Lions start season with win over Cards
It took a while for H.W. Byers to shake off the rust against a gritty Potts Camp team Tuesday, Dec. 1.
The Lions, who led by just four after one quarter, upped it to 15 at the half and went on to down the Cardinals 7838 at home.
It was the season opener for H.W. Byers due to COVID-10 issues in November.
“Our kids were excited just to play — we’ve missed so many games,” coach James Sales said. “We haven’t been in the gym since early March (when the virus first hit near the end of the last school year). We have to work on some things, get back to fundamentals, but overall I was pleased with the effort for the first time out.” Potts Camp’s Josh Blake hit a couple
of big inside buckets early to keep the Cards close.
Meanwhile, the Lions’ Michael James scored 11 in the first quarter.
Byers was up 18-14 at the end of the opening period.
James got a steal and a bucket to push the lead to 37-22 at halftime.
Blake cut it back to 13 to start the second half, and then it was all Lions. Devin Moore’s dunk made it 57-30 with 2:30 to go in the third. Byers went on to win by 30.
Rashad Shannon, in his first year as coach of the Cardinals (0-4), said his team is very young and he’s “trying to build piece by piece.”
Gone are nine graduates from last year’s team which reached the Class 2A state title game. And Mitchell Saulsberry, a 6’5” senior, decided not to play this season.
“I saw some good spots against Byers,” he said. “They’re trying. They’re having to fill some big shoes.
“I was pleased with the effort. I saw improvement. We just have to keep working.” Top scorers for the Lions were James with 21, Moore with 20, Cedric Watson with 13 and Malik Glover with nine.
Blake had 16 for the Cardinals.
Coach Sales has three starters, Watson, Moore and James, returning from a team that lost a one-point heartbreaker last year in the playoffs to Baldwyn. The Bearcats then went on to finish second in the state in Class 1A. “We need to get some
games under our belt,” he said. “It’s day by day, just trying to get better. Some younger guys are going to have to step up, too.”
H.W. Byers will not have a girls team this season. Scheduled dates will include junior varsity boys and varsity boys only.
The Lions (1-0) visited West Union Tuesday to start District 1-1A competition. They host non-district foe Ingomar Thursday and then host district opponent Coldwater Friday. Next Tuesday, Dec. 15, is a district contest at Myrtle.