For the second season in a row, a Cloudland-Hampton game knocked a team from the ranks of the unbeaten.
The Lady Bulldogs defended homecourt to hand Cloudland its first loss of the season with a 59-44 win just over a year after the Lady ‘Landers handed Hampton its first loss of the 2022-23 campaign.
In the boys’ game, Hampton pulled away in the second quarter and took an 86-34 win over the ‘Landers.
The girls’ game was a battle from the opening tip.
After the teams traded shots to open the game, Izabella Christman and Ryan Turbyfill hit shots to lift
Cloudland to an 8-4 lead three minutes into the game. Hampton answered as Faye Carrico and Hannah Smith knocked down shots to answer the CHS run. After Makenzie Street hit a 3-pointer for the Lady ‘Landers, Brea Hicks hit back-to-back 3-pointers to lift Hampton to a 16-11 lead.
The teams swapped points to end the quarter as Hampton maintained a 24-17 lead at the half.
Taylor Berry and Smith jumped started the second quarter for Hampton, but Saharra McKinney answered with a bucket that started an 8-1 Cloudland run that featured shots by Makinna Shell and Turbyfull.
The Lady Bulldogs answered with an 8-2 run to end the half to take a 40-29 lead at the break.
Both teams kept fighting in the second half.
Cloudland closed the Hampton lead to six points with points from Turbyfill and Christman, but Hampton quickly pushed the lead back out with a 3-point play from Carrico and a jumper from Piper Helle.
The Lady Bulldogs maintained a 50-37 lead after three complete quarters.
In the fourth quarter, Cloudland was unable to mount a rally, and a quick 6-0 Hampton run secured the game in the closing minutes.
Smith had 17 points to lead Hampton, while Berry and Carrico had 10 points apiece. Macy Henry scored nine points.
McKinney led Cloudland with 15 points. Turbyfill had 12 points. Makenzie Street and Christman had five points apiece.
In the boys’ game, Hampton took control in the second quarter.
The ‘Landers saw Nick Caraway hit a trey to open scoring before Hampton reeled off the next nine points – including five points from Dylan Trivett.
The teams traded points to end the quarter as the Bulldogs took a 17-11 lead into the second quarter.
Hampton opened the second on a 7-0 run and ended the quarter on a 12-2 run to push the lead to 42-20.
The ‘Landers kept battling, but Hampton outscored the ‘Landers 32-8 in the third.
Chance Point had a career-high 18 points, while Geno Carrico had 15 points. Trivett and Tyler Blevins had 13 and 10 points, respectively.
Caraway led Cloudland with 11 points. Kingston Cole and Cooper Smith finished with eight and seven points, respectively.
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