The Catawba Ridge Copperheads boys’ basketball team won the Copperhead Classic 69-40 over the Conway Tigers Saturday evening.
Conway came out trying to keep the Copperheads at pace. The game was a lot slower than the previous two games for Catawba Ridge. The Copperheads missed their first three shots as Conway kept them from getting good penetration in the lane.
On defense, Catawba Ridge was able to use their half-court defense to unsettle Conway. Although their pace wasn’t as fast, the Copperheads were able to find their way and took a small 13-10 lead into the second quarter.
Conway scored the first four points of the second quarter to take a one-point lead, but Quh Webb hit a 3-pointer soon after to give the Copperheads the lead again.
Conway was strong in the lane and had height to their advantage. Catawba Ridge uncharacteristically had several second quarter turnovers slowing down their offense. The Copperheads didn’t get a lot of chances to shoot and spent a lot of time at the charity stripe in the period. Conway’s defense kept them out on the perimeter and out of the lane for the most part.
Catawba Ridge hit just three second quarter shots, but went 7-of-8 at the foul line to take a 28-20 lead to the half. The Copperheads, which have been keen on 3-pointers during the first two games of the tournament, hit just three in the first half.
The Copperheads came out in the second half a little more aggressive attacking the basket early as Zyan Hager, who scored 5 first half points, scored 5 points early in the third quarter. Catawba Ridge pushed the pace and went up by 15 at one point, but Conway was just as aggressive and chipped away at the Copperheads’ lead.
Catawba Ridge turned an eight-point halftime lead into a 14-point lead after the third quarter with the help of Hager and Lance Barnes, which combined for 14 of 18 points in the quarter.
The Copperheads started the fourth quarter on a 5-0 run, before a Conway timeout as Catawba Ridge went up 51-32. The start was part of a 11-0 run for the Copperheads.
“We told them to be more aggressive and that got us going,” said Catawba Ridge head boys coach Brett Childers. “It played out how I thought it would in the first half. We weren’t aggressive enough.”
As their lead increased, so did the opportunities for Catawba Ridge. On defense, the Copperheads caused turnovers which led to their normal style of fast break play. Before long, Catawba Ridge had nearly a 30-point lead and went on to win by 29 points. They outscored Conway 23-8 in the fourth quarter.
The Copperheads were led by Hager, who ended up with 19 points. Barnes and Webb finished with 15 points each. Barnes and Hager made the All-Tournament team and Hager was named tournament MVP.
Catawba Ridge, which improved to 13-2 overall, next plays at South Point Jan. 3 to resume the regular season.
Girls’ Bracket
Lady Copperheads finish fourth
A second half surge by the Marvin Ridge Mavericks gave them a 73-42 win over the Catawba Ridge Lady Copperheads for third place in the Copperhead Classic girls bracket.
Marvin Ridge and the Copperheads started slow in the first couple minutes. However, Marvin Ridge started heating up and hitting from the field going on an 11-0 run.
The Copperheads turned the ball over in the early portion of the quarter leading to a Mavericks’ basket.
Marvin Ridge led 15-7 after the opening period with free throws keeping the Copperheads in the game.
Catawba Ridge’s defense was better in the second quarter as it allowed them to climb back into the game.
While the Copperheads remained close, they didn’t put a run together to catch up. Addison Cunningham, Taylor Reilly, and Zakia Wilson led the offense in the quarter, but the Copperheads trailed 33-25 at the half.
Marvin Ridge opened the second half on another big 12-0 to go up by 20 midway through the third quarter. The run was part of a 19-0 run by the Mavericks in the quarter. Catawba Ridge got just six shots from the field off in the quarter.
The Mavericks had a 56-31 lead going into the final period and outscored the Copperheads 23-6 in the third quarter.
Reilly and Morgan Davis led the Copperheads with 10 points each. Davis scored 8 of her 10 points in the second half. Cunningham finished with 9 points and Wilson finished with 8 points. Reilly was named to the All-Tournament team for Catawba Ridge.
The Copperheads fall to 2-12 on the season and will next play Jan. 3 at South Point in Belmont.
Lady Jackets finish fifth
The Fort Mill girls’ basketball team easily beat the Broome Centurions 72-37 to finish in fifth place in the Copperhead Classic.
The Jackets were led by 13 points from Julie Chambliss and 11 points from Zoe Williams in the win, which improved Fort Mill to 13-2 on the season.
Fort Mill got off to a good start and dropped 20 first quarter points against Broome.
“We were able to turn them over a few times and get some quick buckets,” said Fort Mill girls head coach Nathan Wruble. “That opened things up. The last two games we were able to make quite a few shots from the inside.”
Chambliss was key to the Jackets’ offense throughout the game and scored seven of her 13 points in the fourth quarter. Williams scored nine of her 11 points in the final period as well, as Fort Mill dropped in 24 points in the fourth quarter. Fort Mill was also pretty good at the foul line hitting 20-of-31 shots from the charity stripe in the game.
Reagan Reyes was named to the All-Tournament team for Fort Mill.
Up next, Fort Mill plays Lancaster Jan. 5 at the Rock Hill Sports and Events Center.
Dec. 30 Roundup
The Catawba Ridge Copperheads wrestling team won two matches in day two of the Lexington Duals at Lexington High School beating Rock Hill and Chapman to improve to 14-9 overall on the season.
The Fort Mill High wrestling team finished second in the May River Invitational with two wrestlers – Jacob Nally (113) and Luke Van Beynum (106) winning their weight classes. Fort Mill had six wrestlers place in the tournament.
The Fort Mill boys’ basketball team improved to 8-6 on the season with a 62-40 win over the Piedmont Panthers in the Wolverine Classic at West Cabarrus High School to wrap up that tournament. Four players scored in double figures as Christian McCain led with 12 points. AJ Washington had 11 points and Nas Berry and Darryl Carrington each had 10 points. The Fort Mill boys next play Jan. 3 at Marvin Ridge.
The Nation Ford girls’ basketball team fell to Oceanside 45-32 in day three of the Carolina Invitational in Charleston to bring their season record to 9-4 overall. The Nation Ford boys beat Chapin 80-57 on day three of the Carolina Invitational to improve to 6-7 on the season. Nation Ford will host Marvin Ridge next on Jan. 2.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
