Blue Devils hold off Golden Bears 48-44

Dec. 20—MT. JULIET — Lebanon and Mt. Juliet engaged in another knockdown-drag out contest last Friday and, like two weeks ago at LHS, the Blue Devils emerged with a close win, this one 48-44.

The Golden Bears led 26-23 at halftime before the Blue Devils moved in front during the third quarter. A layup by Marques Anglin lifted Lebanon to a 31-30 edge. T.J. Searcy followed with a three-point play for some four-point breathing room.

But there was never enough of a lead for Lebanon, which was up 38-35 going into the fourth, to feel comfortable even though the Blue Devils never trailed again. A fastbreak layup by Braxton Corey brought the Bears to within 43-42. But Anglin drained his second 3-pointer of the night on his way to a game-high 17 points to give LHS a 46-42 lead with 49 seconds left.

Mt. Juliet was called for charging and the teams traded steals. Corey scored from the elbow with 20 seconds left to bring the Bears to within 46-44. But with MJ pressing Brody Reasonover got free toward the basket for a game-closing layup as the Blue Devils moved to 5-7 for the season.

"Anytime you play Mt. Juliet it's going to be a heck of a game, no matter what the records are," Lebanon coach Jim McDowell said. "These guys really stepped up and made some big plays down the stretch. Had a freshman (Amaure' Manier) step in and play and give a big lift tonight."

The first quarter was also back and forth until the Blue Devils closed the period with a 6-0 run for an 18-12 lead. Lebanon opened a 20-13 advantage early in the second before the Bears roared back behind six points in the period by Johnny Pfefferle, one of three players to lead Mt. Juliet with nine points apiece.

"It's a battle," Mt. Juliet coach Trey Tate said. "Coach McDowell does a great job. His kids play hard. It's a great rivalry.

We got to value possessions. That's something we harp on at practice. We harp on during games. Every offensive possession needs to end in a great shot. Every defensive possession needs to end in a defensive rebound. We gave up three offensive rebounds in the first half and I'm pretty sure they scored on all three of them. That's six points right there. You lose by four. That's stuff we can control as a team. It's just little things like that, we just have to correct those. It feels like we're heading in the right direction because we're having less of those. But when those mistakes beat you, it's a tough pill to swallow."

Cash Williams connected on two first-quarter 3s as he and Avery Harris had eight points apiece for Lebanon. Reasonover scored seven and Brice Njezic a late 3.

Garner Pfeiffer fired in two triples in adding eight points for Mt. Juliet while big man John Lloyd, who missed the previous matchup due to illness, battled first-half foul trouble and finished with five. Cade Jewell collected four as the Bears fell to 2-9.

"When Lloyd got in foul trouble, we were really able to go inside," McDowell said. "That's something we had been working on a lot. Cash and Marques really did a good job of that old-school high-low stuff. Right here in this gym there's been a lot of that run with (former MJ girls coach) Chris Fryer. Our guys made enough plays, got enough rebounds."

Lebanon will host the Kerry Malone today and tomorrow. The Blue Devils will play twice today — at 2:30 p.m. against Cannon County and at 8 p.m. vs. Shelbyville — at Campbell Brandon Gym/Hester Gibbs Court.

Mt. Juliet will also play in the event. Games slated for MJHS have been moved to Lebanon's auxiliary gym due to a schedule conflict which was only discovered the day before the Lebanon contest. The Bears will take on Grissom (Ala.) at 6:30 p.m. today and Pearl-Cohn at 5 p.m. tomorrow. Friendship Christian's boys will also play in the small gym at 3:30 p.m. today against Mae Jemison (Alabama) and at 2 p.m. tomorrow against Cannon County. The Commanders' scheduled District 4-IIA home game against Mt. Juliet Christian last Friday was called off at the Saints' request and will be rescheduled, according to an FCS official.

Other boys' games today in Brandon Gym/Gibbs Court include Loretto vs. Pearl-Cohn at 12:30 p.m.

Tomorrow in the big gym, Hillsboro will battle Grissom at 11 a.m., Mae Jemison will take on Rockvale at 2 p.m. and Loretto will face Farragut at 5.

Mattingly, Welch

combine for 41 in Green Hill win at Wilson Central

GLADEVILLE — Aaron Mattingly and Antjuan Welch both scored at least 20 points last Friday night to lift Green Hill to a 62-40 win at Wilson Central.

Mattingly had 21 points and Welch 20, including three 3-pointers, as Green Hill improved to 8-2.

Green Hill led 11-7 at the first-quarter break, 32-13 at halftime and 45-25 going into the fourth.

Ayden Sadler scored seven for the Hawks while Christian Bright finished with four; Brayden Sanders, Rex Harmon, L.J. Foster and Nick Owens two each and Kenny Ellis and Nik Ware a free throw apiece.

Towan Siler scored 12 of his 16 points in the second half, including a pair of fourth-quarter 3s, for the Wildcats. Ike Boone also buried a pair of triples in adding eight points while Triston Blackburn supplied six, JaMichael Mitchell four, Jordan Lawson three, Brody Fly two and Skylar Cross a free throw as Central slipped to 3-7.

Green Hill hosted Independence this past Monday and will play in the Willie Brown Tournament at Father Ryan next week. Wilson Central is at the Smokey Mountain Classic through Friday of this week.

Hawks fall short of Independence 57-54

MT. JULIET — Green Hill's comeback fell short Monday night as Independence left the Hill with a 57-54 win.

The Spartans led 17-7 at the first-quarter break, 29-19 at halftime and 42-38 going into the fourth. Green Hill hit a late 3-pointer to cut a six-point deficit in half but got no closer in falling to 8-3.

Korben Walling led Independence with 16 points while Jett Montgomery and Tylan Lewis each fired in 15.

Big man Aaron Mattingly stepped outside to sink a pair of 3-pointers as he led Green Hill with 18 points. Tanner Bolton also bagged a couple of treys as he and Kenny Ellis each added 11. Ellis had eight of his tally in the fourth quarter. Rex Harmon scored seven points, Nik Ware and Ayden Sadler three each and Jalen Mitchell a free throw.

Green Hill will play in the Willie Brown Christmas Tournament at Father Ryan next week where the Hawks will be joined by Lebanon. Green Hill will open with a 4 p.m. game against LaVergne on Dec. 28. The Blue Devils will take on Martin Luther King at 7 p.m. The Hawks and Lebanon are in opposite brackets, meaning they can only meet each other Dec. 30 if they match wins and/or losses the first two days.