Pioneers fall after leak postpones game

By ADAM SPARKS / Mid-South Sports Network

WCHS boys coach Doug Keil, right, joins Blackman coaches and athletic director Mary Duvall, center, as they discuss their options with referees after a roof leak delayed Friday’s girls game. (Rob Nunley photo)

MURFREESBORO — After a strong start, the Warren County boys were denied by a late Blackman charge Saturday in a makeup game of Friday night’s postponed contest.

“This is a young group, and they aren’t used to playing on Saturday,” said Warren County head coach Doug Keil, whose Pioneers squad lost 77-61 after a leak in the Blackman High School roof Friday night moved the game to Blackman Middle School a day later.

“They got behind and they made too many mistakes with the basketball.”

The Pioneers started with a hot shooting hand and jumped out to a 16-8 lead in the first period, as Reese Bishop scored seven of his game-high 23 points in the first six minutes of the game.

Warren County forced six early Blaze turnovers and thrived in the open floor.

However, Blackman senior Nathan Stephens tied a career high with seven 3-pointers in the game, including six straight to build a 44-35 BHS lead midway through the third period.

David Price and Stephens then hit back-to-back treys to cap a 12-5 Blaze run to close the third quarter with a 53-42 lead.

Early in the fourth, Blackman head coach Kevin Woodson was called for a technical foul after arguing that Price was pushed out of bounds following a Blackman basket.

The Pioneers followed the technical with an 8-2 spurt, cutting Blackman’s lead to 57-52.

Randal Harrell scored six points in the spurt and Bishop made a driving layup in the paint.

Blackman then answered with a series of defensive steals and stops that pushed a 20-7 run to close the game.

Price opened the spurt with his second and third 3-pointers and a layup off Kris Lee’s steal.

Lee then made three layups off turnovers, and Price took another swipe in for a breakaway lay in.

“I thought our defense was outstanding in the fourth,” Woodson said. “(Our lead) got down to five, six, seven, and we got a few stops that led to scores.”

“We were a little worried about the court because it’s 10 feet shorter than (the Blackman High School court),” continued Woodson. “A shorter court means less room to press, and (the Pioneers) like to press.”

Incidentally, the Blaze broke the press consistently after the first quarter, setting up open 3-point shots for Stephens and company that extended Blackman’s lead midway through the game.

Harrell scored 18 for Warren County, and Kyle Thompson added 12 points.

Stephens led Blackman with 21 points.

The Pioneers will host Coffee County Tuesday at 8 p.m.