Byers takes two from Hickory Flat
A Region 2-1A match-up Thursday night between the H.W. Byers Lady Lions and the Hickory Flat Lady Rebels was well worth the price of admission, plus the popcorn and the hot dog.
The host Byers team got a pair of clutch free throws from Madisyn Euell with 12 seconds left in overtime to knock off Hickory Flat 55-53.
The game was closely-contested throughout. Mya Jefferson scored on back-to-back drives to put the Lady Lions up by as many as seven in the first quarter.
The Lady Rebels battled back with seven second-quarter points from Abigail Rowland. It was 26-26 at intermission.
Euell’s steal and bucket pushed the Byers lead back to seven with 1:52 left in the third. But Ella Hoyle’s drive and basket sliced Hickory Flat’s deficit to 40-37 going to the fourth.
Both teams had their chances to win the game down the stretch in regulation but it went to OT tied at 45. The Lady Lions nailed eight of 13 free-throw tries in the four-minute extra period, including four of four from Euell, and foiled a last-second try by the Lady Rebels to tie the contest again.
Leading Byers were Euell with 14 points, Jefferson with 13 and Jordan Gatewood and Ja’Niya Smith with 10 each. Double-digit scorers for Hickory Flat were Hoyle with 18 and Rowland with 14.
The second game of the night wasn’t nearly as close. The Byers boys used relentless full-court pressure to create Hickory Flat turnovers and turn those into buckets on their way to an 82-30 win.
Tyler Harris scored 12 firstquarter points, including two threes, as the Lions stormed ahead 37-8. He finished with 16. Other top scorers for Byers were Marion Fitzpatrick with 13 and Johnell Atkins with 12. Eleven Lions scored in the win.
Kason Owen led the Rebels with 16 points. He was seven of eight from the free-throw stripe. Byers teams host Melrose this Thursday and then take a holiday break before hosting Holly Springs Friday, Jan. 2. The Hickory Flat girls will play in the Christmas Classic at Gatlinburg, Tenn., this Thursday through Saturday. The Hickory Flat boys will host the Tupelo Titans Thursday. On Monday, Dec. 29, the Lady Rebels will play in the Robertson’s Classic at New Albany, while the Rebels will play in the Peggy Bain Tournament at Alcorn Central.