Warriors push past ‘Landers in physical contest
Published 4:12 pm Wednesday, December 13, 2023
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Happy Valley's Darian Jackson gets ready to go baseline against the Cloudland defense.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Happy Valley's TJ Good splits the defense of the 'Landers Nick Caraway (22) and Urijah Jarrett (5).
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders The Warriors Ron Paul Parker pulls up for a jumper from the foul line.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders The Warriors Joseph Sowards can almost taste a bucket as he pushes hard to the rim.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Cloudland's Kingston Cole pushes the basketball toward the paint looking to get off a good shot.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders The 'Landers Grayson Cole is surrounded by a trio of Warrior defenders.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Cloudland's Dylan McClellan drives past a Warrior defender for a bucket.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Happy Valley's Zach Stansell celebrates a big three that he sank late in the game on Tuesday in Roan Mountain.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders 'Landers Urijah Jarrett gets physical with a Happy Valley defender as he tries to push closer to the basket.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Connor Carpenter is zoned in as he gets ready to send a three-ball toward the rim.
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STAR CORRESPONDENT
One word described Tuesday evening’s contest at Cloudland High School when the Highlanders and Happy Valley Warriors squared off in hardwood action and that word was pressure.
Behind a suffocating, defensive effort by the Warriors, the visitors took a road win by a 66-40 score.
There were more bodies flying across the floor than at a WWE wrestling event as loose balls were being heavily contested as players flew into the bleachers and even the scoring table.
Nothing else can be expected when these two teams get together.
Happy Valley gained the upper hand in the first half by outscoring the home team 28-13. The Warriors Dylan Furr led the charge in the opening half by scoring 10 of the Warriors 28 points. Ron Paul Parker contributed to the charge by adding six, including a trey.
Dylan McClellan and Kingston Cole scored four points apiece for Cloudland who had problems in getting the ball near the bucket with the pressure and quick hands of the Warriors forcing numerous turnovers.
While the ‘Landers came out of the locker room with a little better grasp on the basketball, they just couldn’t get enough points to catch up and overtake the Warriors as Happy Valley finished the second half outscoring Cloudland by a 38-27 margin.
Furr finished as the game-high scorer dropping in 20 points in the contest. Parker and Darian Jackson each finished with 12 points in a contributing effort for Coach Shane Williams.
Austin Nickels added six points for the victors while Joseph Sowards and TJ Good finished with four points.
Dakota Grindstaff and Warrior fan favorite Zach Stansell each buried a trey to finish with three points. Artee Bahn closed out the scoring with a deuce.
McClellan led the Highlanders with a team-high 18 points. Cole finished with six points in the game.
Cooper Smith and Bryce Birchfield dropped in four points apiece with Grayson Cole and Nick Caraway collected three points each. Cain Barnett closed out the Cloudland scoring with two points.
