Red Raiders get revenge: Pioneers lose eighth straight game

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

The Pioneers’ Reese Bishop tries to contest a lay-up from Coffee County’s Tyler Spry during the second half of Tuesday’s contest in Manchester. Bishop was called for a foul on the play. (Rob Nunley photo)

MANCHESTER — A little over a month ago, the Pioneer basketball team posted its highest point total of the season — and won its second straight game — with a victory over Coffee County.

What a difference a month makes.

Tuesday night, Coffee County’s Red Raiders avenged their earlier loss to the Pioneers, dismantling Warren County’s boys and celebrating their Senior Night with a 69-53 win.

The loss, Warren County’s eighth straight, ended the Pioneers’ regular season with seven wins balanced against 19 losses.

Warren County’s boys had downed Coffee County 79-57 in their first meeting of the season, back on Jan. 6 at the Charlie Dalton Gym. Since that win, however, coach Chris Turner’s squad won just one of its final 14 contests.

Coffee County established itself early in Tuesday’s contest, with Cody Hodge burying three 3-pointers and the Raider defense forcing six turnovers to carry a 21-12 lead by the end of the first period.

The Pioneers trailed 35-22 by halftime, but held their own against the Raiders in the third, scoring 12 points while holding Manchester to 13.

Trailing by double digits throughout the second half, the Pioneers began fouling midway through the fourth quarter, hoping to employ the same strategy they had used earlier in the year at Lebanon and work their way back into the game.

But Coffee County proved to be much more accurate at the free-throw line than had Lebanon.

The Raiders hit 12 of their 16 attempts from the stripe down the stretch, keeping the Pioneers at bay and capturing the eventual 16-point victory.

Tyler Spry led CCHS with 17 points, while Micah Williams finished with 16 for the Red Raiders, including 11 free throws. Hodge added 14 points to the winning effort.

Reese Bishop’s 11 led WCHS, while Kyle Thompson had 10 points and Jeremiah Hodges had eight. Todd Gilley scored seven points, Andrew Deason had six, and Brandon Adcock netted four.

Ricky Curtis finished with three, with Josh Nunley and Warren Swann adding two apiece.

The Pioneers, who were winless in District 7-AAA play, enter the league tournament Tuesday as its No. 8 seed. They’ll take on the top-seeded Riverdale Warriors Tuesday at 4 p.m.