Prep Basketball: Region 4-5A race shaping up as Bulldogs nip Hornets in renewal of Jackson County rivalry
Vancleave’s Chas Parker makes a move down the lane vs. East Central Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)
By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director VANCLEAVE — The Vancleave boys basketball team took a step up the Region 4-5A standings Thursday afternoon. And now, the Bulldogs hope to keep gaining ground in the region race as the regular season winds down. Home-standing Vancleave nipped arch-rival East Central 56-55 in the latest renewal of this long-running Jackson County rivalry. The game was postponed for two days from its original Tuesday date.
Vancleave’s Chase Parker reaches out for the ball as East Central’s Brody Howard reacts Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)East Central’s Brody Howard gets tangled up with Vancleave defender Chase Parker Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)Vancleave’s Bradyn Woodworth goes hard to the hoops as East Central’s Zane Ramassini defends Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)East Central’s Cole Harville snatches down a rebound vs. Vancleave Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)East Central’s Cole Harville makes a move with the ball as Vancleave’s Willie Fairley defends Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)
The win moves the Bulldogs to 2-3 in the region race and 10-11 overall, while the Hornets fall to 0-6 in the loop and 6-12 overall. Vancleave moves past Purvis into fourth place in the league standings, while ECHS occupies the cellar in sixth place. The Bulldogs head to Laurel to Friday night to face third place Northeast Jones. Vancleave got 11 points out of Cole Norton in the win Thursday afternoon, including a trio of 3-pointers. In addition, Brayden Woodworth also scored 11 points in the winning effort, with seven of those points coming in the fourth period as the Bulldogs held off a rally by the Hornets.
East Central’s Trey Maryland makes a move towards the lane as Vancleave’s Willie Fairley defends Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)East Central’s Brody Howard glides to the basket for a lay-up vs. Vancleave Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)Vancleave’s Chase Parker makes a move toward the as East Central defender Cannan Johnson reacts Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)Vancleave’s Cole Norton looks for some working room vs. East Central Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)Vancleave’s Royce Gatz looks for some working room vs. East Central Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)
Chase Parker chipped in 10 points for VHS, while Willie Fairley added eight points and both Maddox Henley and Royce Gatz had seven points apiece in the balanced Bulldogs’ scoring attack. Trey Maryland led the Hornets with 14 points, including four treys on the day, while Anthony Bonfiglio added 12 points and Cole Harville had 11 points for ECHS. East Central is also back in region action Friday night, traveling to fifth place Purvis.
Vancleave’s Maddox Henley gets defensive pressure from East Central’s Trey Maryland Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)Vancleave’s Braydn Woodworth engages East Central defender Cole Harville in the lane Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)Vancleave’s Braydn Woodworth goes up for a shot down low vs. East Central Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)Vancleave’s Cole Norton reacts as East Central’s Je’Kyrian Randall maintains his dribble Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)
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