they made a lot of good shots in the first half, but our defense held them in the second.”

Apex coach Scott Campbell said he was pleased with his team’s post play in the rivalry game, particularly the play of Mancini and forward Cassandra Mitchell, who tied Durham with a game-high 14 points to help Apex earn the 32-point win.

“They gave us a huge boost,” Campbell said. “They scored, they rebounded, they defended, and [Cary’s] depth was an issue, and I think it kind of wore on them.”

Though the score wasn’t close, Kent said he noticed improvements in his young team’s performance, especially in the first half.

“We played better tonight than we’ve played all year,” Kent said. “The Cary-Apex rivalry probably had something to do with it. But I’m very proud of them. I know people are going to see the score and think differently. But you lose your two guards in a close game and that happens.”

Though the rivalry motivated the players, Campbell said every conference game is important.

“It’s a big game because it’s Apex-Cary, but every conference game is crucial,” Campbell said. “And Donald Kent is a good friend of mine. I’ve known him for a hundred years, and I get no joy out of beating Donald. They’re having a rough start right now, and you kind of have mixed emotions with something like that.”

The win extends the Cougars’ winning streak to seven games, though Campbell said the streak isn’t as important as his team’s consistent improvement.

“We’re going in the right direction,” Campbell said. “The biggest thing right now is doing things on a constant basis. That was a big part of our little meeting [after the game], is that I’m not sure that they realize their potential. Seven wins in a row is great, but that’s not our goal. We still want to work hard and get better until that last game.”