Verbena girls, Billingsley boys fail to pick up first wins
Published 10:27 am Sunday, January 19, 2014
By Brandon Sumrall | Special to the Advertiser
Billingsley’s varsity boys basketball team and Verbena’s girls entered Friday’s action looking for their first wins of the season.
Both squads fell a little short.
Despite a close first half, turnovers and missed opportunities cost the Bears boys in the second half as they faded down the stretch, losing at home to Verbena, 64-49.
Verbena’s Juwan Tyus soars for two points on Friday at Billingsley.
Ten points by Christian Agee during the first period helped give the Red Devils (6-7 overall, 2-3 area) a four-point lead at the end of the first period, 14-10.
Trailing since the opening tip, the Bears (0-13, 0-6) rebounded in the second period, and with 1:01 to play in the first half, a Jaytarius Steele basket for the Bears tied the game at 25 apiece. At the half, the game was all tied up, 27-all.
A Jacob Cleckler 3-pointer to start the second half gave the Red Devils a three-point lead, and six more points from Agee in the period helped the Red Devils start to pull away.
Heading to the final period, Verbena led 49-42.
With the Bears managing only 20-percent shooting in the final period and the Red Devils sitting on a comfortable lead, the Red Devils eased to the finish line to pick up the road win.
Agee led Verbena with 24 points, three rebounds and four steals.
Denzel Callens led the Bears with 14 points, eight rebounds and two blocks.
A quick start and stingy defense by Billingsley’s girls team propelled the Bears to a 56-25 win over the Red Devils.
Billingsley’s MacKenzie Glass drives around the Verbena defense on Friday.
The Bears jumped out of the gates early in the first period, shooting 43 percent from the field, including three-of-nine from 3-point range.
Ten points from Madison Price and six from Payton Wallace helped the Bears to a 25-2 lead at the end of the first period.
The Red Devils (0-12, 0-5) were able to slow down the Bears offense in the second period and even out-scored the Bears 9-7. But at the half, the Red Devils trailed 31-11.
The second half looked much the same as the first with the Bears offense continuing to shoot well from the floor and forcing the Red Devils into turnovers and long range shots.
With a comfortable lead late in the third period, the Bears cruised through the fourth period en route to the win.
Price led the way for the Bears with 19 points (five-of-six from behind the arc) and five rebounds.
Makayla Mims led Verbena with 10 points, three rebounds and three steals.
