To stay atop the Watauga Valley Conference, you must battle each and every night.
On Friday night the challenge for Hampton was University High, and it was a challenge met as the Bulldogs pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 66-56 victory.
Dru Owens led all scorers with 21 points with Gavin Hardin and Jaydon Livingston each adding a dozen.
Hampton (16-8, 7-1 WVC) battled back from a 13-9 first quarter deficit behind eight first-half points from Owens and Hardin to take a slender 24-22 halftime lead. Joseph Harkness scored eight of his team-high 14 points in the first half for the Junior Bucs (12-10, 4-4 WVC).
Post Jordan Bentley scored eight points in the third quarter as Hampton extended it’s lead to 42-37 going into the final stanza. In the early stages of the fourth quarter the Junior Bucs put on a 7-1 spurt to take a 44-43 lead at the 5:39 mark, but the ‘Dogs came roaring back with the help of the rare four-point play by Livingston.
“That was big,” Bulldogs head coach Ned Smith said. “He set his feet and knocked it down, and we were good from the free throw line tonight. UH has got a good team. They shot the lights out early on, and they are athletic and a tough matchup.”
A deuce from Owens gave Hampton a 50-47 advantage with 3:45 remaining in regulation. Colin Daniel drained a three for UH but senior guard Hunter Davenport had a pair of free throws and a bucket in the paint as the ‘Dogs led 58-52 inside of two minutes.
Down the stretch, Hampton was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line.
Hampton 66-56
University high (56)
Fleenor 6, Simerly 6, Meredeth 12, Daniel 6, Vargo 12, Harkness 14.
Hampton (66)
Livingston 13, Owens 21, Jones 2, Bentley 10, Davenport 8, Hardin 12.
University High 13 9 15 19 – 56
Hampton 9 15 18 23 – 66
3 point goals : UH 9 (Vargo 4, Meredeth 2, Daniel 2, Fleenor 1), H 5 (Owens 3, Livingston 2)
GIRLS
Hampton 66
University High 31
Shyanne Tuelle came out firing on senior night scoring 23 points at Van Huss/White gymnasium, and the result was a 66-31 Hampton victory over University High in Watauga Valley Conference action.
Tuelle connected on four trey’s in the first quarter as Hampton built a commanding 26-5 lead and the Lady Bulldogs were never threatened from there.
“Shyanne came out pretty well on,” Lady Bulldogs head coach Bud Hazelwood said. “With these senior activities sometimes it’s hard to stay focused. Rebounding is something we have harped on all season and tonight maybe it sunk in a little bit.”
The ‘Dogs had 16 offensive rebounds in this contest, and Hazelwood said of that effort, “Maybe it was because we missed a lot of shots. I had us missing 21 layups. I would say the effort was there, but we could have had better execution.”
Hampton (11-13, 7-1 WVC) rolled to a 41-19 halftime lead with Tuelle turning in 16 of those points and Brooke Hughes adding nine. In the third period, the Lady ‘Dogs outscored University High 17-4 to take a 58-23 advantage going into the fourth period.
For UH (2-16, 0-8 WVC), Gracie Crabtree scored a team-high 10 points with Sarah Fisher and Calli Newberry each adding five.
Hampton 66-31
University High (31)
Fisher 5, Rice 2, Owen 2, Vanderline 3, Newberry 5, Sorrow 2, Crabtree 10, Benton 2.
Hampton (66)
Campbell 12, Royston 2, Tuelle 23, Guinn 4, Hill 8, Carden 3, Hughes 9, Collins 6.
University High 5 14 4 8 – 31
Hampton 26 15 17 8 – 66
3 point goals: UH 1 (Fisher), H 8 (Tuelle 5, Hill 2, Hughes 1).