Whitehead pours in 35 as Cyclones cruise past Warriors 77-58
Published 4:14 pm Monday, December 16, 2024
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Grady Goulds elevates for a jump shot as the third period ends in JV action.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Evan Chambers drives baseline for a layup attempt.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Mason Norman boxes out a Cyclone defender while grabbing a rebound for the Warriors.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Grady Swearingen sets up for a jump shot in the closing minutes of the JV game.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Warriors coach Shane Williams takes a teaching moment with Jamie Esterline.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Cyclones guard Hudson Pate attempts to shoot past Warriors defender Artee Bahn.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent The Cyclones start to work the interior against the Warriors.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Evan Chambers gets the bucket in fourth-period action.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Warriors’ Nate Tittle looks upcourt as the play develops.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Justin Whitehead sprints downcourt as the second period comes to a close. He led all scorers with 35 points.
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By Ron Marvel
Star Correspondent
The Elizabethton Cyclones made the short drive to Warrior Hill on Saturday to take on Happy Valley in a county clash. After a competitive first period, the Cyclones separated themselves as Justin Whitehead hit four of his nine 3-pointers in a game-changing second period.
The game opened with the Cyclones jumping out to an early 8-2 lead, but the Warriors battled back. Ron Paul Parker knotted the game at 10-10 with a hop step and bucket in the paint. Austin Stines pushed the Warriors’ lead to four after hitting a left-baseline 3-pointer. As the Warriors started to heat up, so did Whitehead, who hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the final minutes to retake the lead and push it to 28-23 at the end of the first period.
The Cyclones built on their momentum, outscoring the Warriors 28-10 in the second period to head into the locker room up 56-33. Whitehead stayed hot while Justin Whitehead, Hudson Smith, and Jackson Buckles controlled the boards for put-backs.
Happy Valley responded with an 8-0 run after the half, sparked by Artee Bahn’s long-range three and steal-turned-layup to cut the lead to 12. The Cyclones, however, answered with mid-range jumpers from Zack Wallin and Andrew Barnett, extending their lead to 70-44 by the end of the third.
Ron Paul Parker led the Warriors with 19 points, while Bahn chipped in 7 points. Justin Whitehead paced the Cyclones with 35 points, while Wallin and Buckles added 11 points each.
Post-game, Cyclones head coach Lucas Honeycutt praised his young squad: “They were a good JV group last year. They started slow but got hot. They found Justin, he got hot. We have to do better on defense, but overall, I’m pleased with this effort.”
Justin Whitehead reflected on his performance: “Once I saw one go in, I knew I could have that kind of night. That’s how it has always been for me. I knew they would start getting up on me, and it opened up some other guys, and we took advantage.”
JV: Cyclones 67, Warriors 50
The Cyclones turned a four-point halftime lead into a dominant second half as Evan Chambers sparked his team with 13 third-quarter points.
Despite battling to cut the lead into single digits several times, the Warriors couldn’t quite get over the hump. Zach Rose led Happy Valley with 17 points, while Chambers scored 32 points for the Cyclones, including a perfect 9-for-9 from the free-throw line.
