Lady ‘Cats eat up Bryson, 62-25

BRYSON – Newcastle's girls led from buzzer to buzzer, jumping out to a 15-point lead late in the first and coasting to a 62- 25 win.

Bryson needed nearly four minutes before getting on the board on a Riley Valliant bucket. Newcastle would lead by as many as 15 in the first before Windsor Godfrey anded a more than three minute scoreless string with a bucket and Valliant converted from outside to get the Cowgirls within 10, 17-7. Bryson made things interesting, getting within eight on another Godfrey hoop. Newcastle pulled away from there leading by as many as 18 in the quarter before a Godfrey bucket late in the frame brought the halftime deficit to 29-13.

Bryson had no answer for the offensive rebounding of the Lady ‘Cats. Newcastle came through with 27 offensive rebounds in the contest, compared to eight for the hostesses. At one third quarter juncture, Newcastle had eight consecutive offensive boards before a shot by Grace Okari went in.

Bryson continued to be ice cold shooting getting a Zoe Autry bucket two minutes into the third to get Bryson back on the board. Newcastle, which didn’t have or need a three-pointer in the final two quarters, outscored the Cowgirls 15-5 in the third to take a 44-18 lead into the final frame.

Newcastle went up by 30 in the opening minute of the final frame. Valliant had a pair of steals but it meant little as Newcastle continued to use its speed for easy baskets down the stretch.

Valiant tossed in 10 and Godfrey eight for the Cowgirls.

Bryson boys 56, Newcastle 27

The first quarter was the Zander Tinney show, as the Cowboy had 15 points in the frame on Senior Night.

Newcastle, which had just seven players, never quit and fought for 32 minutes. a Drake Huffman bucket and Landon Stephens three-pointer were the only non-Tinney points. Bryson converted 9-16 shots from the field as the Cowboys led 20-13 at the quarter.

Huffman and Tinney put the lead back into double figures early in the second. Bryson did a great job of keeping the visitors off the board with its offensive rebounding. Ethan Smith crashed the boards hard in the first half and ended up ending a long string on the offensive glass with a basket.

Bryson still only shot 30-percent on 7-23 shooting in the quarter and 1-8 from the free throw stripe. Newcastle was 1-9 from the field in the frame, keeping the hosts up 34-15 at intermission.

Smith opened the third with a pair of buckets and Bryson ended it shooting 1-14 from the field, a Tinney basket the lone hoop. The Bobcats could not take advantage, going just 2-9 from the floor themselves, as Bryson was able to extend its advantage by one, 41-21, heading into the final frame.

Bryson was plagued with sloppy passing in the fourth but a pair of Landon Stephens’ three-pointers early quarter helped the lead balloon to 25 with 4:35 remaining. Smith and Tinney closed with a pair of baskets to help account for the final margin.

Only for Cowboys scored, Tinney leading the pack with 23. Stephens with 13 and Huffman with 11.