Purple Tigers improve to 5-0

Watertown boys win battle of unbeatens

By Andy Reed

Sports Editor

WATERTOWN — Dylan Speck doesn't usually start. But because of a disciplinary issue involving another player, he ignited Watertown to a quick lead in a 64-57 win over Hendersonville Christian on Tuesday.

Speck scored the Purple Tigers' first five points as Watertown jumped to a 9-0 lead in the battle of 4-0 teams. Hendersonville Christian climbed back into the contest and even took the lead early in the second quarter. But Speck's 13 points [on 5-of-5 shooting from the floor and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line] and five rebounds trailed only Ty Jobe's 16 points, six rebounds and six assists.

Watertown recovered from Hendersonville Christian's comeback to grab a 28-24 halftime lead and the Purple Tigers opened a 44-37 advantage going into the fourth quarter.

Josiah Smith added eight points for the Purple Tigers while Zach Edwards supplied seven points and a team-high seven rebounds. Ethan Moss managed six points, Nick Sackman five, Ben Bain four, Cameron Jennings three and Hunter Warren two.

Hendersonville Christian hit eight three-pointers, including two by Dillon Musgrave, who led the Crusaders with 14 points. Juan Desilva dropped in 13. Grant Palmer popped in three triples for his nine.

Watertown will host Eagleville on Friday night.

Tigerettes make fast work of Hendersonville Christian

Anyone who arrived late saw Watertown's 82-22 trouncing of Hendersonville Christian after it was over Tuesday night.

The Tigerettes jumped to an 8-0 lead in the first 45 seconds of the contest and led 27-0 before the Lady Crusaders scored.

Bobbi Staats' putback beat the first-quarter buzzer for a 35-6 lead and it was 57-15 at halftime as Watertown improved to 3-0.

"We played hard tonight," Watertown coach Lane Price said. "I was proud of them."

Alicia Jennings' 22 points paced the Tigerettes while Staats scored 18, Katie Dalton 16 and Bay Cole 10. Kirstin Vantrease notched nine, Shelby Mofield four, Jenna Haun two and Hannah Zachary a free throw.

Watertown will play host to Eagleville at 6 p.m. Friday.

Siegel girls sink Lebanon from foul line

MURFREESBORO — Lebanon's girls couldn't overcome a free-throw disparity Tuesday night as Siegel dispatched the visiting Devilettes 53-46.

LHS kept the contest close, trailing 18-13 following the first quarter, 26-22 at halftime and 36-35 going into the fourth as they dropped to 2-3.

"We definitely gave them a battle," Lebanon coach Courtney McFarlin said. "They shot 28 free throws [making 21] to our nine."

Ashley Daniels dropped in four of Siegel's six three-pointers as she and Paris Lawson led the Lady Stars with 15 points apiece. Lawson scored 11 of her tally from the foul line.

Abby Wright led Lebanon with 13 points from the post while point guard Jameka Dowell added 11. Faith Rushing racked up a pair of threes as she and a foul-plagued Julia Fox each added eight while Kelsey Yarbrough finished with four and Sydney Floyd two.

The Devilettes were coming off a 54-41 loss to Macon County last Saturday in their Thanksgiving Classic.

Lebanon will be back in Campbell Brandon Gym/Hester Gibbs Court on Friday to face LaVergne on Pink Out Night for cancer awareness. Donations will be taken for Gilda's Club of Nashville. Tipoff will be at 6:30 p.m.

Turnover-prone Devils shot down by Stars

MURFREESBORO — Lebanon's boys committed 27 turnovers Tuesday night as the Blue Devils lost at Siegel 64-51.

The Stars led 20-11 following the first quarter, 37-25 at halftime and 52-37 through three as they improved to 5-0 while the Blue Devils dropped to 1-4.

Most of the scoring for both teams came from outside. Robert Brandon bagged three 3-pointers in leading Siegel with 25 points while Charles Clark's 16 included four triples. Trey Trice tossed in 10 from inside.

"The thing they've done the last few years is push the basketball," Lebanon coach Jim McDowell said of the Stars. "We didn't do a good job of taking care of the basketball. Half of those [turnovers] probably led to baskets.

"Their length, their speed and their quickness, it's hard to simulate that in practice."

Kadarian Garnett drained four three-pointers for his Lebanon-leading 12 points while KeShawn Abston added 11 and backcourt partner Eddie McDaniels eight, including a pair of threes. Zimmer Hunn scored seven, Yalen Reed six, Zach Santana four and J'Quan Jackson three.

Lebanon was coming off a 62-46 win over Macon County last Saturday in the Blue Devils' Thanksgiving Classic.

LHS will be back at Campbell Brandon Gym/Hester Gibbs Court on Friday for its Pink Out game against LaVergne.

Lady Commanders fall short at Davidson

NASHVILLE — Friendship Christian's girls fell short 41-39 at Davidson Academy on Tuesday night.

There was no boys' game while 11 football players prepare for Saturday's BlueCross Bowl against Adamsville.

Davidson led by five before two free throws by Taylor Patterson and one by Kaitlyn Teeter pulled Friendship to within two points. The Lady Commanders got the ball back with four seconds left, but were unable to take advantage as they fell to 1-1.

"We cannot have as many turnovers as we had," said Lady Commander coach Deanna Teeter, who didn't know the number of turnovers after the game. "We've got to learn to get the ball in to Deja [Jones] and Kaitlyn inside."

Ashley Thurmond threw in 15 points and Alex Gipson 11 for Davidson.

Jones led the Lady Commanders with 12 points while Teeter and Kristian Watkins each tossed in 10, Patterson five and Courtney Petty two.

Friday's Gordonsville double header will be rescheduled as both schools' football teams are playing for state championships next weekend. Both Friendship teams will be at Westmoreland next Tuesday with the girls tipping off at 6 p.m. Teeter said the Ezell-Harding twin bill has been rescheduled for Feb. 4 at the Bay Family Sportsplex.

Sanders returns to help Mt. Juliet girls to road win

ANTIOCH — Mt. Juliet's girls overcame a bad second quarter with three dominant ones Tuesday night as they won the battle of Lady Bears 64-41 in a rematch of last year's sectional.

Mt. Juliet led 15-4 following the first quarter before Antioch went on a 20-7 tear to grab the lead late in the second. Savannah Sanders, in her first game of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery in the summer for a softball injury, scored two of her 17 points to pull the visitors into a 24-24 halftime tie. MJ reassumed command in the third quarter to go up 42-32 as it improved to 4-0.

"It was a good win tonight going on the road with such a young team, new team," Mt. Juliet coach Chris Fryer said. "We're slowly but surely getting more of our kids back."

Sanders sank half of Mt. Juliet's four three-pointers. Ronjanae DeGray also scored 17 while veteran Sally McCabe supplied 16. Tyia Waller added six, Ashley Roby five and Haley DeWitt a three.

Jenise Davis dropped in a pair of threes in leading Antioch with 17 points while fellow guard D'Toriia Fowler finished with 14.

Mt. Juliet won both of its games in the O'Charley's Classic at LaVergne last weekend, routing Centennial 56-16 last Friday and holding off Hunters Lane 44-40 on Saturday.

MJ will return to Davidson County on Friday for a 6 p.m. tipoff at Hillsboro.

Johnson's big night leads Golden Bears

ANTIOCH — After dominating the first half Tuesday night, Mt. Juliet's boys had to withstand an Antioch charge as Reagan Johnson scored 29 points in the Golden Bears' 76-61 win.

Mt. Juliet led 10-3 following the first quarter and 31-16 at halftime before Antioch opened the second half with a run to close to within four. The Golden Bears recovered to go back up 51-41 going into the fourth before going home 2-2 for the season.

"They pressed every possession and we finally started beating the press and scored off it," Mt. Juliet coach Troy Allen said. "Reagan made some big shots."

In addition to the 6-foot-4 junior high post Johnson, point guard Nolan Chowbay chipped in with 12 in his first game of basketball after quarterbacking the football team to last Friday's state semifinal. Chowbay had just one day of basketball practice before playing.

"We're doing a lot of different things then we did even this summer," Allen said. "He did a good job handling the ball, made a couple of big shots to sort of fend off their run."

Daniel Schroder, Thomas Sharpe and Hunter Gilbert each added eight points for Mt. Juliet while James Womack finished with five, Nick Sadler four and Austin Brown two.

Damien Baugus dropped in a pair of three-pointers as he led Antioch with 19 points. Rashid Gordon finished with 14 and Juwan Davis 13.

Mt. Juliet was coming off its first win, a 22-point decision over Sycamore. The Golden Bears earlier lost by 11 to Overton and by two to LaVergne.

The Golden Bears will return to Davidson County on Friday night with a game at Hillsboro.

McClain girls fall at Providence

MURFREESBORO — Providence Christian's girls led from start to finish in a 44-34 win over visiting McClain Christian on Tuesday.

But it was close early on as the Lady Lions led just 8-7 following the first quarter before opening a 22-12 halftime margin and a 33-21 third-quarter advantage as the Lady Bulldogs dropped to 1-2.

Point guard Alex May and forward Julia Swafford each scored 12 points for Providence.

Left wing Sydney Rice dropped in a pair of three-pointers as she led all scorers with 15 points for the Lady Bulldogs. Shelby Maxwell added 11 from the backcourt while Victoria Walker scored six and Haley McCanless two.

McClain will travel to Cookeville on Friday for a 6 p.m. game at Daniel 1 Academy.

Sports Editor Andy Reed can be reached at 444-3952, ext. 17; or by email at andy.reed@lebanondemocrat.com