WEST POINT CHRISTMAS TOURNEY: Warriors slam Brewer for lone local win on Day 2
WEST POINT — The West Point Warriors were shot out of their own gym at their own Christmas tournament Friday night.
They weren’t about to let it happen again Saturday.
The Maroon and White spelled a slim early deficit with 27 unanswered points spread over the end of the first quarter and part of the second to blow by Brewer 81-44 on Day 2 of the annual holiday bonanza.
Will Wrenn still had Friday’s 71-51 loss to Priceville on his mind when he took off for the first seven points of the momentum-swinging stretch. Ryder Jones, Tanner Rusk, Levi Laney, Kobe Smith, Riley Voce and Jacob Daniel also contributed to the rampage.
“Last night we played really crappy, so we just wanted to come back out and play better and show people the team that we actually are,” Wrenn said. “Because the people in the stands that were watching last night, they don’t know that. They don’t know who we are.”
Jones shepherded a flock of four West Point players in double figures with 20 points in the paint. Levi Laney knocked down a pair of treys in a 14-point performance, Tanner Rusk recorded 13 points and Wrenn rounded up 12.
Other Warrior contributors were Riley Voce, seven points; Bryant Farley, six; Jacob Daniel, five; and Smith and Brandon Farley, two each.
“It’s not like a one-man team,” Jones said. “This is a team effort. If we don’t all score, we aren’t going to win.”
The victory ended any threat of a potential county shutout on Saturday. With Cold Springs falling to Priceville, the Eagles and West Point enter Monday’s final slate tied 1-1. If both are still deadlocked after respective bouts with Lawrence County and Danville, the first-place county trophy will go to the team with the best opponents’ record. The second tiebreaker is the least points allowed for the three-day span.
Priceville and Lawrence County are both 2-0 in the battle for the non-county school crown.
Cold Springs and Lawrence County are the defending champs.
“We have a lot of pride for the county, obviously,” Jones said. “We didn’t want the county to go 0-4. We brought our ‘A’ game today.”
The senior center has a similar formula in mind for Monday’s finale against Danville. The contest is scheduled to get going around 6:30 p.m.
“Bring intensity, play our game,” Jones said. “Shots are going to fall. You’re going to miss some, but if you play defense, you can still win the game.”
John Graves led Brewer with 15 points. Kolton Bramlett had 11.
% Priceville 63, Cold Springs 55: The Eagles lost only their second game of the month — and first since snagging the top spot in the state’s Class 2A rankings — after being outscored 19-9 in the fourth quarter.
The hot-shooting Bulldogs, coached by Cold Springs alum Darrell Haynes, took no time erasing a 46-44 deficit entering the final eight minutes and staved off one last comeback bid by the Blue and Gold (12-3).
Tyler Rice nailed a trey to close the Eagles’ gap to just 57-55 late before Priceville sealed the deal with an inside basket and two perfect trips at the charity stripe.
The outcome spoiled impressive outings by juniors Triston Chambers and Josh Freeman, who accounted for all of Cold Springs’ offense in the first and third quarters. Chambers collected a game-high 24 points. Freeman was close behind with 20.
Adam Carney knocked down two 3-pointers, Rice had the one and Austin Moore added two points.
Luke Mason and Kyle Haynes were the best Bulldogs with 21 apiece. Mason sank five shots from behind the arc, Haynes and Freeman both made four and Chambers touted a trio.
The Eagles will tango with Lawrence County at 7:45 Monday.
% Lawrence County 69, Fairview 54: The Aggies showed massive signs of improvement from Day 1 to Day 2 but couldn’t quite hold on to their first-half momentum against Elijah Falcon, Jesse Moreno and the Red Devils.
Falcon and Moreno posted 21 and 20 points, respectively, to help Lawrence County eventually pull away after a Kyle Knop trey closed Fairview’s gap to just 29-28 at halftime. Jesse Childress rounded out the Red Devils in double figures with 11 points.
Austin Fletcher (17 points, 10 rebounds and five assists) and Tyler Yearwood (12 points and 10 rebounds) wrangled double-doubles for the Aggies. Knop was also a force with 10 points, eight rebounds and three steals. Jackson Smith drained three 3-pointers, and Dylan Smith put in two.
Fairview will finish up against Priceville at 5:15 p.m. Monday.
% Danville 58, Good Hope 30: The Raiders rounded out the day with a loss to the Hawks.
Stats were unknown.
Good Hope plays Brewer Monday at 4 p.m.
Decatur Christmas Classic
Class 3A No. 10 Holly Pond rebounded from a pair of recent losses to higher-classed competition with a 52-39 triumph over 6A Brewer Saturday in Decatur.
Earlier in the day, 2A No. 3 Cold Springs had its six-game win streak snapped with a 66-42 defeat to 5A No. 9 Lawrence County.
Stats for both teams were unknown.
The Broncos (10-6) and Eagles (12-3) will continue tourney play Monday.