Early surge sends Siegel boys past Central

Dec. 16—GLADEVILLE — Siegel's boys built a big early lead Tuesday night and held serve to whip host Wilson Central 66-37.

The Stars led 14-5 at the first-quarter break and 22-9 at halftime. Both teams picked up the scoring pace in the second half, but Siegel carried a 43-26 lead into the fourth quarter before returning to Murfreesboro 8-2.

"Defense is definitely our calling card," Wildcats coach Michael Teeter said. "It's got to be on nights when you can't anything. We did not shoot the ball well across the board. But that first half, when you're going through some scoring droughts, at least the defense did play well enough to kind of keep you in the game. Effort was good for the most part. We got to get some things fixed pretty quick."

Carter Webb totaled 22 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, to lead the Stars, who had three other players with nine points apiece and another with eight.

Towan Siler scored 14, including a pair of 3s, for the Wildcats with all of them coming in the second half. Brody Fly also hit a couple of treys on his way to eight. JaMichael Mitchell finished with five points, Jordan Lawson four, Ike Boone three and JuJu Davis, Triston Blackburn and Noah McBride a free throw each as Central slipped to 3-6.

Teeter was asked if the team is searching for an identity.

"Very much so," he said. "We've been a group that's kind of lived on the defensive side quite a bit and this group is really trying to find that niche as to how we can affect the game on that side of the floor. Offensively, we're trying to find a rhythm. We've got a couple of guys that can score it fairly well. But we're not together on any of it. Our assist totals are way down from where they're typically are. We've got to get some guys in the right spots. We've got to have some guys step up into some bigger roles than what they're used to.

"We're breaking some guys in. But we're in December. We're not in November any more so these guys have eight, nine games under their belt. We're not as young as we have been. We have probably one of our more experienced teams and a handful of juniors that have all played and a handful of seniors who have had their reps here and there. We don't have the inexperienced card right now. We've got to just pick it up."

Central hosted Green Hill last night. The Wildcats are booked for the Smoky Mountain Classic running Wednesday through Friday of next week in Gatlinburg.

Blue Devils drop 63-60 decision at Gallatin

GALLATIN — It's still a loss. But after dropping a home decision to Gallatin by 35 points two weeks earlier, a 63-60 loss with chances to win at the end on the Green Wave's Jerry Vradenburg Gym/Bobby Luna Court is an upward trend for Lebanon.

The Green Wave led 16-15 at the first-quarter break before Lebanon surged in front 37-31 by halftime. The Blue Devils held to a 49-47 edge going into the fourth.

Lebanon had a 10-point lead before a 9-0 Gallatin run (the Green Wave had a 16-0 surge at Campbell Brandon Gym/Hester Gibbs Court on Nov. 28) got the Wave back in the game. A banked 3-pointer by Maxwell Moore tied the score and another Moore triple put the home team in the lead

Avery Harris hit a triple on the other end to bring the Blue Devils into a 57-57 tie and a T.J. Searcy basket lifted Lebanon to a two-point lead.

DeCosta Ricks hit a 3 to put Gallatin in front by one and two free throws extended the margin to 63-59.

Harris was fouled on a 3-attempt with 13 seconds left but hit just one free throw. The Blue Devils crashed the glass but missed a couple of putbacks.

Gallatin missed to free throws with six seconds to play. Harris front-rimmed a 3 attempt at the buzzer as the Blue Devils dropped to 4-7.

Ricks racked up 26 points, hitting 10 of 13 free throws and two triples, to lead Gallatin. Logan Hesson finished with 14.

Brice Njezic threw in three triples to lead Lebanon with 13 points. Brody Reasonover bagged a pair of 3s in the second quarter as he, Harris and Marques Anglin each tossed in 10. Cash Williams added eight points, Dekevion Bass seven and Searcy two.

Lebanon traveled to Mt. Juliet last night and will host part of the Kerry Malone Power Games at Brandon Gym next Wednesday and Thursday. The Blue Devils will play two games Wednesday and none Thursday. They will take on Cannon County at 2 p.m. and Shelbyville at 8. Games will also be played both days at Mt. Juliet.

Watertown outscored at RBS

RED BOILING SPRINGS — Colter Copas poured in 31 points Tuesday night to lift Red Boiling Springs to a 75-54 win over Watertown.

The Bulldogs led 22-17 at the first-quarter break, 35-29 at halftime and 52-41 going into the fourth.

Copas connected on a pair of 3-pointers. He was supported in double figures by Chris Hackney's 15 points and Riley Thompson's 14.

J.J. Goodall hit three triples in leading three Purple Tigers in double figures with 19 points. Marcus Reynolds' 16 included two treys while Chase McConnell added 11. Payton Laws and Loan Hackett each had three and Dacio Carter two.

Watertown traveled to Nashville's LEAD Academy last night and will travel to Smithville for the Battle of Sparta Pike at DeKalb County on Monday.

Ellis' 5 triples lift Green Hill past Hillsboro

MT. JULIET — Kenny Ellis was on fire from downtown Mt. Juliet on Tuesday night as he helped lift Green Hill to a 51-44 over Hillsboro on the Hill.

Ellis fired in five 3-pointers, four of which came in the first half and three in the second quarter, as he totaled 21 points. Bag man Aaron Mattingly finished with 11 of his 15 after halftime. Antjuan Welch hit a pair of 3s on his way to seven while Christian Bright finished with four and Tanner bolton and RexHarmon two each as the Hawks improved to 7-2.

Cortez Graham and Arnez Anderson each finished with 14 points to lead the Burros.

Hillsboro led 11-10 at the first-quarter break before Green Hill edged in front 24-21 by halftime and 37-29 going into the fourth.

Green Hill visited Wilson Central last night and will host Independence on Monday.