Lions, Lady Rebs roll to wins

Devin Moore carried his dunking show to Hickory Flat Thursday night.

The senior scored a gamehigh 18 points, several of those coming on slams, as the H.W. Byers Lions dominated the Rebels 77-33 in Region 3-1A action.

The two schools from neighboring counties split on the night as the Lady Rebels turned in a big second half for a win over the Lady Lions.

Moore’s first dunk came off an assist from Jabari Wright. It gave Byers an 18-2 lead and all the momentum with 3:55 left in the first quarter. He dunked again with five seconds to go in the first. The lead was 34-5.

Byers built a 50-12 halftime advantage, and two and a half minutes into the third, Moore had back-to-back slams before coach James Sales pulled his starters.

Wright contributed 14 points for the Lions, with 10 of those coming in the opening eight minutes. Scoring 10 each were Michael James and Mardarin Euell.

Eleven Lions scored points.

Noah Carnell had 12 points for the Rebels.

The Hickory Flat girls turned it up a notch in the third quarter, particularly Abby Tatum. The home squad outscored Byers 22-6 in that eight-minute span on their way to a 55-29 win.

The Lady Rebels went up 50 at the 4:09 mark of the first on Abby Tatum’s three from the corner.

Keyonna Washington’s bucket, on an assist from Alaynna Webb, pulled the Lady Lions to within 9-7 late in the first quarter.

Then Tatum drilled another three to make it 12-7 at the end of the first.

Byers hung around in the second. Chasity White’s steal and basket gave Hickory Flat a 23-12 lead at the half.

Tatum, who finished with 26 points, really caught fire in the third. She hit five threes in the quarter, giving her eight for the game.

Hickory Flat went on to win by 26.

Top rebounders for the Lady Rebels were Tatum with 10 and Morgan Green and Camri Westmoreland with eight each. Green also had six assists and six steals.

Leading scorers for Byers were Washington with 11 and Jakira Bryson with 10.

The Lady Lions (1-8 overall and 1-2 in the district) and Lions (8-2 overall and 3-0 in the district) will next play in the Lewisburg Holiday Tournament December 29-30.

The Lady Rebels upped their records to 6-9 and 3-1. The Rebels went to 6-11 and 31. They were scheduled to host North Pontotoc on Monday of this week.