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Bronaugh teams advance in GVVC tourney
The Golden Valley Vernon County Conference basketball tournament entered its third day Wednesday, with the Bronaugh Wildcats and Lady Wildcats winning their semifinal contests to advance to Saturday's championship games.
Both the Wildcats and Lady Cats are No. 1 seeds earning a first-round bye. Wednesday night's games were the first games played by Bronaugh teams in the tournament ---- as the Wildcats ran past fifth-seeded Sheldon 50-20, while the Lady Wildcats prevailed over the No. 5 seed Northeast Vernon County Lady Knights 52-42.
In the evening's first game on the consolation side of the girls bracket, the sixth-seeded Sheldon Lady Panthers bested seventh-seeded Montrose 31-26. The victory pits host-Sheldon against fourth-seeded Miami in consolation championship game, Friday at 5 p.m.
Sheldon vs. Montrose
The Lady Panthers led the entire fourth quarter, holding advantages of 27-25 and 29-26 late in the fourth.
With 29 seconds remaining in regulation, point guard Alycia Baney connected on the front-end of a 1-and-1, handing Sheldon a 30-26 lead, as they were able to hang on for the win.
For the Lady Panthers, senior Kylie Leavell finished with a game-high 13 points, while Lindsey Turner added eight. Senior Logan Lamb contributed eight points, while Baney chipped in with three.
Bronaugh vs. Sheldon
The Sheldon Panthers entered Wednesday's contest looking to upset the top-seeded Bronaugh Wildcats. Through two quarters of play, it looked as if that could be a distinct possibility.
Bronaugh point guard Gabe McIntire scored the first four points, helping the Wildcats out to an 8-1 lead. Sheldon however, went on an 8-2 run, capped by freshman guard Clayton Loyd's pull-up jumper, cutting its deficit to 10-8 early in the second quarter.
Bronaugh answered back, as McIntire drove the lane and dished to center Cole Diggins for an easy lay-in, giving the Wildcats a 12-8 edge. Bronaugh's lead increased to seven courtesy of a Justin Hudson 3-pointer from the right-wing with 3:27 remaining in the first half.
Trailing by nine, the Panthers clawed back into the contest with a 5-0 spurt, as point guard Zavery Lamb banked in a driving lay-up, followed by an Alex Hibbitts 3-pointer, assisted by Lamb ---- as Sheldon trailed 17-13 with 1:58 to play in the first half.
Hudson replied back with his second trey of the night, followed by a Lamb pull-up jumper from the right elbow, trimming the Bronaugh lead to 20-15.
The half ended with Hudson driving the lane for a lay-in, giving the Wildcats a 22-15 lead.
The game was a tale of two halves, as the Wildcats outscored Sheldon 38-5 in the second half, cruising to a 50-20 victory.
With the win, Bronaugh advances to Saturday's championship game to face the winner of Thursday's Hume vs. Montrsoe contest.
For the Wildcats, Hudson dropped in a game-high 20 points, followed by McIntire with 17. Forward Tyler Strunk finished with six, Diggins four, while Joe Mader chipped in a point.
Lamb led the Panthers with a team-high nine points, follwoed by Hibbitts with six, Matt Bogart with three, and Loyd two.
Bronaugh vs. NEVC
In the night's final game, the top-seeded Bronaugh Lady Wildcats toppled the up-start Northeast Vernon County Lady Knights 52-42.
Both teams opened the game cold from the field, as the first points didn't come until Lady Wildcats forward Katey Rider scored from close-range midway through the first quarter. Late in the first quarter a Becky Jennings driving lay-up tied the contest at six apiece.
Midway through the second quarter, Bronaugh increased its lead to 16-8 with a Rider offensive rebound and put-back. The Lady Knights were able to get back in the game as NEVC's Makinsey Conner began to heat up. Conner cut the lead to six with a mid-range jumper, followed by a coast-to-coast drive, finishing with the foul.
Early in the fourth quarter, guard Heather Baker connected on a long jumper followed by a 3-pointer, putting Bronaugh on top 47-32.
NEVC then went on a 10-1 run, via back-to-back buckets by Conner, followed by back-to-back treys courtesy of Jennings ---- as the Lady Knights trailed 48-42.
NEVC could have drawn closer, but missed the front-end of a 1-and-1, as Bronaugh was able to pull away for the 10 point win.
For Bronaugh, Rider tallied a team-high 23 points, while NEVC was led by Jennings with 20, and Conner with 19.