Boys BB: Tennessee High 45 Virginia High 33 - HALF
- Thread starter pizzzzza
- Start date
Tennessee High girls, boys win city hoops championship over VHS
BRISTOL, Tenn. – The often rocky waves of a rivalry contest failed to materialize Saturday as it was a smooth-sailin’ Senior Night for the Tennessee High Vikings.
After the THS girls cruised to a 65-49 victory over Virginia High, the THS boys followed up with a season-high point total in a 93-71 thumping of the Bearcats as each maroon-clad squad earned a season sweep against its shared-city foe.
“We had some tough competition this week, but this was our Senior Night and a big crosstown rival so we just came out like any other game ready to play hard like we do,” said Vikings senior Adison Minor, who led the THS girls with a 22-point performance.
Tennessee High (15-9) suffered a shocking loss to the Bearcats in February 2016 – only the second all-time win for the smaller school in 26 tries at the time against the Vikings – but since then the Class of 2018 in the girls program has regained complete control of the series with four straight wins.
“That’s not something that we wanted to do again,” Minor said regarding the 2016 setback to Virginia High.
Any upset chances dissipated quickly Friday as the Vikings got the Bearcats into early foul trouble, scored the game’s first seven points and never trailed.
“It was tough when you get into the game and it’s foul calls nine to one trying to figure out who you’re going to play,” said VHS girls coach Kevin Timmons. “We had three starters sitting on the bench and we had a freshman and a JV sophomore on the court most of the time that first half. They played well, but it’s just not the same when you have your regular production gone.”
Tennessee High built a 29-19 halftime advantage and responded with a door-slamming 10-2 run when Virginia High pulled within seven points midway through the third quarter.
“The girls have been excited about this game,” said THS coach Thad Lambert. “This is a big crosstown rivalry and a good, hard game; we knew it was good competition. I could tell before the game we were ready to go.”
Behind Minor, LynLeigh Rhodes continued her superb junior season for the Vikings with a 14-point performance and Tennessee High also got 11 points from senior Makayla Richards.
The THS defense remained deadly as well as the Vikings forced the Bearcats into 27 turnovers and a 37.5 percent shooting performance.
“Again our defense tonight I thought was superb and really carried us,” Lambert said.
Jada Campbell provided most of the offensive firepower for Virginia High as she notched 23 points. Ali Sydnor added 11 points for the Bearcats.
“Not being a moral-victory type of guy, I am proud of the way they fought, but I really think we have more in us,” Timmons said. “We just didn’t adjust well tonight.”
Tennessee High had a tasking week with four games on the schedule. After beginning with back-to-back losses to Big Seven Conference frontrunners Science Hill and Daniel Boone, the Vikings were able to pull out a 2-2 record on the week by handling Cherokee on Friday before taking care of the Bearcats.
“We played some really good basketball all week,” Lambert said. “… I really get the feeling that my team’s starting to play their best basketball at the perfect time here at the end of the season.”
The THS boys followed a similar path to the week as they too fell to Science Hill and Boone before notching wins against Cherokee and Virginia High.
“Down at Cherokee last night was a bear, it was like pulling teeth, and then coming in here you don’t know,” said THS boys coach Roby Witcher, who was honored prior to the game for earning his 250th victory at Tennessee High with a triumph over Sullivan East last week.
“But Senior Night usually gives enough of those energies and juices and I was really pleased with our effort. It’s been a really tough week and hats off for these kids for hanging in there.”
The Vikings (12-12) got a lift when senior Darius Eury – out all year with a knee injury that he suffered during football season – was able to walk on the court for the opening jump ball before checking back out of the game to widespread applause in the gym.
Senior Grant Hurley then hit the first bucket of the game and Tyler Parker, Tennessee High’s only regular senior starter, knocked down a pair of early 3s to give the Vikings a quick boost on his way to a nine-point outing.
“We just had to get that city championship,” Parker said. “We can shoot it real well so we knew we were going to come in here with some confidence. Thank goodness we got the win.”
The THS boys have now claimed six straight victories against the Bearcats.
While Tennessee High never trailed Friday past the midpoint of the first quarter, the Bearcats were down just 28-26 with four minutes left in the first half before the Vikings went on a 17-7 burst heading into the break.
There was no letup for Tennessee High in the second half as the Vikings started the third quarter on a 7-0 run and kept pouring in the points.
Emerging junior star Christian Webb led the Vikings with 25 points and sophomore Nolan Wishon dominated in the paint with 11 buckets and 24 points. Freshman Brandon Brown chipped in with 10 points off the bench for THS, which had 11 players reach the scoring column.
“We can shoot it and we had a pretty good matchup inside,” Witcher said. “And then Christian, it’s tough for them to guard him going to the basket and then he can shoot it too.”
Tyler Strong led all scorers with 28 points for Virginia High, which also got 16 points from Alex Inman and 14 points from Gavin Austin.
BRISTOL, Tenn. – The often rocky waves of a rivalry contest failed to materialize Saturday as it was a smooth-sailin’ Senior Night for the Tennessee High Vikings.
After the THS girls cruised to a 65-49 victory over Virginia High, the THS boys followed up with a season-high point total in a 93-71 thumping of the Bearcats as each maroon-clad squad earned a season sweep against its shared-city foe.
“We had some tough competition this week, but this was our Senior Night and a big crosstown rival so we just came out like any other game ready to play hard like we do,” said Vikings senior Adison Minor, who led the THS girls with a 22-point performance.
Tennessee High (15-9) suffered a shocking loss to the Bearcats in February 2016 – only the second all-time win for the smaller school in 26 tries at the time against the Vikings – but since then the Class of 2018 in the girls program has regained complete control of the series with four straight wins.
“That’s not something that we wanted to do again,” Minor said regarding the 2016 setback to Virginia High.
Any upset chances dissipated quickly Friday as the Vikings got the Bearcats into early foul trouble, scored the game’s first seven points and never trailed.
“It was tough when you get into the game and it’s foul calls nine to one trying to figure out who you’re going to play,” said VHS girls coach Kevin Timmons. “We had three starters sitting on the bench and we had a freshman and a JV sophomore on the court most of the time that first half. They played well, but it’s just not the same when you have your regular production gone.”
Tennessee High built a 29-19 halftime advantage and responded with a door-slamming 10-2 run when Virginia High pulled within seven points midway through the third quarter.
“The girls have been excited about this game,” said THS coach Thad Lambert. “This is a big crosstown rivalry and a good, hard game; we knew it was good competition. I could tell before the game we were ready to go.”
Behind Minor, LynLeigh Rhodes continued her superb junior season for the Vikings with a 14-point performance and Tennessee High also got 11 points from senior Makayla Richards.
The THS defense remained deadly as well as the Vikings forced the Bearcats into 27 turnovers and a 37.5 percent shooting performance.
“Again our defense tonight I thought was superb and really carried us,” Lambert said.
Jada Campbell provided most of the offensive firepower for Virginia High as she notched 23 points. Ali Sydnor added 11 points for the Bearcats.
“Not being a moral-victory type of guy, I am proud of the way they fought, but I really think we have more in us,” Timmons said. “We just didn’t adjust well tonight.”
Tennessee High had a tasking week with four games on the schedule. After beginning with back-to-back losses to Big Seven Conference frontrunners Science Hill and Daniel Boone, the Vikings were able to pull out a 2-2 record on the week by handling Cherokee on Friday before taking care of the Bearcats.
“We played some really good basketball all week,” Lambert said. “… I really get the feeling that my team’s starting to play their best basketball at the perfect time here at the end of the season.”
The THS boys followed a similar path to the week as they too fell to Science Hill and Boone before notching wins against Cherokee and Virginia High.
“Down at Cherokee last night was a bear, it was like pulling teeth, and then coming in here you don’t know,” said THS boys coach Roby Witcher, who was honored prior to the game for earning his 250th victory at Tennessee High with a triumph over Sullivan East last week.
“But Senior Night usually gives enough of those energies and juices and I was really pleased with our effort. It’s been a really tough week and hats off for these kids for hanging in there.”
The Vikings (12-12) got a lift when senior Darius Eury – out all year with a knee injury that he suffered during football season – was able to walk on the court for the opening jump ball before checking back out of the game to widespread applause in the gym.
Senior Grant Hurley then hit the first bucket of the game and Tyler Parker, Tennessee High’s only regular senior starter, knocked down a pair of early 3s to give the Vikings a quick boost on his way to a nine-point outing.
“We just had to get that city championship,” Parker said. “We can shoot it real well so we knew we were going to come in here with some confidence. Thank goodness we got the win.”
The THS boys have now claimed six straight victories against the Bearcats.
While Tennessee High never trailed Friday past the midpoint of the first quarter, the Bearcats were down just 28-26 with four minutes left in the first half before the Vikings went on a 17-7 burst heading into the break.
There was no letup for Tennessee High in the second half as the Vikings started the third quarter on a 7-0 run and kept pouring in the points.
Emerging junior star Christian Webb led the Vikings with 25 points and sophomore Nolan Wishon dominated in the paint with 11 buckets and 24 points. Freshman Brandon Brown chipped in with 10 points off the bench for THS, which had 11 players reach the scoring column.
“We can shoot it and we had a pretty good matchup inside,” Witcher said. “And then Christian, it’s tough for them to guard him going to the basket and then he can shoot it too.”
Tyler Strong led all scorers with 28 points for Virginia High, which also got 16 points from Alex Inman and 14 points from Gavin Austin.
