Hampton sweeps past Unaka
Published 6:08 pm Wednesday, December 4, 2024
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady Rangers’ Lauren Lund (1) drains a 3-pointer over Hampton’s Hannah Smith (20) midway through the second quarter Tuesday night inside Donald Ensor Gymnasium at Unaka High School.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady Bulldogs’ Piper Helle (2) nails a wide-open jumper from just inside the arc early in the third quarter Tuesday night inside Donald Ensor Gymnasium at Unaka High School.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady Bulldogs’ Abbie Lunsford (3) finishes a fast break with an easy layup as Unaka’s Kalli Shepard (24) looks for the rebound midway through the third quarter Tuesday night inside Donald Ensor Gymnasium at Unaka High School.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady Rangers’ Michelle Shields (3) sinks a shot from the top of the key early in the fourth quarter Tuesday night inside Donald Ensor Gymnasium at Unaka High School.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady Rangers’ Kalli Shepard (24) drops in a 3-pointer over Hampton’s Piper Helle (2) late in the fourth quarter Tuesday night inside Donald Ensor Gymnasium at Unaka High School.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent After returning from a bloody nose early in the third quarter, Lady Bulldogs’ Brea Hicks (15) completes the comeback over the Lady Rangers by sinking both free throws with under a minute left to play in the fourth quarter Tuesday night inside Donald Ensor Gymnasium at Unaka High School.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent Hampton’s Jayden Nave (12) and the Rangers’ John Hardin (55) jump for the opening tipoff from a unique perspective Tuesday night inside Donald Ensor Gymnasium at Unaka High School.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Bulldogs’ Tyler Blevins (0) fires a 3-pointer from deep early in the first quarter Tuesday night inside Donald Ensor Gymnasium at Unaka High School.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent Hampton’s Chase Davenport (33) drives the baseline against the Rangers’ Aiden Walsh (5) late in the first quarter Tuesday night inside Donald Ensor Gymnasium at Unaka High School.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Ranger Rowdies taunt Hampton’s Bulldogs with chants of “You can’t do that!” after a foul was called late in the first quarter Tuesday night inside Donald Ensor Gymnasium at Unaka High School.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Rangers finally break Hampton’s press when John Hardin (55) converts a finger-roll layup midway through the second quarter Tuesday night inside Donald Ensor Gymnasium at Unaka High School.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent Hampton’s Bryce Fagan (23) draws a charge against the Rangers’ Aiden Walsh (5), the first of three charges called on Unaka in the second quarter Tuesday night inside Donald Ensor Gymnasium at Unaka High School.
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Star Correspondent
On Tuesday evening at Ronnie Snavely Gymnasium, the Hampton Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs each recorded wins against Unaka in nonconference basketball action. The Lady Bulldogs secured a hard-fought 53-45 victory, while the boys cruised to an easy 81-40 win.
The Lady Rangers jumped out to a 15-8 first-period lead, with Michelle Shields scoring six of her game-high 19 points. However, the Lady Bulldogs rallied in the second quarter to tie the score at 25-25 by halftime.
“We made a couple of adjustments after the first quarter,” Lady Bulldogs head coach Dewayne Humphrey said. “We switched to a press defense, and that helped a little bit. Coach Chambers does a great job with his team. He keeps you off balance.”
The teams continued to battle through the third period, heading into the fourth quarter tied at 33-33. Unaka (4-2) opened the final quarter with a basket from Lauren Lund, which was quickly answered by a deuce from Piper Helle, who finished with a team-high 16 points.
Hampton then went on a seven-point run, with Helle sinking two free throws, Abbie Lunsford adding a basket, and Smith dropping a 3-pointer to take a 42-35 lead at the 4:45 mark.
Unaka’s Kalli Shepard hit a 3-pointer to close the gap to 42-38, but Helle responded with a three-point play to make it 45-41. Katlyn Dugger added a basket for the Lady Rangers, but Brea Hicks countered with a 3-pointer for Hampton, extending their lead to 48-43 with 2:19 remaining.
“We needed a basket there, and Helle got the bucket and one,” Humphrey said. “We’ve come to expect that from Piper. This was a rough game. We got a couple of bloody noses. It was blood, sweat, and tears out there.”
Unaka’s Keyona Hague scored in the paint to make it 48-45, but Hampton (6-2) closed out the game with a free throw from Helle, a basket by Faye Carrico, and two free throws from Hicks.
BOYS
Hampton 81, Unaka 40
Chase Davenport scored a game-high 21 points, leading four Bulldogs in double figures as Hampton routed the Rangers. Tyler Blevins hit four 3-pointers and scored 16 points, while Jayden Nave added two treys and finished with 13 points. Caden Davis chipped in 12 points for the Bulldogs (6-2).
In total, Hampton hit 11 3-pointers and dominated the game from the start. The Bulldogs scored 27 first-quarter points and added 33 in the second to take a commanding 60-22 halftime lead.
“We came out ready to play,” Bulldogs head coach Ned Smith said. “We had 23 assists, good ball movement, and played pressure defense with balanced scoring. Chase played really well. Jayden had eight rebounds, and Davis had seven assists. I think everyone contributed.”
T.J. Good led the Rangers with 15 points, while sophomore post John Hardin added 12.
GIRLS FINAL:
Hampton 53, Unaka 45
Hampton (53):
Helle 16, Eastep 4, Hicks 8, Smith 10, Carrico 9, Lunsford 6
Unaka (45):
Lund 8, Shields 19, Campbell 3, Dugger 2, Shepard 7, Sutherland 3, Hague 3
Scoring by quarters:
Hampton: 8 17 8 20 — 53
Unaka: 15 10 8 12 — 45
3-point goals:
Hampton 3 (Smith 2, Hicks 1); Unaka 7 (Lund 2, Shields 2, Campbell 1, Shepard 1, Sutherland 1).
BOYS FINAL:
Hampton 81, Unaka 40
Hampton (81):
Blevins 16, Nave 13, Smith 2, Robinson 7, Davenport 21, Lunsford 2, Davis 12, Fagan 8
Unaka (40):
Good 15, Guess 3, Walsh 1, Wilson 8, Crabtree 2, J. Deyton 2, Lambert 7, Hardin 12
Scoring by quarters:
Hampton: 27 33 17 4 — 81
Unaka: 16 6 8 10 — 40
3-point goals:
Hampton 11 (Blevins 4, Nave 2, Davenport 3, Davis 2); Unaka 3 (Good 1, Guess 1, Wilson 1).
