Bobcats best Belgreen for fifth straight time
It was a tale of two very different finishes when the Phil Campbell Bobcats and the Belgreen Bulldogs met on the hardwood last week. While the Bobcats continued their dominance over their rivals, the girls’ contest ended in a dramatic comeback that came down to the final seconds.
The Phil Campbell boys extended their winning streak over Belgreen to five games — three of those wins this season — with a gritty 69-59 victory.
The Bobcats showed remarkable consistency, scoring 18 points in both the second and third quarters before closing the door with a 20-point fourth.
Austin Elliott led the charge with a team-high 20 points, but it was the poise of Madden Welch that sealed the result. Welch, who finished with 10 points, went a clutch 7-for-8 from the charity stripe in the final period to fend off any hope of a Belgreen comeback.
Hagen Raper also notched 10 points, including two crucial secondquarter triples. Other contributors included Miles Duboise (9), Hayston Scott (8), Bailey Nix (7), Brady Williams (3), and Chandler Benford (2).
Belgreen’s Braycen Johnson put on a masterful individual performance, leading all scorers with 29 points in the loss. Chris Bentley added 11, while Jake Dill (9), Rush Berryman (4), and Gabe Estrada (2) rounded out the Bulldogs’ effort.
Belgreen girls 56 Phil Campbell 54 In the girls’ matchup, Belgreen proved that no lead is safe. Despite their leading scorer being sidelined in street clothes, the Lady Bulldogs mounted a furious second-half comeback to stun Phil Campbell 56-54.
The Bobcats appeared to be in total control early, leading by as many as 15 points behind Leela Baker, who finished with 19 points. However, the momentum shifted violently when Randi Terry caught fire. Terry scorched the nets for 22 points, including a sensational run of five consecutive three-pointers that spanned the late third and early fourth quarters.
With the game hanging in the balance, and less than eight seconds remaining, Isabella Tate stepped to the line. Tate, who was a perfect 8-for-8 on free throws for the night, sank both shots to secure the win.
Mackinley Hogan added seven points, while Marlie Terry (5), Lillianna Willingham (4), Jemma Moore (3), and Carson Hovater (2) helped fuel the short-handed rally.
Phil Campbell’s Layla Baker added 10 points (including two fourthquarter threes), while Bailey Jewell and Addie Gilbert each chipped in nine.
Phil Campbell 54 Haleyville 42 Refusing to let the narrow loss to Belgreen linger, the Phil Campbell varsity girls traveled to Haleyville and returned with a solid 53-42 victory.
The Bobcats showed great resilience after falling behind 18-11 in the first quarter. They flipped the script in the second, holding the Lions to just three points while scoring 16 of their own to take the lead. Georgia Motes was the catalyst for the turnaround, scoring eight of her 11 points in the second frame.
Leela Baker once again led the team in scoring with 14 points, followed closely by Jewell with 13. Gilbert (7), Layla Baker (4), and Emily Walker (2).
