CAMDEN — By PATRIC FLANNIGAN
Sports editor
It’s almost a guarantee that good games will be played whenever its between Harmony Grove and Bearden.
Last Friday, the Lady Hornets defeated a much improved Lady Bears team, 46-26, and the Bears defeated the Hornets in with late game heroics, 48-47.
The Lady Hornets propelled to victory by outscoring Bearden 18-6 in the second quarter behind Sidney Pigott who finished with 20 points. Olivia Knight also had a strong offensive performance nailing two threes in the contest.
For the Lady Bears, it was Shae Juniel leading the charge.
After the game, H.G. Lady Basketball Coach said he was happy with how his team responded from a loss on the road against Spring Hill from earlier in the week. He also applauded his bench players for playing well.
“Thats our third game we still haven’t got into a sync but fortunately that kinda changed going into the second quarter. We finally hit a few shots. We were rushing things early trying to force the tempo a little bit. But we finally got a few shots to go down and we were able to kinda relax and start to look like what we normally do. We didn’t play our best game but you know everybody is still young right now. Its early and we’re just trying to get out game legs under us... “They’re coming around. Our bench kinda stepped up the other night against Spring Hill and tonight they helped a lot. We had a starter out tonight that was sick so it sorta threw our rhythm off early. We put a tenth grader in and she stepped up. These role players are going to be big for us throughout the year and we’re getting them some game now which is going to be beneficial later on.
In the boys game, the Bears led the majority of the way before the Hornets grabbed the lead in the third. After 7 ties and 5 lead changes, the Bears trailed by six points with 1:35 left. The Bears would chip away at the lead over the next minute before it trailed 47-45 with 8 seconds left. The Bears inbounded the ball after a time out to R.J. Miller who was able to hit a three point shot with 3 seconds left. H.G. had one final chance late but Kendrick Juniel was able to get a block to seal the win for the Bears.
Lavarious Hughes led the Bears with 17 points, Miller had a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds, Garrett McWhoter had 8 points and 12 rebounds. Antwoin Edwards scored 12 points for the Hornets to go along with five rebounds and two blocks. Xaylon Falls finished with 11 points and Landon Mcmahon scored nine points.
Bearden Head Basketball Coach Anthony Hammonds was complimentary or the Hornets and its head coach Jon Pigott after the game.
““I told (my team) don’t panic this is great practice for some championship games way down the road or close conference games whatever the case may be,” Hammonds said when describing what his message was when the Bears were trailing late in the game. “Harmony Grove brought it, Coach Pigott does an amazing job with them. To be able to come in a hostile crowd. You couldn’t even hear. Me and Coach Gatlin couldn’t even hear each other talk on the sideline it was so loud in here...“No. 3 and No. 10, I cant stand it when they get the ball on offense. It’s not fair to me as a defensive guy in basketball. Its not fair for coach Pigott to be able to put them on the court. Every time they get the ball I’m wondering what are they going to do with it.”
Hammonds also admitted that the last play didn’t work like it was drawn up but he was happy with the outcome.
“When you draw up a play like that at the end of the game, it’s not going to work so your third or fourth contingency plan is probably what going to happen,” Hammonds said while laughing. “R.J. was not supposed to get that shot at the end of the game, but with four seconds left and the clock running out you gotta take it. It was a good shot. He doesn’t know this but hes going to have to work on that a lot coming up.”