Hampton cuts down nets for the second time in three days!!!
Published 3:03 pm Wednesday, March 8, 2023
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By Larry N. Souders
Star Correspondent
They are cutting down basketball nets left and right at Hampton High School this week. Saturday Night saw the Lady Bulldogs win their sub-state game 65-61 in a thrilling overtime battle against the Lady Devils of Harriman. The Bulldogs answered in style on Monday night with a second-half surge to run away from the Indians of Oneida 73-55 and send themselves back to the Glass House in Murfreesboro too.
For the first time in school history, both the Lady Bulldogs and the Bulldogs are heading to the state basketball tournament in the same year.
While the girls cut their net down on Saturday night the boys waited and did it in front of around 100 of their biggest fans on their home court inside Vanhuss-White Gymnasium Tuesday evening.
Like their trip to Oneida, there was a little problem cutting the net down. Apparently, one of the buses had some mechanical issues on the trip up to the game. Everyone got there on time and home safely. So Tuesday evening when Freshman Bryce Fagan climbed the ladder to start the celebration there was an issue with the scissors chosen for the task, and the second, third and fourth pair. But, just as the Bulldogs have done all season, with teamwork and perseverance, Bryce and the Bulldogs overcame the problem and a fifth pair was the charm, the net was cut from the rim! Each member of the team got their piece with Senior Cadon Buckles having the honor of the last cut and bringing the net down for his team to give to head coach Ned Smith and the school.
A number of the players spoke about their victory over Oneida and how excited they were to be heading back to the Boro’ for the second year in a row. Buckles said, “It’s such a big honor to do it two years in a row. A lot of people dream of going to a state tournament, but to do it two years in a row is a blessing to me, my team and my coaches and just means a lot to all of us.”
Several of his teammates echoed his sentiment. Junior Chance Point said, “It means a whole lot to me, the team and the coaches and it feels great to go back-to-back, and hopefully to win.” Michael Anspaugh agreed saying, “It feels great to be here again and that we get to go back to Murfreesboro, and I thought we played really, really well last night.”
Hayden Campbell said, “It feels amazing to be here for the second straight year in a row. I mean, it’s what we’ve worked for all year and here we are going back.” Dylan Trivett agreed, “It feels great to go for the second year in a row. I mean, we came in, and we practiced hard. Coach said it would be a game of runs and it was, and luckily we came out on top.”
The Lady Bulldogs play Pickett County, Wednesday, March 8, at 2:15 PM while the Bulldogs have a week to practice before taking on Humboldt, out of Memphis, on Wednesday, March 15, at 3:45 PM.
There is a viewing party for the Lady Bulldogs game Wednesday at Pizza Hut and you can also catch all the games online, at home, by checking the Now that’s Hampton Facebook page on how to stream the games.