On Tuesday evening at Bayless gymnasium, the Happy Valley Warriors’ slow start cost them, but it was Sullivan Central’s quick start that put HV behind the eight ball.
Sullivan Central scored 29 first-quarter points, and senior forward Jordan Self scored his 1,000th career point, and the Warriors fell 70-47.
Self finished with 34 points on the night and had 22 by the halftime break and was honored with a basketball emblazoned with his name and stats. Central led 42-21 at the half with Brayden Sams scoring six of his 10 points and Bryce Carter adding five of his 13 points.
“They shot it outstandingly, and we shot it poorly,” was how Warriors head coach Chuck Babb summed up the defeat. “I don’t know if they missed a shot in that first quarter and that adds up to a big hole early. We have to start faster, that first quarter 29 points. We got in foul trouble with two starters picking up two fouls, but we didn’t quit, and we played hard to the end.”
The Warriors (2-6, 0-2 TRC) shaved five points off the deficit in the third quarter to make it a 53-37 game going into the final period, but a foul and a technical foul on the Warriors allowed Self to put down four free throws to open the period and the rout was essentially on.
No one scored double digits behind Self for Central on the night while Sams and Jake Surcey each had 10 for HV with Carter leading the way with 13. The Warriors travel to Hampton on Thursday night for another tough contest with the Bulldogs.

Sullivan Central 70-47
Sullivan Central (70)
Duncan 4, Sanders 5, Crabtree 4, Williams 6, Self 34, Dugger 1, Harrison 6, Lang 5, Arnold 3, Bradley 2.
Happy Valley (47)
Sams 10, Surcey 10, Carter 13, Stevens 8, Tittle 4, Harmon 2.
Sullivan Central 29 13 11 17 – 70
Happy Valley 13 8 16 10 – 47
3-point goals : SC 8 (Self 4, Sanders 1, Harrison 2, Lang 1), HV 0.