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BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR SPORTS EDITOR
ivan.sanders@elizabethton.com 

The Elizabethton Cyclones and Happy Valley Warriors had elected to swap their contests from Happy Valley to Elizabethton since Carter County had elected not to allow any fans into the county schools basketball contests.

Before the games could be played, the Lady Warriors were put on the shelve leaving only the boys teams to take the court for an early matinee contest inside John Treadway Gym.

The Warriors knew they were going to have their hands full as the Cyclones have opened the 2020 season on a solid note and unfortunately for the Warriors, they found themselves on the bottom of the ladder looking up as Elizabethton behind the play of William Willocks and Nicholas Wilson continued their strong play with a convincing 56-42 win.

In the first 16 minutes, the play was hotly contested as the Warriors found themselves only trailing by 10 points at the break, 26-16.

Willocks and Wilson both accounted for seven points apiece in the half and had plenty of help as Brayden Phillips contributed four points while Bryce VanHuss and Nate Stephens dropped in three each.

Jake Roberts had two.

Happy Valley’s Alex Lunceford put his team on his back in the half scoring eight of the Warriors 16 points. Landon Babb, Blake Young, Andrew Little, and Andrew Clawson each recorded two points for Coach Jeremy Maddox’s team.

The game’s turning point came in the third period when the Cyclones came out of the locker room and outpointed the Warriors 19-7 to take a commanding 45-23 lead heading into the final eight minutes of play.

Willocks had six in the frame and Wilson five to help extend the Cyclones edge.

The Warriors outscored Elizabethton 18-11 in the final period but it was too little too late for Happy Valley as the Cyclones took the win, 56-41.

Willocks and Lunceford finished with 17 points each to tie as the game-high scorer in the contest.

Wilson had another banner day as the Cyclone post set another personal best with 16 points. Roberts finished with nine in the contest with Stephens adding seven.

Phillips and VanHuss finished with four and three points respectively.

For the Warriors, Clawson and Young recorded seven points each with Babb finishing with six points. Little and Timmy Mounts finished with two points apiece for Happy Valley.