Shields’ 27 lifts Lady Rangers past Hampton; Bulldogs’ second-half surge tames Unaka
Published 3:56 pm Wednesday, February 5, 2025
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Rangers' Austin Lambert (50) goes "beast mode" with a quick inlet pass against Hampton's Ezra Tolley (11) early in the second quarter Tuesday night at Hampton Elementary.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent John Hardin (55) gets the Rangers on the board first with this layup just over a minute into Tuesday night's matchup of cross-county rivals at Hampton Elementary.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Rangers' Aiden Walsh (5) crashes the boards for a rebound and goes right back to the rim but has the shot roll off early in the first quarter Tuesday night at Hampton Elementary.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Rangers' Mason Wilson (12) finishes at the rim on this layup early in the first quarter Tuesday night at Hampton Elementary. Hampton's Chase Davenport (33) defends the play.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Bulldogs score two quick baskets after Chase Davenport (33) steals an inbound Unaka pass midway through the first quarter.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Bulldogs' Tuff Robinson (32) is called for the foul as he and the Rangers' Aiden Walsh (5) struggle to control the ball near the top of the arc late in the first quarter.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Bulldogs' Bryce Fagan (23), who returned to the floor after suffering a facial bone fracture last week against South Greene, puts a spin move on Unaka’s Jackson Deyton (40) before going hard to the bucket for two late in the first quarter.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Rangers' Aiden Walsh (5) gets the runner to drop over Hampton’s Ezra Tolley (11) midway through the second quarter Tuesday night at Hampton Elementary.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Bulldogs' Jayden Nave (12) goes strong to the hoop over Unaka’s Rylan Crabtree (15) late in the first quarter Tuesday night at Hampton Elementary.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Bulldogs' Bryce Fagan (23) is hit hard from behind by Unaka’s John Hardin (55) as he drives along the baseline to the basket late in the second quarter.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady Rangers' Katlyn Dugger (23) hits a turnaround baby hook shot in the lane early in the game Tuesday night at Hampton Elementary.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady Bulldogs' Abbie Lunsford (3) and Piper Helle (2) battle for control of a loose ball with Unaka’s Brooklynn Campbell (13) under the Lady Rangers' basket midway through the first quarter Tuesday night at Hampton Elementary.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady Bulldogs' Piper Helle (2), who was recently honored for scoring 1,000 career points, adds a three-ball from in front of the Lady Rangers' bench early in the second quarter Tuesday night at Hampton Elementary.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady Bulldogs' Allie Birchfield (13) sees her putback roll off the rim as she nearly hits the floor after being fouled from behind by Unaka’s Keyona Hague (40) midway through the second quarter Tuesday night at Hampton Elementary.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady Rangers' Michelle Shields (3) drills a three-pointer from the top of the key early in the third quarter Tuesday night at Hampton Elementary.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent After breaking Hampton’s press at midcourt, the Lady Rangers' Michelle Shields (3) scores on a scoop shot midway through the third quarter.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady Bulldogs' Faye Carrico (25) scores after a steal at midcourt to start a Hampton run midway through the fourth quarter Tuesday night at Hampton Elementary.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady Rangers' Brooklynn Campbell (13) fires an inbound pass along the baseline as Hampton’s Ella Eastep (11) guards the play. After the Lady Bulldogs close the gap to three, Unaka calls a timeout with under a minute to go in the game Tuesday night.
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STAR CORRESPONDENT
EHS transfer Michelle Shields put up 27 points on Tuesday night as the Unaka Lady Rangers posted a 44-42 upset win over Hampton in nonconference girls basketball action at Hampton Elementary. In boys’ play, guard Caden Davis had 13 points to lead the Bulldogs to a 55-42 win over the Rangers.
The Lady Rangers (16-6) played strong defense throughout, frustrated the Lady Bulldogs (19-6), and took a 23-21 halftime lead behind 16 points from Shields.
“I thought both teams played real well, but Michelle kept us in the game, especially early, scoring a lot of points,” Lady Rangers head coach Kenneth Chambers said. “Our team defense kept us in the game, and we got to play some young players. Hampton is a good team, and they have so many weapons it’s hard to stop them.”
In the third period, the Lady ‘Dogs could not find the range on their shots as Unaka pushed its lead to 34-26. Early in the fourth quarter, an 8-2 Hampton run closed the gap to 40-36, and at the 2:48 mark of the fourth quarter, Unaka was clinging to a 42-38 advantage.
Ariana Sutherland hit one of two free throws for the Rangers, but Hannah Smith connected on a deuce to make it a 43-40 contest, and Piper Helle’s deuce made it 43-42. Shields made a free throw to give Unaka a two-point lead, and Hampton called its final timeout to devise a play to win or tie the game.
The inbound pass came to Smith, who couldn’t find the handle as the final seconds ticked off the clock.
BOYS
Hampton 55, Unaka 42
The Rangers used 10 points from Rylan Crabtree and eight from Mason Wilson to take a 31-29 halftime lead, but the hot shooting from Unaka dried up in the second half as the Bulldogs (18-7) rallied.
The ‘Dogs held Unaka (12-6) to 11 total second-half points, with the Rangers shooting 5-for-17 (29.4%) from the floor and 0-for-5 from 3-point range. Hampton took a 43-36 lead into the fourth quarter.
Davis opened the fourth period with a deuce, which was answered by sophomore John Hardin, but Davis followed with a trey, and Tuff Robinson added a pair of free throws for a 50-39 Bulldogs lead with 3:58 remaining in regulation.
“We stepped up the pressure in the second half and held them to 11 points,” Bulldogs head coach Ned Smith said. “We got after it on the defensive end. Unaka came out really hot, and they are much improved. Hardin is a good player who finishes well.”
Chase Davenport scored 12 to back Davis’ effort, with Jaden Nave adding nine points. Crabtree and Wilson were both held scoreless in the second half, with 10 and eight points, respectively, while Hardin added eight for the Rangers.
GIRLS
Unaka 44, Hampton 42
Unaka (44)
Shields 27, Campbell 7, Dugger 3, Sutherland 3, Hague 4.
Hampton (42)
Helle 13, Eastep 2, Hicks 2, Smith 7, Carrico 14, Birchfield 3, Jenkins 1.
Unaka 8 15 11 10 – 44
Hampton 6 15 5 16 – 42
3-point goals: U 5 (Shields 4, Campbell 1); H 2 (Helle 1, Smith 1).
BOYS
Hampton 55, Unaka 42
Unaka (42)
Good 3, Walsh 5, Wilson 8, Crabtree 10, Lambert 6, Hardin 8, Deyton 2.
Hampton (55)
Nave 9, Smith 6, Robinson 7, Davenport 12, Davis 13, Fagan 8.
Unaka 19 12 6 5 – 42
Hampton 16 13 14 12 – 55
3-point goals: U 3 (Wilson 2, Crabtree 1); H 2 (Davis 1, Nave 1).
