Pioneers assured of last-place finish
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The Pioneers fell to 0-11 in league play, and dropped to 7-14 overall, with a 55-48 loss to the Blaze. Meanwhile on Tuesday, the White County Warriors captured a victory over the league-leading Oakland Patriots. That win gave White County its third district victory, meaning even if the Pioneers win their final three league games, they would still lose a tie-breaker after being swept by the Warriors in the regular season.
Leading 12-8 after one quarter and 25-17 at intermission, the Blaze (14-9, 8-3) got six points each from Ben Sneed and Isaiah Phillips in the third as their advantage swelled to 40-26 late in the period.
A half-court shot at the horn from Warren County’s Todd Gilley made it a 40-29 game heading into the fourth, but Warren County could get no closer than eight points down the stretch until a Brooks Majors 3-pointer with 10 seconds left cut the Blackman lead to six at 54-48.
Sneed went on to hit the front end of a pair of free throws to account for the final margin of victory.
Reese Bishop’s 15 led Warren County, which lost its third straight. The Pioneers got nine points each from Majors, Gilley and Kyle Thompson, who returned to the lineup after missing the past two games with an illness. Jeremiah Hodges chipped in five points, while Ross Marlowe had one.
Sneed finished with 15 points to lead the way for Blackman, while Phillips and David Price had 12 each. Kris Lee added 11, with eight coming in the second half. Brian Talley rounded out the winning effort with five points.
The Pioneers travel to Cookeville tonight, where they will be looking to avenge an 82-67 defeat from January. Cookeville (13-11, 4-7 district) enters tonight’s game on the heels of a 52-42 victory over Riverdale.