2019 Food City Thanksgiving Classic Unaka boys win, girls lose in Sullivan East tourney
Published 12:35 am Wednesday, November 27, 2019
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Star Photo/C.Y. Peters Lady Ranger Lyndie Ramsey attempts to get a shot over the outstretched hand of a Lady Blue Devil.
Star Photo/C.Y. Peters Unaka's Mackenzie Depew goes hard to the bucket in the Lady Rangers game against Unicoi Co.
Star Photo/C.Y. Peters Unaka's Dylan Whitehead goes up for a shot against Providence Academy.
BY C.Y. PETERS
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
BLUFF CITY – It’s always good when the Rangers can leave Sullivan East with a win.
Unaka faced off against the Providence Knights in the open game of the Food City Thanksgiving Classic held at the John Dyer Dome in Bluff City.
What looked like an easy win for the Rangers turned into a fantasy ballgame on Monday. The Rangers came out firing scoring 14-points in the first three minutes of the game.
Joseph Slagle hit two three’s and Dylan Whitehead scored six of his ten points in the opening quarter.
But Providence would not lay down. They began working the ball inside to their big man Toby Crabtree who scored their first eight points and tied the score at 14 to end the first.
The Rangers seemed cold in the second making several turnovers and the Knights made good of it pulling out to a ten-point lead. They hit six for six from the charity stripe and scored 20 points in the quarter to lead by ten.
The Rangers regained the lead for good at 2:15 in the third 39-38 and then they went up by three on two free throws by Ryan Johnson.
Austin Drew would add two more for a five-point lead with .38 seconds left. A steal and a lay-up by Devin Ramsey gave the Rangers a seven-point lead at the end of the third quarter 45-38.
As the fourth started, the Rangers were already in the one and one. Unaka head coach Aaron Dugger moved Will Sexton to the middle and it paid off with Sexton giving the Rangers a nine-point lead 49-40.
Unaka controlled the boards holding Providence to only one shot. The defense stepped it up and forced turnovers with the Rangers getting easy baskets.
Slagle, Sexton, and Johnson were a threat from the outside forcing the Knights to spread the floor. Unaka built a 53-42 lead with 3:35 to go in the game.
The Knights were forced to foul as the game was coming to an end but they could not score on the offensive end. Unaka held on to win 61-52.
Girls
Unaka……..32
Unicoi Co…52
In the second game, no matter how hard they seemed to play, the Lady Rangers just could not keep Unicoi from hitting the three-pointers.
Lyndie Ramsey scored nine of Unaka’s 11-points in the first quarter. After building an early 11-4 lead, Unicoi just kept firing the ball from outside with two shots being from an NBA three.
The Rangers led at the first stop 11-4.
Jenny Holt scored nine points to lead Unicoi in the second as the Lady Blue Devils went up 20 points in the quarter.
McKenzie Depew hit two tough shots for Unaka but the Lady Rangers only scored seven points and fell behind 26-18 at the break.
Unaka just could not find the basket in the third. Head coach Kenneth Chambers took a time out at 2:30 on the clock as the Lady Rangers were yet to score in the period.
The Lady Patriots increased their lead to 35-18. Turnovers, missed free throws, and shots just would not fall in the period. The Rangers would not score a point in the quarter.
Ramsey finally broke the ice for Unaka in the fourth hitting a free throw and Macy Ensor hit a long corner shot to pull Unaka within 20.
Chambers took another time out and it was time for the Lady Rangers to buckle down. Unaka would pull with 12 with great pressure and a full-court press but down to the wire they were forced to foul.
Erwin would hit nine free throws in the final period for a 52-32 win. Holt led Unicoi with 21, Ramsey led Unaka with 14, Depew followed with nine.
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Boys
Unaka 14 10 21 16 -61
Providence 14 20 4 14 -52
Unaka Slagle 6, Johnson 23, Sexton 13, Ramsey 2, Whitehead 10, Drew 7.
Providence: Miler 13, Turner 2, McAllister 9, Crabtree 19, Hoover 9.
Girls
Unaka 11 7 0 14 -32
Unicoi 4 20 13 15 -52
