Tharptown junior girls advance
By Staff
Mike Self, FCT Sports Editor
PHIL CAMPBELL – Lori Metcalf had 10 points and Braeden Sellers and Tosha George each added nine on Monday as Tharptown's junior girls edged Phil Campbell 36-33 in the first round of the Franklin County Junior High Tournament.
The Lady Wildcats advanced to face Belgreen in Saturday's semifinals.
Phil Campbell's Whitley Yocum led all scorers with 21 points, including a layup midway through the fourth quarter that gave the Lady Bobcats a 29-28 lead.
A basket by Sellers put Tharptown back in front with 2:30 remaining, and Metcalf followed with a three-point play to push the lead to 33-29.
The lead grew to five at 36-31 after a pair of free throws by Casey Mitchell with less than a minute to play, but Yocum scored to get Phil Campbell back within three. The Lady Bobcats would get no closer.
Yocum had 12 points in the first half as Phil Campbell took a 14-11 lead into the break.
Tharptown opened the second half on a 10-1 run and out-scored the Lady Bobcats 12-5 in the third quarter to take a 23-19 lead.
In other action on Monday:
B-Junior Boys
Phil Campbell 24 Belgreen 23-OT
Chase Swinney scored the go-ahead basket with 30 seconds left in overtime, helping Phil Campbell advance.
The Bobcats will face East Franklin in Saturday's semifinals.
The lead changed hands four times in the closing minutes of regulation, starting with a three-pointer by Ben Stancil with 4:40 remaining that put Phil Campbell in front 14-13.
Belgreen regained the lead on a pair of free throws by Colby Clay with 2:47 to go, but the Bobcats went back in front moments later on a basket by Brett White.
Tyler Medina scored with 1:15 remaining to give the Bulldogs a 17-16 lead. Phil Campbell pulled even on a free throw by Stancil with 39 seconds left, and the game went to overtime.
Belgreen briefly led by two in the extra period after a layup by Clay, but another three by Stancil gave the Bobcats a 22-21 lead.
A putback by Caleb Mitchell put the Bulldogs back on top by one with less than a minute left, but Swinney answered with a basket to give Phil Campbell the lead for good.
Stancil finished with 10 points to lead the Bobcats, and Jeremy Reed added five.
Clay led Belgreen with seven points. Will Hester and Jessie Smith each added three.
A-Junior Boys
Phil Campbell 48 Belgreen 14
Lawrence Butts and Dillan Hamby each had 10 points as Phil Campbell cruised into the semifinals.
The Bobcats, who led 22-1 at the end of the first quarter, will face Red Bay on Saturday.
Butts and Hamby each had eight points in the first half, helping Phil Campbell take a 32-3 lead into the break.
Bailey Welborn and Blake Hester each finished with eight points for Phil Campbell, and Seth Brown added six.
