Gaines' teardrop lifts Purple in OT

Watertown turns back Gordonsville for 15th win

By Andy Reed

andy.reed@lebanondemocrat.com

WATERTOWN — It wasn't tournament time and no one's season was on the line, but it sure seemed that way Friday night as No. 2 Watertown held off feisty Gordonsville 56-55 in overtime.

Point guard Macieo Gaines penetrated Gordonsville's defense and went into the lane where he dropped in a one-handed floater with 14 seconds left in overtime.

Gordonsville got a final shot which was rebounded by big Ben Bain as the Purple Tigers, playing without injured shooting guard Josiah Smith, survived to go to 15-2 for the season and 3-0 in District 8-A.

"These games we had coming out of Christmas break - Friendship, Pickett, Gordonsville and we got Pickett again on Tuesday and Trousdale on Friday - we're trying to treat it like a mini-tournament situation where we got to learn to get up, play big ballgames, win a big ballgame and be ready to come back and follow that up the next night," said Watertown coach Matt Bradshaw, whose Purple Tigers were coming off a Tuesday night loss at Pickett County. "We played with good energy, good emotion.

"Gordonsville's got a very good ballclub. Out of all the teams in our district, they probably scare me the most."

Ty Jobe scored 10 first-period points, including a pair of three-pointers, as the Purple Tigers bolted to a 19-8 lead early in the second quarter.

But Gordonsville gradually whittled the margin down. The visiting Tigers survived another 10-point period by Jobe in the third and wiped out a 40-32 deficit to tie the game at 40-40 on a Colt Nokes free throw midway through the fourth. The G-Men never led in regulation after 8-5, but Kaleb Bush's putback with 51 seconds left in regulation tied the score 48-48, which held until time expired.

Two free throws by Austin Vaden, who led Gordonsville with 14 points, finally put the Tigers ahead 50-48. Tyler Atwood stripped the ball from Gaines and took it in for a layup to put the visitors up 55-54 with 20 seconds left.

But Gaines took it to the hole to help drop Gordonsville to 5-10, 1-2.

Jobe totaled 24 points while Gaines notched nine, Bain five, Dylan Speck and Jake Belcher four each; Ethan Moss, George Theragood and Nick Sackman three apiece and Nolan Allison a free throw as Watertown hit 17 of 43 shots from the floor and 18 of 29 free throws.

Theragood was in foul trouble and eventually fouled out moments after hitting a big three-point play to break the 40-40 tie, taking a big man out of Watertown's lineup in addition to the shoulder injury to Smith.

"We're figuring out real fast how much of a valuable part Jo Smith is to our basketball team," Bradshaw said. "He brings a ton of energy, a ton of quickness to the floor. We were pretty much relegated to no press tonight.

"What a lot of people don't know about our basketball team is we haven't had our full team but for three ballgames all year. We've been a man down since the beginning of the year, whether it's been Belcher, Moss, now Smith. We've had little dings, nicks and injuries that's always sitting someone out of the lineup."

Colt Nokes finished with 14 points and Atwood 10 off the bench for the Tigers, whose length concerned Bradshaw.

"I was very pleased with our blockouts the last minute of the ballgame," Bradshaw said. "Just their height at all of their positions gave us trouble."

Watertown will play host to Pickett County on Tuesday night.

Blue Devils roll to first win over Beech in 9-AAA play

HENDERSONVILLE — Lebanon has struggled for much of the season, but the Blue Devils got a welcome one-sided victory 68-32 at Beech on Friday night.

The Blue Devils' first win over the Buccaneers since joining District 9-AAA three years ago gave them three victories in their last four games, moving them to 7-11 for the season and 3-3 in the league.

"We met on Monday after a tough loss Friday [to Station Camp]," Lebanon coach Jim McDowell said. "We challenged our guys to tough up.

"Our leadership has been better this week, and it's shown up with two big district wins."

After a 12-12 first-quarter tie, Lebanon took charge with a 21-3 second to go up 33-15 at halftime. The Blue Devils blew it open even more to 55-22 going into the fourth.

Sophomore big man Julian Crutchfield, who wasn't with the team at the start of the season, led Lebanon with 13 points. Zimmer Hunn hit two three-pointers as he and center Zach Santana each scored 11.

KeShawn Abston added two triples on his way to eight points while Yalen Reed finished with five, Jemel Officer and DaShawn McMurry four each; Eddie McDaniels, Matthew Beery and Kadarian Garnett three apiece; Kyree Cross two and Donovan Blair a free throw as Lebanon committed just seven turnovers.

Phillip Bates buried four threes in leading Beech with 17 points.

Lebanon will travel to Portland on Tuesday to end the first half of the district double-round robin.

District-leading Central pounds Portland

PORTLAND — District 9-AAA co-leader Wilson Central did what a first-place team is supposed to do to a cellar-dwellar - blow them out - as the Wildcats whipped Portland 57-36 Friday night.

Central led 8-2 following the first quarter, 22-7 at halftime and 37-19 at halftime as the Wildcats climbed to 15-4 for the season and 5-1 in the district.

"We left a lot of opportunities to  score on the floor in the first half," Wildcat coach Troy Bond said. "Our kids played well defensively.

"It was ugly, but we knocked down some shots in the third quarter."

Jacob Williams knocked down 23 points worth of shots for Central while big man Ben Palmer picked up 10, Preston Reed eight, A.J. Franklin six, Blake Huffman five, Jon Rosshirt and Matthew Hall two each and Casey Brandon a free throw.

Rosshirt and Huffman fell into first-half foul trouble and the Wildcats were lifted by Brandon and Franklin off the bench, Bond said.

Forward Corbin Keen threw in 13 points for Portland, which will play host to Lebanon on Tuesday night while Wilson Central entertains Mt. Juliet.

Bears succumb to Station Camp in overtime

MT. JULIET — Kyle Anderton scored six straight overtime points to lift Station Camp past Mt. Juliet 58-51 Friday night.

Anderton had 18 points and 16 rebounds while Trae Hatcher led Station Camp with 24 points, including four three-pointers, as the Bison improved to 12-7 for the season and 4-2 in District 9-AAA.

Station Camp led 9-7 following the first quarter before Mt. Juliet moved in front 21-20 by halftime. The Bison thundered back into the lead 34-29 going into the fourth before the Golden Bears battled back for a 42-42 deadlock at the end of regulation.

Nolan Chowbay had two of Mt. Juliet's six three-pointers in leading the Bears with 17 points while Hunter Gilbert hit three triples en route to 13. Reagan Johnson notched nine points, Christian Bell five, James Womack four, Thomas Sharpe two and Austin Brown a free throw as MJ dropped to 8-9, 3-3.

Mt. Juliet will travel to Wilson Central on Tuesday to wrap up the first half of the district schedule.

DCA drills MJCA

DONELSON — Mt. Juliet Christian fell way behind early in an 80-30 loss at Donelson Christian on Friday.

DCA led 21-8 following the first quarter, 40-21 at halftime and 61-29 through three as the Saints fell to 5-10 for the season and 0-4 in Division II District 1-A.

Clay Hertel had 23 points for Donelson Christian while Joshua Joy and former West Wilson Middle School player De Ewin each added 14 and Jake Singer 12.

Trevor West and Brandon Wall each tossed in two three-pointers for 11 points apiece for the Saints. Jackson Harrell hit a three while Zack Jones and Alex Graves tossed in two each and Gilbert Russ a free throw.

Mt. Juliet Christian will entertain Webb on Monday night.

Fox free throws caps McClain comeback to school-record ninth win

FAYETTEVILLE — Brandon Fox capped a 27-point night, and a McClain Christian comeback, with two free throws with 2.4 seconds left in a 62-60 victory at Riverside Christian on Friday night.

In addition to his scoring, Fox also finished with 12 rebounds and five assists. He hit four free throws in the final 15 seconds as the Bulldogs completed a comeback from a 32-25 halftime deficit for a school-record ninth win [out of their last 10 games] against six losses.

"The way Brandon performed tonight with what he had to deal with was absolutely amazing," McClain coach Tony McLeod said, not mentioning what Fox faced off the court. "Us coaches are very proud of him, and it has nothing to do with basketball."

Cameron Harris had 18 points and six rebounds.

"Evan Tubb came up with some big plays off the bench in the fourth quarter," said McLeod, whose Bulldogs will play host to arch-rival Christian Community [from White House] Tuesday night at Immanuel Baptist Church.