Wildcats round back into form with win in 9-AAA finale

HENDERSONVILLE — With district tournaments next week, Wilson Central's boys seemed to have everything clicking with a 65-52 victory over Hendersonville on Friday.
Kody Woodward and Daniel Palmer led the way for the Wildcats with 14 points apiece.
The Commandos were in the game early, taking their first lead 6-5 with 5:30 left in the first. But their first lead proved to be their last. Central ended the first session on a 12-1 run, capped by a Kelten Stewart three-point play.
Hendersonville came out firing in the second quarter. Junior Troy Watson even managed to knot the game at 26 after scoring six straight for the Commandos, including four free throws in less than 20 seconds. HHS wasn't be able to capitalize on the momentum and committed a series of fouls that pushed Central into the bonus and repeatedly sent the Wildcats to the free-throw line. Consistency from the charity stripe allowed WCHS to take a 35-27 lead into the locker room at halftime.
In the third quarter, Hendersonville once again began the session with a thrust that threatened Central's dominance, as Chris Hewgley hit a three, followed by a Joey Walker putback that once again cut the Wildcat lead to just three. But once again, the Wildcats responded, extending their lead to 17 and never allowing the Commandos back in the game.
Central coach Troy Bond was pleased with his team's performance in the run-up to the tournaments as the Wildcats moved to 17-10 for the season and 7-5 in District 9-AAA.
"I thought we played pretty well and made some shots…It's good to get back in the win column before the tournaments," said Bond, whose Wildcats will travel to Lebanon's Campbell Brandon Gym/Hester Gibbs Court for their regular-season finale Monday night.
Bond was also pleased with how his team responded to the repeated Commando pushes.
"They'd make a nice run and we'd just push it back," he said.
Joining Woodward and Palmer in double figures for the Wildcats were fellow starters Stewart with 13 and JaJuan Brooks with 12. Teraes Clemmons had six, Travis Adkins five and Preston Jenkins added a free throw.
The Commandos were paced by Watson's 13 and Joey Walker's 11.
Wilson Central's first round playoff game will be next Friday at home against Beech. Hendersonville will play at Mt. Juliet the same night with the winners advancing to the semifinals at Beech.