Yoemen split 20-3A contests

Hearne

With the depth and competition you see in 20-3A basketball, every game could have major playoff implications. Though it was just the district opener for both Hearne and Cameron last Friday night, it appeared as if it were February and a playoff spot was on the line.

After a frantic first half ended in a 35-35 tie, the Yoemen went on a 22-6 run in the third in what was the turning point in a 70-64 victory.

LaRondre Booze’s nine points and Kevondre Wesley’s seven points inside in the period proved to be a critical stretch in the Yoemen’s (14-4/1-0) win.

Cameron held the lead lead after one (21-18), but turnovers and transition points for Hearne knotted the game at the half. In the lockerroom, persistence was the message from Yoe head coach Ed Glendening.

“Keep doing what we are doing,” said Glendenning, who noted that his team managed to shoot better and rebound the ball well in the pivotal third period.

Despite suffering 28 turnovers, Cameron forced 24 take-a-ways as both sides had moments where the pace seemed too quick.

“Hearne just makes you play like that,” said Glendenning. “They caused a lot of those turnovers. They are very athletic and they are well coached. All the coaches in our district respect Hearne a lot. They just get after you.”

The big difference down the stretch was shooting percentage. Hearne managed to make open looks while Cameron could not convert.

“Even in the fourth quarter we pounded the ball inside well,” said Glendening. “We missed about six or seven layups and if we don’t miss those layups, we win by 20. We got tight and when you get tight you miss one or two.”

Wesley finished with 21 points. Danny Perez hit two big three’s in the first half and finished with 20. Booze had 16 as the trio combined for 57 of the team’s 70 points.

Booze and Wesley each had seven rebounds a piece.

Franklin

On Tuesday, Cameron hosted Franklin in a battle of 1-0 team’s from 20-3A. Cameron has not had much success against the Lions in the past, but momentum was clearly on the side of the Yoemen for a good portion of the contest. The high point came in early in the third when Cameron jumped out to a 26-15 lead.

From that point on, Cameron could not knock down shots. The Yoemen scored just seven points the remainder of the game as Franklin went on a 28 to 7 run in the final 13 minutes to complete the comeback, 43-33.

Franklin’s (2-0) defense allowed just two points in the first, but Cameron (1-1) scored 19 of their 33 points in the second to take a 21-15 lead at the half. The Yoemen had just 14 points combined in the first, third and fourth periods.

“Cameron is real athletic and they have about 10 bodies that can come in,” said Franklin coach Shad Reed. “They were doing a good job of getting in our holes and they did a good job of finishing.”

Franklin’s seniors Thomas Box (14 points) and Rashaud Green (nine points) both had success driving the ball inside in the second half to turn over the momentum.

“We felt like we could attack inside with those guys,” said Reed. “Those guys are my seniors. Number five (Colton Shield, eight points) as well. They are solid warriors. They want the ball in their hands when it’s crunch time and it showed in the third quarter when they got us back in the game.”

Cameron had five different players contribute offensively in the second, with Danny Perez leading the way with six. Perez added on five straight points to begin the third, but that would be the end of the scoring for the Yoemen in the period.

“We didn’t have good guard play tonight and that is the bottom line,” said Yoe coach Ed Glendening. “It’s like not having good quarterback play. If you don’t get good quarterback play, you’re going to have trouble.”

Booze led the team with 12 points. The big did his best to jump start something late with a field goal to cut the lead down to 36-32, but the deficit was too much to overcome.

Perez finished with 10 while Levi May and Kevondre Wesley each had four points.

“We are now focused on Lexington,” said Glendening when questioned what his message was to the team following the loss. “We are going to watch the film from Franklin and get better. That is one that we let get away from us. If you let losses like that hang on, it’s going to hurt you.”