Night two of the 2022 Claiborne County Varsity Basketball Tournament was once again held at Cumberland Gap High School.
The first game of four, December 13, featured the number one seeded Lady Eagles of H.Y. Livesay versus Powell Valley. When the ball was tipped off, it was the Lady Eagles getting a 6-0 run. Powell Valley broke the run with a basket at the 2:50 mark. The Lady Indians were not able to put more points on the board, and after one period the score was 14-2. During the second period, Livesay kept scoring and with three minutes left, led 16-3. Scoring was slow during the last two minutes of the first half but the Lady Eagles led 19-5 after a three-pointer fell with seconds to spare. After the break Powell Valley gave great effort on defense and chipped away at the lead; however, after three periods of play the Lady Eagles led 28-8. As the game came to a close it was Livesay who got the win by the final score of 38-9. Kelly Hatfield led Livesay with 11, Abby Peters had eight, Amillya Smith had six, Karlie Johnson had five, Allie Fortner had four, Allie Owens and Izzy Helton both had two. Leading the Indians were four players, with two each including Cabella Duverney, Savanah Medley, McKenna Powers and Megan Weaver. Anna Bean scored one point.
The Matt Compton State Farm Players of the Game were Kelly Hatfield for H.Y. and McKenna Powers for Powell Valley. Congratulations Kelly and McKenna!
Next on the floor were Springdale facing the number one seeded Eagles of H.Y. Livesay. Livesay got the lead 6-1, but Springdale battled and were down by a single point at the end of the opening period, 6-5. The Owls took the lead on a three, but Livesay rallied and took a 14-8 lead. A technical foul for a player not being in the book stopped play with 31 seconds left in the half. Springdale narrowed the Livesay advantage to six at the half, 17-11. Springdale came out of the locker room a different team and had the game tied at 21 with three minutes remaining in the third. At 2:06 Coach Smith called a timeout to settle his team down and set up the offense. The score went back and forth but at the end of the third, Springdale led 24-23. The game came down to which team wanted it more. The Owls went up by three on an inbounds play out of a timeout. A three by Livesay tied it at 26. Mistakes cost the Eagles around the three-minute mark and Springdale had an opportunity to take the lead once again. A foul in the paint put Springdale on the free throw line. Two misses later the Eagles wanted the lead but turned the ball over. A huge three out of the corner gave Livesay the lead at 29-26. At 1:46 Springdale had possession and the ball beside the goal on an inbounds play. They hit a shot in the paint and got the harm and hit the tying free throw. Livesay banked in a three taking the lead, but Springdale responded with a two, 32-31. 35-33 was the final with H.Y. surviving a scare. Brady Harris led the Eagles with 15, Neil Bunch had 11, Kole Carter had seven, Cason Adams and Jacob Tinnel had two each. Chase Robinette led the Owls with 12, Owen Medlin had 11, Owen Stone had seven and Will Compton had three.
Coach Smith had this to say following the game, “Survive and advance. That’s the message at tournament time. Just find a way to get to the next round, even if you aren’t playing your best basketball. We have some things we need to clean up and we need to be better at a couple of spots, but this is all a process. There’s no magic wand to this. I’m proud we found a way to win when we didn’t play great basketball. I’d much rather learn and grow through a win. That’s a good, well coached basketball team that’s not accurately seeded in the county. I’ll stand by that. They had some things go against them with injuries and illness in the middle of county and district play, but they are a good team. We expected a battle going in. I have to give a huge shoutout to Neil Bunch. Their game plan was to sink off Neil and dare him to make shots. I looked at Neil entering the 4th and told him he had to make a shot for us to win the game. He stepped up and hit three three-pointers down the stretch. I refused to not believe in him. He plays his role on this team very well. He stepped up. We have some guys that are pressing a little and that’s fine. They’re kids. We will get through it. People don’t realize how much is on these kids to perform. We ask them to do a lot of things. It’s a grind. But my job is to be there to pick them up and carry them through the fire when needed. I have a wonderful group of young men that I love coaching. We have an opportunity to compete for a county championship Thursday night that we’re excited for. My message this week is to not wish away opportunities. This group has two months left together before they go their separate ways. Enjoy the process and being together. I know I am. We will watch the film from this one and get back to work tomorrow. We will play another good basketball team Thursday.”
The Matt Compton State Farm Players of the Game were Brady Harris for Livesay and Chase Robinette for Springdale. Congratulations Brady and Chase!
The next game featured the Lady Owls and Lady Dragons. Forge Ridge moved ahead at the start 8-0 before the Lady Owls hit their first basket. Springdale struggled to hit their open shots in the paint and by the end of the first period the Lady Dragons led 9-2. Forge Ridge pulled on out to a 16-2 lead midway through the second period. At the half Forge Ridge led 20-5. The Lady Owls rallied some in the third period but couldn’t keep up the pace Forge Ridge was setting. At the end of three the score was 22-13. The Lady Owls made a run in the final period and got to within seven but Forge Ridge cane down and scored four points increasing their lead to 26-15. Springdale was scrappy enough to remain in striking distance, but the Lady Dragons scored every time they needed to and won the game, 30-21. Leading the Lady Dragons in scoring was Emma Bussell with 19, Macy England with six, Maybree Collingsworth had three and Brinley Pendleton had two. Springdale was led by Maci Short with seven, Jocelyn Essary had six, Gracie Rouse had four, Kinsley Hayes had three and Delaney Nickell had one point.
The Matt Compton State Farm Players of the Game were Emma Bussell for Forge Ridge and Maci Short for Springdale. Congratulations Emma and Maci!
The final game of day two featured the boys of Powell Valley and Soldier’s Memorial Middle School. The Indians took an early lead, but SMMS stayed within two early. With the period coming to an end the Indians led 8-2. With 1:55 remaining in the first half the Indians led 15-2 and went on to lead at the half, 19-4. The Blue Devils played hard during the third period and forced the Indians to keep working hard to stay out front. At the end of the third the Indians led 27-7. The Blue Devils continued to push Powell Valley but each time the Indians had a response and took home the victory at 35-14. Powell Valley was led in scoring by Braden Lane and Luke Lloyd both with 11 points. Hunter Ellison and Colby Weaver both had four, Jaden Brown had three and Korbin Goins had two points. SMMS was led by Eric Ferguson with nine, Jackson Thode with three and Ty Page had two.
The Matt Compton State Farm Players of the Game were Braden Lane and Luke Lloyd for the Indians and Eric Ferguson for SMMS. Congratulations to all three!
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