GC host second annual Point Guard Classic
By Lori Cathey
The Gibson County basketball booster club hosted the second annual Point Guard Classic at Gibson County High School November 24 and 25.
In the two-day tournament, the 10 teams playing were (girls) Obion County, Union City, Humboldt, Lexington, Greenfield, USJ, Neelyville, Mo., and the Lady Pioneers. Boys were Gibson County and Greenfield.
On Nov. 24, Union City defeated Obion County 49-46 followed by Lexington beating Humboldt 75-30. Next, the Lady Pioneers fell to Greenfield 55-53, and in the nightcap, Greenfield boys won 68-42 over Gibson County.
The second day of the classic saw Union City win over Humboldt 53-48. Neelyville beat USJ 68-48, and the Lady Pioneers beat Lexington 54-50.
Greenfield 55 – Lady Pioneers 53
Friday night, the Lady Pioneers and Greenfield Lady Jackets came out playing aggressively with both teams trading baskets in the first quarter. Macey Neal scored seven of Gibson County’s 14 points with Catherine Watts adding four points and Ashton Lannom hitting a three-pointer. Greenfield had a 15-14 lead at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the Lady Pioneers tied the game at 24-all behind McKinley Burkett’s three baskets with Hannah Ball and Alaina Hunt each scoring a basket with 3:05 remaining in the quarter.
The Lady Pioneers outscored the Lady Jackets 8-5 for the remainder of the quarter to take a 32-29 lead going into the locker room at halftime.
In the third quarter, both teams swapped baskets. Lannom hit a pull up jumper at the buzzer to give Gibson County a 42-41 lead to end the third quarter.
The Lady Jackets outscored the Lady Pioneers 12-10 behind two three-pointers from Bentley Gordon in the fourth quarter.
With 6:43 remaining in the game, Watts hit a three-pointer from the right wing to give Gibson County a 47-44 lead. The one-point lead quickly evaporated, and the Lady Jackets went on an 8-0 run to make it 52-47 with 1:11 on the clock. The Lady Pioneers fought back with a three-pointer by Hunt with 32 seconds left in the game to make it 52-50 Greenfield.
The Lady Pioneers were forced to foul, and the Lady Jackets made three of four from the free throw line to make it 55-51.
Gibson County’s KJ White made a great move to the basket at the buzzer to pull her team within two points.
Scoring for the Lady Pioneers were Ashton Lannom with 12 points; Macey Neal, nine; McKinley Burkett, eight; Catherine Watts, seven; Hannah Ball and KJ White, six each; and Alaina Hunt, five points.
Scoring for the Lady Jackets were Tess Darby with 19 points; Chloe Moore, 13; and Bentley Gordon, 10.
Greenfield 68 – Gibson Co. 42
In the nightcap, Greenfield won 68-42 over the Pioneers.
Gibson Co. got off to a rough start in the first quarter being outscored 21-10. The Pioneers tied the game at 8-all behind baskets from Billy McMinn and Donte’ Holder, but Greenfield went on a 13-2 run to take a 21-10 lead to end the first quarter.
In the second quarter, both teams went back-and-forth with Seth Adams hitting three three-pointers to score nine of Gibson County’s 15 points. Greenfield took a 38-25 lead at halftime.
Greenfield’s Levi Dees opened the third quarter with a three-pointer from the right wing. The Pioneers came out cold with Holder hitting a three-pointer from the top of the key with 3:39 left in the quarter. With nine seconds left, Cobe Clark hit a three-pointer from the left wing to make it 51-35 to end the third quarter.
Gibson Co. opened the fourth quarter by scoring off a fast break with Holder making a great pass to Clark for a lay-up. Gibson Co. was outscoring Greenfield 17-10 with Jaylan Skinner hitting a three-pointer in the quarter, but Greenfield got the win.
Top Pioneers scorers were Billy McMinn with 11 points followed by Donte’ Holder and Seth Adams, nine each; Cobe Clark, five; Jarvis Myers, three; Jaylan Skinner, three; and Nolan Anthony two.
Greenfield’s top scorer was Levi Dees with 18 points.
Lady Pioneers 54- Lexington 50
In the final game of the Point Guard Classic, the Lady Pioneers started with McKinley Burkett and KJ White both hitting three-pointers.
The Lady Pioneers outscored Lexington 20-10 in the first quarter.
Gibson Co. had no luck in the second quarter, only scoring five points to Lexington’s 15. Catherine Watts connected with a three-pointer to tie the game at 25-all at halftime.
Both teams came out of halftime playing hard with Gibson Co. taking a 38-36 lead at the end of the quarter.
The Lady Pioneers outscored Lexington 16-14 in the fourth quarter. Ashton Lannom, Macey Neal, Burkett and White made 14 of 17 free throws in the final minutes to seal the win.
KJ White was the Lady Pioneers leading scorer with 13 points; McKinley Burkett, 11; Ashton Lannom, nine; Macey Neal, eight; Catherine Watts, seven; Hannah Ball, five; and Kaci Sweatt, one.
Leslie Powers was Lexington’s leading scorer with 15 points, and Kyla Taylor added 11.
