Hampton sweeps past Highlanders
Published 2:39 pm Friday, February 14, 2025
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Highlanders' Kingston Cole (24) and Hampton’s Chase Davenport (33) jump off the start of Thursday night’s game inside Sonny Smith Gymnasium at Cloudland High School. The Bulldogs controlled the tip and were off to the races.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Bulldogs' Tuff Robinson (32) opens Hampton’s scoring with this left-handed layup on the first play of the game Thursday night.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The ‘Landers' Nick Caraway (22) answers for Cloudland with a trey in front of the Hampton bench with less than a minute off the clock in the first quarter.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Bulldogs' Jayden Nave (12) kisses this floater off the glass, surrounded by a trio of Highlanders, for two early in the first quarter.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Bulldogs' Chase Davenport (33) drains a 3-pointer near the top of the arc for the second straight trip down the floor early in the first quarter.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The ‘Landers' Kingston Cole (24) drives around Hampton’s Jamie Turbyfill (50) at the top of the key on his way to the hoop late in the first quarter.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Bulldogs' Jackson Smith (20) applies the pressure defense on Cloudland’s Uriah Jarrett (1) at the jump circle late in the first quarter.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent Even with Cloudland’s Nick Caraway (22) hand in his face, the Bulldogs' Chase Davenport (33) buries the triple from the very top of the key early in the second quarter.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Bulldogs' Talon Creed (5) skies toward the rim, finishing the breakaway for two inside the first minute of the second quarter.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Bulldogs' Jackson Smith (20) and Ezra Tolley (11) spring a trap on Cloudland’s Nick Caraway (22) in the corner along the baseline midway through the second quarter.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady Bulldogs' Ella Eastep (11) reacts to Hannah Smith (20) going back up with her own rebound for two under Hampton’s goal midway through the second quarter.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady ‘Landers' Regan Blair (3) ties up Hampton’s Piper Helle (2) as she comes down with a rebound under the Lady Bulldogs' goal late in the second quarter. The possession arrow favored Hampton, and the Lady Bulldogs retained the ball.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady ‘Landers' Makinna Shell (10) finishes the fast break with a layup early in the third quarter.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady ‘Landers' Makinna Shell (10) puts up the acrobatic runner over Hampton’s Hannah Smith (20) midway through the third quarter.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The ‘Landers' Makinna Shell (10) delivers on the long-distance three-ball late in the third quarter.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady ‘Landers' Abriella Jones (32) and Hampton’s Ella Eastep (11) battle for a rebound under Cloudland’s goal early in the fourth quarter.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady Bulldogs' Brea Hicks (15) puts up a runner in the lane over Cloudland’s Makinna Shell (10) for two midway through the fourth quarter.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady Bulldogs' Brea Hicks (15) fires up a layup for two on a runout with Cloudland’s Makenzie Street (4) in hot pursuit late in the fourth quarter.
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STAR CORRESPONDENT
A pair of physical, hard-fought basketball contests were played on Thursday evening at Sonny Smith Gymnasium as Hampton swept past home-standing Cloudland in nonconference action.
The Lady Bulldogs (21-7 overall) pulled away in the second half past a scrappy Lady Highlanders (13-12) for a 43-32 victory behind 10 points from senior point guard Piper Helle. In the boys game, sophomore Chase Davenport scored 31 points while dropping in seven 3-point shots as the Bulldogs crushed the ‘Landers 75-32.
Hampton head coach Ned Smith won his 499th game in this one.
“I thought we played well overall,” Smith said. “We turned defense into offense and had 10 assists. We got to play some bench players, and they played well.”
The Bulldogs (21-7 overall) took a 16-10 first-quarter lead and had several long runs of points as Cloudland (4-14 overall) struggled with hitting shots. The Highlanders were 13-for-29 (44.8%) from the floor and 4-for-14 (28.5%) from 3-point range.
Davenport was sharp, hitting 7-for-13 (53.8%) from long range when everyone else in both games struggled from the arc.
“I felt great,” Davenport said. “This is the time of year you want to peak.”
The ‘Dogs took a 43-23 halftime lead with a 16-point run and were never threatened.
GIRLS
Hampton 43, Cloudland 32
Cloudland’s strong first half saw them hold a 20-17 advantage behind solid defense and treys from Eowyn McCurry, Laken Blair, and Reagan Turbyfill. The Lady Bulldogs outscored Cloudland 14-8 in the third period to take a 31-28 lead going into the fourth quarter.
“Our kids blocked out and played good defense,” Lady Bulldogs head coach Dewayne Humphrey said. “They didn’t whip us on the boards. We couldn’t hit the three, so we attacked the basket and got layups and shots in the paint. It has been a while since we got a win in Roan Mountain.”
The Lady ‘Dogs continued with tough defense in the fourth period, holding the Lady Highlanders to just a pair of baskets—outscoring Cloudland 12-4 in the fourth quarter.
Makinna Shell scored a game-high 15 points for Cloudland. For Hampton, Hannah Smith and Brea Hicks scored eight points apiece, and post Faye Carrico added seven.
BOYS
Hampton 75, Cloudland 32
Hampton (75)
Davis 2, Nave 9, Smith 4, Robinson 7, Davenport 31, Jones 8, Tolley 8, Campbell 3, Turbyfill 3.
Cloudland (32)
Birchfield 3, Jarrett 7, Caraway 11, K. Cole 4, Shell 4, Wilson 3.
Hampton 16 27 19 13 – 75
Cloudland 10 13 4 5 – 32
3-point goals: Hampton 8 (Davenport 7, Jones 1); Cloudland 4 (Caraway 2, Wilson 1, Birchfield 1).
GIRLS
Hampton 43, Cloudland 32
Hampton (43)
Helle 10, Eastep 6, Hicks 8, Smith 8, Carrico 7, Birchfield 4.
Cloudland (32)
McCurry 5, Street 2, Shell 15, Turbyfill 3, Blair 3, S. McCurry 2, Jones 2.
Hampton 12 5 14 12 – 43
Cloudland 13 7 8 4 – 32
3-point goals: Hampton 0; Cloudland 3 (E. McCurry 1, Shell 1, L. Blair 1).
