MJ boys outmuscle Blue Devils

By Andy Reed

andy.reed@lebanondemocrat.com

Friday night's homecoming game was a rugged, physical, foul-filled affair - just the way Mt. Juliet likes it.

And the Golden Bears used defense and balanced scoring to hold off Lebanon 60-47 inside a packed Campbell Brandon Gym/Hester Gibbs Court.

Mt. Juliet led most of the way as Lebanon couldn't get over the hump. The Bears were up 11-5 in the first quarter and 27-18 at halftime before the Blue Devils made a third-quarter run to go in front for the only time 30-28 on two free throws by homecoming king Zimmer Hunn.

But freshman Austin Brown tipped in a Bear miss on the other end to tie the score and point guard Thomas Sharpe, after scrambling to get a loose ball in front of the Mt. Juliet bench with the third-quarter seconds ticking away, banked home a 30-point three-pointer at the buzzer for a 33-30 MJ lead.

Lebanon was as close as 41-38 before a Blue Devil technical foul helped ignite a run of five straight Mt. Juliet free throws to put the home team in catch-up mode the rest of the way.

But Sharpe sank 7 of 9 free throws and nine points total in the fourth as Mt. Juliet won a county-rivalry game for the second time in three nights to go to 10-9 for the season and 5-3 in District 9-AAA.

"We try to play physical and we're getting better at it," Mt. Juliet coach Troy Allen said. "It's giving us a chance to win.

"It's probably a detriment to our offense."

"Mt. Juliet hangs their hat on playing good, solid man-to-man defense," Lebanon coach Jim McDowell said after his Blue Devils dropped to 8-12, 4-4. "We had a big crowd and a lot of excitement and a good atmosphere at the beginning and our nerves may have been a factor. We had some shots and looks early we had been knocking down and didn't, and they did. The definitely outplayed us in the second quarter.

"They're a physical team and we got in some foul trouble... It was hard to get in a rhythm, both sides. But you got to give Coach Allen and his guys a lot of credit. They made plays down the stretch and we didn't."

Nolan Chowbay again came off the bench and led Mt. Juliet with 12 points.

"We weren't playing real good around the Christmas break," Allen said of taking Chowbay out of the starting lineup. "We worked on some different combinations and he likes it. People forget he's a sophomore and he's learning on the fly. He's playing a lot of sports. He doesn't get to play a whole lot of basketball... It's nice getting an offensive spark with him coming in the game."

Sharpe added 11 points while Hunter Gilbert and John Mark Bell each tossed in 10, with a pair of threes apiece. James Womack sank all six of his free throws on his way to eight second-period points while Reagan Johnson supplied six and Brown three.

Womack fouled out, as did three Blue Devils - former Bear DaShawn McMurry, Hunn and Julian Crutchfield.

Hunn had 10 points while McMurry managed nine, Yalen Reed eight, Eddie McDaniels seven, Crutchfield and Zach Santana four each, Kadarian Garnett a three-pointer and Jemel Officer two.

Both teams will return to district action Tuesday night - Lebanon at home against league-leading Hendersonville and Mt. Juliet at Gallatin. The Blue Devils handed the Commandos' their only district loss.

Wildcats hammered at Hendersonville

HENDERSONVILLE — District 9-AAA-leading Hendersonville dominated Wilson Central for three quarters before holding off a fourth-period Wildcat rally in a 65-57 victory Friday night.

The Commandos charged to a 21-13 first-quarter lead, 37-25 at halftime and 53-35 going into the fourth before the Wildcats cut the margin as Central lost for the second time in three nights to fall to 14-6 for the season and 5-3 in the district.

David Sheehan hit four three-pointers in leading Hendersonville with 25 points while Tre Wallace and Jacob McCullough each collected 10.

Jacob Williams hit two triples in leading Central with 18 points while big man Ben Palmer posted 17. Blake Huffman had nine, A.J. Franklin six, Matthew Hall four and Deante Miller a three.

Central will return to West Sumner County on Tuesday for a trip to Beech.

Tigers roar past Trousdale as Smith returns to lineup

HARTSVILLE — Playing for the first time in a week enabled Watertown to get Josiah Smith back into the lineup and the Purple Tigers picked up some more steam Friday night in a 77-58 win at Trousdale County.

Watertown fired out to a fast offensive start with a 30-21 first-quarter lead. The Tigers took a 44-39 lead into halftime and a 60-51 advantage into the fourth before pulling away to a 16-2 season mark, 4-0 in District 8-A.

Point guard Macieo Gaines supplied 17 points, five assists and four steals for Watertown while wing Ty Jobe finished with 15 points, including three of the Tigers' seven three-pointers, and eight rebounds. Smith, who missed the two previous games [a loss and an overtime win] with a shoulder injury, returned to add 11 points and five assists while Ethan Moss threw in three triples on his way to 11 points.

George Theragood added eight points for the Purple Tigers while Jake Belcher and Nick Sackman each scored six, Ben Bain two and Zach Edwards a free throw.

C.J. Dickerson dropped in four three-pointers and Christian Lauderdale two as each had 12 points for Trousdale County while Cody Sircy added 11.

Watertown will step out of the district on Monday for a trip to Eagleville.

Saints pull away from St. Andrew's in fourth

MT. JULIET — Mt. Juliet Christian pulled away in the fourth quarter to a 74-57 win over St. Andrew's-Sewanee on Friday night.

The Mountain Lions jumped to a 20-15 first-quarter lead before the Saints pulled even at halftime 30-30. Mt. Juliet Christian carried a 48-45 edge into the fourth quarter as the home team improved to 6-11 for the season and 1-5 in Division II District 1-A.

Jackson Harrell hit four of Mt. Juliet Christian's nine three-pointers in leading all scorers with 22 points while Zack Jones balanced the attack from inside with 21. Trevor West tossed in two triples on his way to 14 points while Brandon Wall bagged three triples en route to 13. Wyatt Oberg finished with four points.

James Beasley totaled 21 points and Alex Tinsley 17 for St. Andrew's.

Mt. Juliet Christian will play host to Trousdale County on Tuesday night.

McClain douses Heat for 10th win in last 11 games

McClain Christian rolled to its 10th win in the Bulldogs' last 11 games Thursday night with a 53-40 victory over the Middle Tennessee Heat at Immanuel Baptist Church.

Brandon Fox notched 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists for McClain while Troy Huddleston had 12 points and seven rebounds. Cameron Harris finished with five assists and four steals as the Bulldogs improved to 10-6 for the season.

"After a slow start, our defensive intensity picked up in the second quarter and we were able to get the lead and never give it back," McClain coach Tony McLeod said.

McClain will travel to Murfreesboro to take on Holloway on Tuesday.