Bulldogs manage to wrangle ‘Horns in a physical contest
Published 9:23 pm Thursday, December 3, 2020
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Morgan Lyons rises for a jumper over the Johnson County defense.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Conor Burleson works hard near the basket for a deuce.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Michael Harrison pulls up for a long three while Johnson County head coach Austin Atwood calls for his defenders in the background.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Conor Jones pushes the basketball hard against the Johnson County defense.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Logan Whitehead of Hampton puts on the defensive pressure on a Longhorn player while Dalton Holtsclaw comes to apply the double team.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Parker Henry lines up a trey from the left corner during Hampton's game against Johnson County.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Garrett Vines lines up a jump shot for Hampton.
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BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR SPORTS EDITOR
ivan.sanders@elizabethton.com
HAMPTON – In a contest that at times resembled more of a football contest than basketball, the Hampton Bulldogs managed to battle off a fierce comeback effort from Johnson County to take a 57-53 non-conference clash at VanHuss-White Gym.
With neither team willing to back down, the ‘Dogs sank their teeth into the hide of the Longhorns and never let go as bodies were flying all over the court diving for loose balls and take charge after charge as the ‘Dogs took nine charges from the ‘Horns on the night.
Hampton broke out to a 15-11 at the end of the first quarter of play behind five points from Isaiah McCoury and a three-ball from Parker Henry.
Zack Parsons led Johnson County with six points in the first eight minutes.
The Longhorns stormed back in the second period as they outscored Hampton 16-12 to bring the game dead even at 27-all as the teams entered the locker room.
Preston Greer rifled in eight points to help pull the ‘Horns even with the ‘Dogs. Conor Burleson scored four points for Hampton with Dalton Holtsclaw and Garrett Vines rattled the rim for a trey each.
The third quarter changed the complexity of the game as Hampton must have gotten an ear full from head coach Ned Smith at the break as the ‘Dogs came out playing with a lot of grit and hustle as they outgunned the ‘Horns 18-11 to take a 45-38 advantage heading into the final period of play.
Morgan Lyons was a beast on the inside taking the ball to the rim as well as cleaning the boards as Lyons scored 10 in the stanza including a perfect 4-of-4 from the charity stripe.
Conor Jones was a contributor in the quarter as well scoring four points for Hampton.
Jackson Earnhardt scored eight of the Longhorns 11 points in the quarter.
With the game on the line, Hampton managed to score enough points to keep their lead from the third period intact as they held on to earn the victory.
Lyons led the ‘Dogs with 14 points on the evening while Jones finished with eight. Burleson and Vines collected seven points each for Hampton. McCoury and Holtsclaw ended their night with five points apiece.
Henry (3), Nate Wilson (2), Michael Harrison (4), and Logan Whitehead (2) closed out the Bulldog scoring.
Earnhardt led the ‘Horns with 15 points in the contest with Parsons totaling 13 points.
