LCMS Basketball season opener

The Lewis County Middle School Lady Panthers and Panthers traveled to East Hickman Middle School for the season-opening East Hickman Tip-Off Classic. The Classic was held from October 19th through October 21st.

On Thursday, October 19th the Lady Panthers faced the Columbia Academy Lady Bulldogs in the opening round of the Tip-Off Classic. Zoey Collins scored 5 of Lewis County’s 9 first quarter points but Columbia Academy held a 15-9 lead after six minutes of action. The Lady Panthers struggled through the second period and were held to a pair of B.B. Smith free-throws as CA built a 22-11 lead at halftime. The Lady Panthers would come out of the break and cut into the Lady Bulldog lead, outscoring Columbia Academy 10-7 and cutting the score to 29-21 heading into the fourth. The Lady Bulldogs would hold off Lewis County in the fourth and take the win 36-26. B.B. Smith led Lewis County with 12 points, Jaelin Baugh added 7 points, Zoey Collins had 5, and Sloan Kelsey 2.

The Panthers took the floor against the CA Bulldogs following the girls’ opening game. The Panthers and Bulldogs played a tight first quarter as CA took a slight lead at 11-10 moving into the second quarter. The Panther defense stiffened in the second as they held the Bulldogs to 4 points as Lewis County would secure a 19-15 lead at halftime. Columbia Academy would respond after the break as Lewis County was held scoreless in the third and the Bulldogs reclaimed the lead at 21-19 as play moved to the final six minutes of regulation. The Bulldogs would score 7 of the game’s final 12 points to take down the Panthers 28-25. Eli Chapin led the Panthers with 11 points in the loss, Carson Stewart added 5, Brody Clayton had 4, Cruz Forrester 3, and Anthony Garcia 2.

In the second round of the Tip-Off Classic the Lady Panthers faced off with the Harpeth Lady Indians. Jaelin Baugh dropped 4 first quarter points as the Lady Panthers fell behind in the opening quarter 9-7. Baugh kept the hot hand for Lewis County in the second quarter as the Lady Panthers bounced back and outscored Harpeth 7-2 to take an 16-9 lead at the half. The Lady Indians shut down the Lady Panthers in the fourth and pilled even at 16 moving to the fourth. Lewis County would get 6 from Jaelin Baugh and 4 from B.B. Smith over the final six minutes of play to lead the charge as the Lady Panthers pulled away to a 28-19 win. Jaelin Baugh finished with 16 points in the win, B.B. Smith added 10, and Zoey Collins had 2.

The Panthers faced the Harpeth Indians in the second round at East Hickman and the two teams played an even opening quarter and were tied 5-5 moving into the second. A pair of Brogan Arledge three-point shots led a 14-point quarter for Lewis County as the Panthers took a 19-13 lead in at halftime. The teams started the second half with another 5-5 quarter in the third and the Panthers held a 24-18 lead as the game reached the fourth quarter. Brody Clayton would score 6 of Lewis County’s last 9 points as the Panthers pulled away to a 33-24 win Brogan Arledge had 9 points in the win for Lewis County, Carson Stewart added 8 points, Eli Chapin 7, Brody Clayton 6, and Cruz Forrester 3.

In the final round of the East Hickman Tip-Off Classic on Saturday, October 21st the Lady Panthers took on the Whitthorne Lady Tigers. B.B. Smith had 4 in the opening six minutes of play but Whitthorne was able to jump out to an 11-9 lead. Smith would account for all 6 of Lewis County’s second quarter points as the Lady Tigers secured a 19-15 lead as the game reached halftime Both teams struggled on offense in a low-scoring third quarter that saw Lewis County fall behind 25-16. Whitthorne would finish the game off late as they outpaced the Lady Panthers 12-8 to hand Lewis County a 37-24 loss. B.B. Smith was leading scorer for Lewis County with 17 points, Zoey Collins added 4 points, and Autumn Harper had 3.

The Panthers took on the Fairview Falcons in their final game of the Tip-Off Classic. Lewis County blew up for 12 first quarter points, with 8 coming from Carson Stewart, as the Panthers jumped out to a 12-5 lead at the end of the first. The Panthers continued to build their lead in the second as they pulled out to a 21-7 lead at the half. Fairview would battle back in the third as they cut into the Panther lead with a 10-7 period to make it a 28-17 game moving on to the final quarter of play. The Panthers withstood a 17-point quarter from the Falcons and held on for the win 43-34. Carson Stewart was high-point man for the Panthers, scoring 17, Eli Chapin added 12, Brody Clayton had 6, Brogan Arledge and Cruz Forrester each had 3, and Gavin Coker added 2.

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