Frosh boys fall apart in final frame

By ROB NUNLEY / Sports Editor for the Southern Standard (McMinnville, Tenn.)

Warren County’s Todd Dunn puts in a third-quarter basket after hauling down an offensive rebound while Oakland’s Dejuan Osborne defends during Monday night’s game. (Rob Nunley photo)

The Pioneer freshmen saw a fourth-quarter lead slip away Monday night, as they dropped a 58-57 heart-breaker to the visiting Oakland Patriots.

Ahead by a 38-30 margin heading into the game’s final quarter, the Pioneers’ lead dwindled steadily throughout the period, as the Patriots posted 28 fourth-quarter points, almost equaling their offensive production from the first three quarters in the game’s final eight minutes.

Kiro Wicks and Chaisson Allen were the difference-makers for the Patriots, who connected on 9-of-15 field goal attempts in the fourth, including a pair of 3-pointers.

Wicks scored eight points in the fourth, while Allen, who proved deadly from 3-point range through the entire game, got the job done at the free-throw line late, scoring five of his nine fourth-quarter points from the stripe.

The Pioneers (3-8), who had hit 17-of-36 from the field through the first three quarters and held an advantage on the boards over their visitors from Murfreesboro, were unable to match Oakland’s strengths in the fourth. The Patriots forced four turnovers in the period, out-rebounded the Pioneers 7-4 down the stretch and held WCHS to just nine shot attempts.

Allen finished with 26 points to lead all scorers, while Wicks and Bryan Cannon — who nailed a pair of clutch 3’s in the fourth quarter — had 10 each. Lydale Nelson scored eight, Sam Kerr added three and Drew Fann had one.

Jonathan Morris led the way for the Pioneers with 15 points, while Ethan Womack had 11. Todd Dunn and Derrin Rogers scored eight each, Tyler Blair had six, Saul Simpson netted four, Justin Fults chipped in three and Cody Nabors had two.

The first half of Monday’s contest was a close one, as the Pioneers tried to counter Oakland’s long-range accuracy with solid half-court offense.

Allen hit his first four attempts from 3-point range, including three in the first quarter that helped the Patriots to an 11-9 advantage by the period’s end.

The Patriots went to the inside combination of Wicks and Nelson in the second period, and led 20-16 midway through the quarter before a 7-0 Pioneer run, with a pair of Dunn baskets sandwiched around a Rogers 3-pointer, ended the half with WCHS on top 23-20.

Oakland closed the gap to a basket twice during the third quarter, but the Pioneers pulled themselves together, and led by as many as nine late in the period before taking a 38-30 advantage into the fourth.

The Pioneers return to action Thursday night, with their final home game of the season scheduled against Blackman. Tipoff for Thursday’s girls game is set for 6 p.m., with the boys to follow.