Elizabethton welcomes area teams for junior varsity basketball tourney
Published 11:11 pm Wednesday, December 30, 2020
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders The Cyclones Chris Earnest (42) hits a one-handed floater in the lane early in the fourth quarter.
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders Elizabethton’s Caleb Franklin (44) hits a one-handed jumper in the third quarter.
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders After getting a pass off a steal at the other end of the floor the Cyclones Dalton Mitchell (15) finishes the run out with a layup in the third quarter.
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders The Cyclones Nate Stephens (3) double pumps and hits a jumper from just outside the lane early in the third quarter.
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders Elizabethton’s Isaiah Linberg (15) steps around the Indians Xavier Smalls (42) and hits a circus layup in the lane late in the fourth quarter.
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders After grabbing a rebound on Luke Whaley’s (0) missed three pointer the Cyclones Isaiah Linberg (15) drops in a turn around jumper in the lane over Dobyns Bennett’s Jake Carson (50) in the fourth quarter.
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders The Cyclones Will Churchill (21) goes up and under the basket and around the out stretched arms of Dobyns Bennett’s Blake Head (22) and Travis Smalls (50) for a layup early in the first quarter.
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders Unaka’s Jonathan Campbell (35) leans into a Trailblazer defender and get the plus one as he hits this off balance jumper in the second quarter.
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders The Rangers Jonathan Campbell (35) pulls up and hits a short jumper in the first quarter.
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders With the Rangers getting off to a running start early in the first quarter, Unaka’s Joe-z Blamo (5) is fouled as he splits two Daniel Boone defenders on his way to the basket.
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BY NIC MILLER
STAR CORRESPONDENT
With the crazy year of 2020 finally coming to a close this week, prep sports are still in full swing for schools around the region.
Elizabethton High School kicked off the 13th Annual Mickey Forrester JV Boys Basketball Classic Tuesday as the tournament was moved from Sullivan East this season.
Games were scheduled for 3, 4:30, 6, and 7:30 on Tuesday and the tournament would run through Wednesday at 3 and 4:30, with the champions being crowned after the 11:30 contest on Thursday.
Due to Covid exposure in the Unicoi County Blue Devil Program, the 3 o’clock game would be canceled with their opponent, the Hampton Bulldogs, moving on to take on the winner of game two in a semifinal affair on Wednesday.
The second game matchup, however, was still on and featured one of two of the hometown Elizabethton Cyclones teams, squaring off against the Indians of Dobyns-Bennett.
From the jump, the Indians were able to take complete control of the game, outscoring the Cyclones 43-19 at the break.
And the trend would continue throughout the second half as Dobyns Bennett would advance by a score of 78-42 to take on the Hampton Bulldogs in a semifinal game Wednesday.
In the first matchup, the Indians were led by Chapel Head with 17 points, followed by both Eli Day and Jake Carson with 16 apiece.
And for the Cyclones, it was both Mac Paulson and Will Churchill leading the charge with 17 points each.
The second contest of the afternoon, game three, was a contest between the second Cyclone squad of the night and the Vikings of Tennessee High.
This game was a hard-fought battle between the two teams, as they were neck and neck for most of the action.
However, it would be the Cyclones who would find separation in the fourth quarter, punching their ticket to the semifinal round with a 60-49 victory over Tennessee High.
In the win, Elizabethton was led in scoring by Nate Stephens who scored 20 points, followed by Seth Carter with 10, and Dalton Mitchell who dropped 9.
For the Vikings, it was Josh Sizemore who scored 17, while Ty Hopson put up 12 points in the effort.
The third and final game of the night was a matchup that contained the Trailblazers of Daniel Boone and the Unaka Rangers.
And in a highly contested final four quarters of play, it was the Trailblazers who would come out on top to calm the final second-round berth, 53-46
For the Blazers, it was Creed Music leading Boone to the win with 15 points, while Luke Scott followed close behind with 14 points.
In the effort for Unaka Joe-z Blamo finished with 19 points while Ryan Sexton ended the night with 9.
The winners of Tuesday’s games will compete for a spot in the championship with two semifinal games scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. At 3, it’s the Hampton Bulldogs taking on the Dobyns-Bennett Indians, and at 4:30, the Elizabethton Cyclones will square off against the Daniel Boone Trailblazers.
