Upset-minded Warriors see season end against Longhorns
Published 6:38 pm Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Ron Paul Parker drives to the basket, scoring two of his 22 points in the TSSAA Region 1-2A tournament game against the Longhorns.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Grady Goulds hits a streaking teammate with a bounce pass in first-period action.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Lane Parker dribbles up the court while the Warriors' offense gets settled.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Dorrian Jackson extends an arm in the lane while putting his shoulder into a Longhorn post player on defense.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Happy Valley head coach Shane Williams barks out instructions during a fast break.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Senior Austin Nickles looks to create space against a defender midway through the third period.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Happy Valley cheerleaders plead with Warrior faithful to get loud during a timeout.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Warriors shooting guard Artee Bahn scores on a mid-range jumper for two of his six points in the game.
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
By Ron Marvel
Star Correspondent
After witnessing their female counterparts pull the upset the night before, the Happy Valley boys squad had to be asking the question, “Why not us?” In the end, they would fall short to the No. 3-seeded Johnson County Longhorns, but the boys from Mountain City walked away having to feel like they were in a dogfight.
The game saw the Longhorns jump out to an early lead when they went on a 7-0 run midway through the first period and pushed the score to 15-6, but as was the case most of the night, the Warriors just would not go away. Grady Goulds banked home a shot off an assist from Mason Norman to cut the lead to just two points. The Longhorns responded with a 5-0 run of their own to push the lead back to eight at 19-11 as the first period ended.
Another 11-0 run by the Longhorns seemed to put a healthy gap between themselves and the Warriors at 26-11, but this squad, on this night, just would not go down easily. A 9-2 run by Happy Valley, sparked by the physical play of Ron Paul Parker, cut the Longhorns’ lead to just six. With time in the first half expiring, Artee Bahn hit two bank-shot runners, and the Warriors went into the locker room down just two points.
The Warriors kept coming and even took the lead at the 3:35 mark in the third period when Austin Nickles scored off a short jumper to make the score 44-43. The Warriors seemed to have everything going in their favor after Dorrian Jackson took a defensive charge; however, the Longhorns retook the lead and momentum when Caden Blevins connected on five straight free throws to give the Longhorns a 52-46 advantage heading into the final frame.
A pivotal point in the game came in the opening minute of the final period when Artee Bahn scored on another runner and appeared to take contact with it, but the official jumped in the lane to wave off the play and take the points off the board. Johnson County finally started to create some breathing room, pushing its lead to 12 points at the 3:43 mark. Lane Parker tried to provide some spark, scoring nine points in the final four minutes, but it was not enough as the Warriors fell 75-66.
In the loss, Warriors head coach Shane Williams acknowledged the toughness and effort his team brought.
“I couldn’t be more pleased with the effort not just tonight but all year. We have taken some beatings this year, but they keep showing up. We are a young group—we are losing one guy—and I can’t wait to get after it next year. They are hurting right now, and I want them to feel it for a while until we tip it off next season,” Williams said.
Ron Paul Parker finished with 22, while Lane Parker and senior Austin Nickles chipped in 11.
Johnson County freshman guard Carter Atwood, whom Coach Williams described as a true “gym rat,” scored 26 in the win.
