Hampton splits with Blue Devils, Henry acknowledged for 1000th Point
Published 3:59 pm Wednesday, January 3, 2024
Star Photo/Ron Marvel The coaching staff from Hampton presented Macy Henry with a commemorative basketball, acknowledging her 1000th point.
Star Photo/Ron Marvel Faye Carrico takes to shot jumper over the Blue Devils defender.
Star Photo/Ron Marvel Macy Henry scores 2 of her 9 points in the contest as she rises over the Blue Devil defender.
Star Photo/Ron Marvel Ella Eastep is all focus as she attempts her free throw.
Star Photo/Ron Marvel The Hampton Bulldogs Cheerleading squad rallies the crowd before the boys come out.
Star Photo/Ron Marvel Micheal Anspaugh uses the pump fake to get the defender in the air.
Star Photo/Ron Marvel The Bulldogs and Blue Devils tip-off action as the Bulldogs look to avenge a December 1st loss.
Star Photo/Ron Marvel With a hand in his face, Chance Point shoots the 12-foot jumper.
Star Photo/Ron Marvel Hayden Campbell grabs the offensive rebound and goes back up strong for 2 points.
Star Photo/Ron Marvel Hayden Campbell goes strong to the hole in 2nd-period action.
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
By Ron Marvel
Star Correspondent
The Bulldogs faced the Blue Devils on Tuesday night at Van Huss White Gymnasium. The girls’ squad suffered a hard-fought 45-39 loss while the boys sought revenge for their December 1st defeat, dismantling the Blue Devils’ press.
The Lady Bulldogs displayed relentless effort, rallying multiple times but ultimately couldn’t find the crucial shot. The game evolved into a defensive struggle, with neither team finding offensive rhythm. Macy Henry and Taylor Berry’s early 3-pointers kept the Bulldogs close. Both teams struggled in the second period, with the Lady Bulldogs outscoring the Blue Devils 6-5, ending the half trailing 18-16.
The Blue Devils threatened to widen the gap in the second half, reaching double-digit leads, notably after a late 3-pointer by Haley Rush in the 3rd period. However, each time the Blue Devils appeared close to sealing the game, the Lady Bulldogs rallied to stay within striking distance. Hannah Smith’s 3-pointer brought them within 5 points at the 3-minute mark, but that was the closest they got as the Blue Devils hit late free-throws to maintain their lead. No Lady Bulldog reached double digits, with Henry scoring 9 points and Taylor Berry contributing 7. Lady Blue Devil Haley Rush led all scorers with 25 points, including 5 3-pointers.
Following the game, Lady Bulldogs Head Coach Dewayne Humphrey discussed his team’s performance, stating, ‘The girls played really hard tonight, but we didn’t secure enough of the 50-50 balls. We need to improve our play in the paint. It’s a strong Unicoi team, and Haley Rush had an outstanding performance. Looking ahead to conference play, we’ve faced tough competition to prepare, but our offensive output needs improvement, especially in transition. We need to match the scoring capabilities of teams in our conference that put up 50 or 60 points.’
Pre-game, Macy Henry achieved her 1000th point in a weekend tournament in Gatlinburg. Reflecting on this milestone post-game, the recent Milligan University commit remarked, ‘It’s always been a major goal of mine. I remember seeing high school boys achieve it and aimed for the same. It’s a significant honor to reach that goal.’ She also emphasized the need for the Lady Bulldogs to refine their fundamentals this season, saying, ‘Currently, we’re making many small mistakes, and we need to solidify our fundamentals as we progress.’
In the boys’ game, Hampton triumphed over Unicoi 50-36. Both teams struggled offensively early on, with the Bulldogs leading just 7-7 after the first period and 24-19 at halftime. However, they found success by intensifying defensive pressure, securing a 13-point lead after a Chance Point free throw at the 3:30 mark of the 3rd period. Despite seeing their lead shrink to 6 points, the Bulldogs held firm in the final period. Michael Anspaugh’s 5 steals and defensive contributions, including feeding Geno Carrico for a 4th period rally, proved crucial. Hayden Campbell added 4 points from offensive rebounds as the Bulldogs avenged their earlier loss to the Blue Devils. Notably, the Bulldogs performed strongly from the free-throw line, going 10-11 in the second half.
Anspaugh led the Bulldogs with 14 points, while Chance Point contributed 11. Hayden Campbell delivered a solid all-around performance, scoring 10 points alongside 10 rebounds and 6 blocks.
