Happy Valley hung with the Blue Devils throughout Friday’s contest but could not get the job done as Unicoi pulled away for a 66-55 win inside Bayless Gym.
In the opening period, the two squads battled back and forth before working out to a 16-16 tie heading into the second quarter. In the first quarter, Happy Valley’s Brayden Sams and Chris Young each had five points each with both players knocking down a deuce and a trey each. Warriors Isaiah Rhodes finished the period with four.
In the first three minutes of the second quarter, Warriors outscore Unicoi 10-5 with Happy Valley’s Austin Hicks knocking down a layup before hitting a 3-pointer to give his squad a 26-21 lead with 4:03 left in the half. A foul shot from Happy Valley’s Bryce Carter handed the Warriors a 30-24 edge over Unicoi late in the second before Blue Devils’ Trevor Hensley rattled off ten straight points to give Erwin a 34-33 advantage heading into the half. In the second quarter, Hensley recorded 15 of Unicoi’s 18 points in the period, before finishing the night with a game-high 34 points.
The Blue Devils posted seven unanswered points in the opening moments of the third quarter to jump ahead 39-33. Four straight foul shots would get Happy Valley within nine points of the speedy Devils before Unicoi’s Dylan Putman popped a three in the final minute to give his team a 51-41 stronghold.
Happy Valley’s Noah Worley hit a 2-pointer then a trey to help the Warriors cut Unicoi’s lead to 51-46 with 5:53 left to play. Happy Valley battled to within five points of the Blue Devils before Unicoi unhitched the wagon and pulled away down the stretch for a Three Rivers Conference victory.
For the Warriors, Worley led with 11 points, while Rhodes picked up 10. Hick finished the night with nine points.
Monday the Warriors will host University High.
(Girls) Unicoi 64, Happy Valley 55
On the backend of the first quarter, the Lady Blue Devils conducted a 15-4 run to take a 24-12 lead heading into the second quarter.
Trailing 28-20 midway through the second period, Happy Valley opened up on a 10-3 rally to climb within three points of the Lady Blue Devils, before Unicoi scooted out to a 35-30 edge heading into the half.
Happy Valley’s Adrienne Henegar scored seven points in the third quarter to held the Lady Warriors climb within four points of the Lady Blue Devil. At the end of three, Unicoi was out front 49-45.
Happy Valley got within four points in the final minute of the contest, before Unicoi went 7-2 down the stretch to hold on for a conference win.
“We got in a hole early,” said Happy Valley head coach Larry Abel. “We didn’t do very well on our transitions. They (Unicoi) had a hot hand tonight. It seemed everything was falling in for them.”
The Lady Warriors were led in scoring by Henegar 19. Happy Valley’s Makayla Fraizer finished with nine points, while Kaitlyn Roberts closed out with eight.
The Lady Blue Devils were led by Kaylee Hendricks with 19 points.
The Lady Warriors will host University High on Monday.