Devils’ speed too much for WCHS frosh

By DALE STUBBLEFIELD / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

Casey Myers of the Pioneer freshman team takes flight against a trio of Lebanon defenders, snagging a rebound and putting it back in for two of his 10 points in Monday’s game. (Dale Stubblefield photo)

The Pioneer freshman team ran into a run-and-gun offense when they took on Lebanon Monday night at Warren County High School.

Seven turnovers in the first period by Warren County helped the Blue Devils to a 64-48 victory.

Lebanon opened the game in a zone defense and applying pressure in the backcourt. The Blue Devils’ Luke Sampson hit for seven unanswered points to open the game, before Warren County connected with back-to-back baskets from Casey Myers and P.L. Prater. But Lebanon then hit for eight in a row over a two-minute period. The Pioneers closed out the quarter with baskets from Zach West and Prater, but Warren County trailed after one period,15-8.

The Pioneers struck for six unanswered to open the second, but the Blue Devils started to crash the boards at the 5:43 mark and Josh Reeves picked up four points off of offensive rebounds. Sampson connected on a 3-pointer and Xavier Smith added another with 3:48 left in the half as the Blue Devils extended their lead.

Warren County added two baskets in the final three minutes, but Lebanon hit for four points to close out the half, holding a 32-22 lead.

Lebanon once again hit the boards and ran the fast break in the third period. Myers and Kyrie Harris combined for six points during the first two minutes of play, but Lebanon found the easy baskets under the boards with 15 points on the board by the three-minute mark. The Pioneers tried to answer with baskets from Harris, Carlzell Robinson, West and Matt McColloch but by the end of the period Warren County trailed 48-36.

Lebanon built a 22-point lead two minutes into the final period. Lebanon continued to work the back side of the glass for several second chance baskets. Warren County’s Tyler Keaton hit back-to-back baskets and Jonathen Holland nailed a 3-pointer with thirty-five seconds left in the game as Warren County fell by 16.

Myers led the Pioneers with 10 points. Keel, Harris, Prater and West added six points each. Keaton and Holland hit for four each. McColloch, Robinson and Ridge Nunley added two points each.

For Lebanon, Smith led all scorers with 17 points. Josh Reeves hit for 14, Sampson had 12 and Robert Crudup added 11 points.