Rangers top HV in double overtime

Published 10:02 pm Wednesday, December 1, 2021

By Allen LaMountain

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BY ALLEN LAMOUNTAIN
STAR CORRESPONDENT
A game that looked well in hand for Unaka after three quarters turned into a double-overtime nail-biter as Happy Valley rallied to force overtime and then double overtime. The Rangers (3-4 overall) held on for a 66-62 victory behind 21 points from guard Joseph Slagle.
Unaka held a 36-25 advantage after three quarters but Happy Valley got hot in the fourth period with Colby Chausse hitting a three-ball with 27.8 ticks left to give the Warriors a 51-50 lead, but Brady Taylor hit one-of-two free throws to force overtime.
In the second overtime, Unaka managed to take a 62-59 lead but Austin Nickles banked in a three at the buzzer once again to force double overtime.
“When these two teams get together it means something,” Rangers head coach Aaron Dugger said. “We had some adversity but we fought through it and these games have a lot of pride to them and it means something to both teams.
“They came here and both teams played their tails off. Them scoring 13 points against North Greene means nothing. For us to come through the way we did says a lot.”
Slagle was good for a trey to give Unaka a 63-62 lead and the Rangers hit three free throws in the last seconds to clinch the win. Rangers senior guard Ryan Sexton was ejected late in the second period after getting tangled up with Troy Williams and Sexton threw what looked like a punch that didn’t land but he was sent to the showers.
The Warriors rally began with 3:23 remaining in the fourth period, trailing 47-35 when HV went on a 13-2 run to cut the Ranger lead to 49-48 with 1:26 showing on the clock. The Warriors got a deuce and a trey from Chausse in the run but most of the points came from the free-throw line where HV hit six consecutive free throws.
In the first overtime Unaka post Brayden Powell hit a pair of buckets and James Murray had a trey for the Warriors leading to Nickles bank at the buzzer leaving the score tied at 58-58. Senior post Landon Babb opened the second OT with a pair of free throws for HV but Slagle hit a jumper for the Rangers.
Murray then scored a bucket for the Warriors but Slagle tossed in a trey for a one-point Unaka lead. Slagle and Devin Ramsey hit free throws for the margin of victory for Unaka.
GIRLS
Unaka 42
Happy Valley 29
Lyndie Ramsey scored a game-high 22 points as the Lady Rangers took a fairly easy win. Unaka led 9-6 after one period and extended to a 20-11 halftime edge.
HV struggled to score hitting no more than three buckets in any period until the fourth when the Lady Warriors scored 10 points.
Macy Ensor connected on five three-point buckets for 15 points on the night but the rest of the Lady Rangers were 1-for-10 from beyond the arc with Kiki Forney hitting one-of-nine from the floor and Tara Whitehead was 0-for-3 as was Julie Simerly.
For the Warriors, Marcinda Moore and Kadie Bailey each had nine points to lead the team in scoring.
—
BOYS
Unaka 66-62 (2 OT)
Happy Valley 13     5   7   26  7  4 – 62
Unaka                15  14   8   15  7  8 – 66
Happy Valley (62)
Chausse 11, Grindstaff 5, Nickels 5, Williams 5, Murray 17, Garmon 1, Babb 14, Perry 4.
Unaka (66)
Slagle 21, Lydick 2, Seigfried 5, D. Ramsey 15, Sexton 6, Taylor 1, L. Ramsey 7, Shoemaker 2, Powell 6.
3-point goals: HV 6 (Chausse 2, Grindstaff, Williams, Murray, Nickels) U 6 (Slagle 4, Sexton 2).
GIRLS
Unaka 42-29
Happy Valley (29)
H. Moore 3, Ramey 3, M. Moore 9, Bailey 9, S. Zoeli 5.
Unaka (42)
Ramsey 22, Forney 3, Ensor 15, Guy 2.
Happy Valley  6     5     8   10 – 29
Unaka                 9   11  12  10 – 42
3-point goals: HV 4 (H. Moore, Ramey, Bailey, S. Zoeli), U 9 (Ensor 5, Ramsey 3, Forney)   

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