The Bowling Green Buccaneers advanced to the Brookhaven Tournament finals for the second time in the past three years with a 49-40 win over top ranked Hillcrest.
The first half of play didn’t produce what most would have expected from the two high scoring squads as Hillcrest maintained a narrow 19-18 advantage, but Bowling Green answered by outscoring the Cougars 31-21 in the second half to advance to the finals tonight.
(Above) Bowling Green's Kevin Perry (#23) gets challenged by Austin Hartzog of Hillcrest (#42)
Bowling Green trailed throughout the first half but with 3:58 remaining in the third quarter a Colton Owens basket gave the Bucs their first lead at 26-24. Bowling Green finished the quarter on a 9-2 run that culminated on a Dylan Varnado lay-in to increase the lead to 33-26 after three quarters of play.
Josh Rogers started the fourth quarter with a quick bucket for Hillcrest, but a Jaron Edwards floater in the lane put Bowling Green up 35-28 with 5:55 remaining. The Cougars outscored Bowling Green 6-1 over the next 1:38 to knot things up at 36-36. During that span Bowling Green’s Jaron Edwards picked up his fifth foul in what appeared to be a huge momentum swing, but the Buccaneers answered with a 9-0 run to push the lead to 45-36 with 1:04 remaining in the game. Hillcrest would get no closer than six points in the last minute as Bowling Green took a 49-40 win.
(Above) Two Bowling Green defenders try to slow down Austin Hartzog
Colton Owens led Bowling Green with 15 points, Dylan Varnado added 13, Kevin Perry had 7, Jaron Edwards and Mac McElveen each had 5 and Russell Perry finished with 4 points.
Austin Hartzog had a game high 16 points for Hillcrest. Caleb Baucum added 8, Josh Rogers 6, Chris Prather 5, Timothy Knowles 4 and Spencer Burroughs 1.
The #3 ranked Bowling Green Buccaneers improved to 14-3 while top ranked Hillcrest fell to 14-2.
BG…8…10…15…16…49
HC..10…9….7….14…40
Brookhaven pounds Simpson
The Brookhaven Cougars advanced to the finals with a 71-44 dismantling of Simpson last night. Jake Reed poured in 30 points as the defending state champions improved to 10-4 and avenged a December 3rd loss to Simpson in Mendenhall. Brookhaven jumped out to an 11-2 lead halfway through the first quarter, but a Will Ashley basket and a 3-pointer from Corey Herrington pulled Simpson to within four points at 11-7. That would be a close as Simpson would get on the night as they had no answer for Brookhaven’s strong frontcourt and transition game.
(Above) Brookhaven's Jake Reed (#11) had a game high 30 points against Simpson
Brookhaven led 22-10 after the opening quarter and built the lead to 45-22 by halftime. Reed had 19 points in the first two quarters.
Reed showed little effect from the halftime break as he continued to hit baskets from all over the court. A jump hook in the paint and two 3-pointers from the top of the key helped spur the Cougars to a 56-34 lead after three quarters.
Sidney Chaffin put up eight points in the final quarter as Brookhaven continued to pull away. The junior contributed with 15 points on the night. Brock Smith, Bubba Keene and Jamison Powell each had 8.
(Above) Sidney Chaffin (#33) of Brookhaven tries to recover between two Simpson defenders
Simpson was led by Justin Griffin’s 12 points, Will Ashley had 10, Andy Maddox 7, Corey Herrington 5 and Dylan Kennedy and Grayson Erwin 2 each.
Brookhaven’s convincing 71-44 win sets up a huge game with district 4AA foe Bowling Green tonight at 7:15 in the finals.
Simpson slipped to 9-7 and will battle Hillcrest in the consolation game at 4:45 today.
BA…22…23…11…15…71
SA…10…12…12…10…44
Lady Patriots advance to finals
East Rankin appeared to have things in control last night in their semi-final matchup with Hillcrest as Brooke Rhodes and Rachel Knight scored 14 of the Lady Patriot’s 17 first quarter points while holding Hillcrest to just six. That trend continued into the second quarter and with 3:03 left in the half two Brooke Rhodes free throws gave East Rankin their biggest lead at 28-13 en-route to a 31-17 halftime lead.
Scoring was rare in the third quarter as both teams combined for just 13 points but Hillcrest managed to hang around and finish the period with a Kristyn Kliesch bucket and down 37-24.
(Above) Brooke Rhodes (#23) of East Rankin gets airborne
Three quick Hillcrest points to start the final quarter trimmed the lead down to 10 points at 37-27. Brooke Rhodes pulled down an offensive rebound and scored to give the Lady Patriots a 39-27 advantage but Hillcrest countered as Kristyn Kliesch nailed a 3-pointer with 3:17 left and Beverly Bailey added two free throws to pull Hillcrest to within seven points at 39-32 with 2:47 left in the game. Following an East Rankin turnover Jessica Griffin hit on one of two free throws and with just over two minutes remaining the Lady Cougars were down 39-33. After another East Rankin turnover Breanna Howard sank an 8 foot floater at the 1:58 mark to pull to within four points. Hillcrest pulled down a Lady Patriot missed shot and Kristyn Kliesch converted on a baseline drive that cut the lead down to two points at 39-37. East Rankin finished the last 39 seconds of the game by hitting on 6/6 free throws to fight off a hard fought comeback attempt by Hillcrest and win 45-39.
(Above) Beverly Bailey (#24) of Hillcrest calls for the ball
Brooke Rhodes led all scorers with 23 points for East Rankin, Rachel Knight had 16, Carlee Westberry 3, Kaitlyn Coghlan 2 and Kristen Byrd 1 point.
Breanna Howard led Hillcrest with 12 points, Karly Kliesch added 11, Kristyn Kliesch 7, Beverly Bailey 6 and Meisha Ross and Jessica Griffin 2 apiece.
East Rankin improved to 15-1 and will face Brookhaven in the finals today at 6pm.
Hillcrest fell to 10-5 and will take on Bowling Green at 3:30 in the consolation game.
ER…17…14…6…8.…45
HA…6….11…7..15..39
Brookhaven out-muscles Bowling Green
Brookhaven moved into the tournament finals with a 52-41 win over Bowling Green last night. The Lady Cougars ran out to an early 12-2 lead as four different players contributed with baskets. Terah Winborne’s 3-pointer at the buzzer gave Brookhaven a 17-4 lead after the first quarter. Summer Calhoun started the second quarter with a bucket to up the advantage to 19-4 but Bowling Green began to chip away at the lead and with just over two minutes left in the half Brittany Cooper hit a jumper to trim the deficit to 24-13. Brookhaven would take a 29-16 lead into the half on Anna Lofton’s basket plus one with 24 seconds remaining.
Terah Winborne and Anna Mangold started the third quarter with baskets to give the 2nd ranked Lady Cougars a 33-16 lead. Winborne followed up her buzzer beater in the first quarter as the sophomore nailed another one at the horn to end the third quarter and put Brookhaven up 42-24.
(Above) Anna Mangold (#33) shoots over Bowling Green's Caroline Haik (#10)
Bowling Green continued to play hard and opened the fourth quarter with 3-pointers from Mackayla Dykes and Beth Reedy, plus a Brittany Cooper steal and lay-in to cut the lead down to 42-32 with 6:08 left in the game. Laura Beth Wright answered for Brookhaven with two free throws but Mackayla Dykes hit another 3-pointer to cut the deficit to single digits at 44-35. At the 4:20 mark Brittany Cooper picked up another steal and converted to pull Bowling Green to within eight points at 47-39 but Brookhaven would hit on 5/6 free throws down the stretch to seal the 52-41 win.
Brookhaven was led by Terah Winborne with a game high 22 points, Laura Beth Wright added 12, Mary Lindsey Magee contributed 6, Anna Mangold and Anna Lofton each had 5 and Summer Calhoun 2.
Mackayla Dykes had 14 points to lead Bowling Green, Caroline Haik added 10, Brittany Cooper had 9, Beth Reedy 6 and Whitney Crowe 2.
With the win Brookhaven moves to 13-2 on the season and will battle East Rankin, the top ranked AAA team, at 6pm today.
Bowling Green falls to 14-4 and will take on Hillcrest at 3:30 in the consolation game.
BA…17…12…13…10…52
BG…4….12….8….17…41
