The Cumberland County girls and boys battled one of the strongest basketball programs in the state Friday night when they hosted Class 3A powerhouse White County. The doubleheader came down to the wire, before they ended up splitting the twinbill. The Lady Jets rallied to make a run in the girls game before losing a 72-68 decision. Cumberland County had little trouble in the boys contest. White County cut the CCHS margin to single digits late in the game before the Jets pulled out for the 53-40 win. It looked bad for the Lady Jets early in the girls contest, falling behind by a score of 15-0. White County rolled ahead with baskets by Bella Winningham, Gracie Clark and Ashlyn Selby within the first period. Cumberland County got a 3-pointer from Daminica Beal and Sydney Wilhite, along with baskets from Maddy Spriggs to cut the margin to 20-18. Olivia Futrell scored four straight points to make it 28-28 with 2:43 to go in the first half. The Lady Jets outscored White County 8-5 over the final few minutes to help Cumberland County to a 36-33 lead at halftime. “We got behind early,” said Cumberland County Coach Radhika Dishman. “But we called a timeout and kind of refocused on what we’re suppose to be doing. We were able to come back. “We put Daminica [Beal] in and we started to chip away at their lead. When we put her in the whole energy of the game changed.” Play went back and forth in the third quarter. Selby, Clark and Lakelyn Gratsky got White County on the scoreboard in the frame. Futrell scored on a layup, Beal canned a 3-pointer and Spriggs hit a bomb from deep to maintain a 3-point margin, 52-49, heading into the fourth period of action. Cumberland County jumped out in front in the fourth quarter with baskets by Wilhite and Futrell. Winningham nailed a 3-pointer to close the CCHS lead to 56-54 with 6:48 to go in the game. The two teams exchanged baskets and four straight points from Selby and Clark made it 63-62 with 3:00 on the clock. Futrell then hit two free throws, but White County scored six straight to retake the lead over Cumberland County at 69-65. Futrell converted a 3-point play, but that was as close as the Lady Jets could get with 0:45 to go in the game. Futrell led Cumberland County with 22 points. Spriggs scored 18 and Wilhite contributed 16. Beal chipped in 12. Selby led White County with 22 points. Clark scored 16 and Winningham chipped in 13. The loss drops Cumberland County to 14-12 overall and 1-5 in District 7 play. CCHS will visit Livingston Academy Feb. 10. White County improves to 24-4 on the year and 5-2 in league play. Cumberland County Boys 53 White County 40 The Cumberland County Jets got back on the winning track Friday night when they used a 22-6 run in the third period to cruise to the surprisingly easy district victory over White County. The first half of action went back and forth, with neither team getting much of an advantage through the first two periods of play. Andrew Dennis, Sol Sitton and Tristan Futrell led the Cumberland County call early to help the Jets stay right with the Warriors. White County led 11-10 after the first quarter. Lukas Smith and Tucker Pinion kept White County moving forward. A bucket by Smith gave the Warriors a 17-16 lead, but Dennis hit a 3-pointer and Futrell nailed a bomb from the top of the key, and the Jets trailed 23-22 going into halftime. But that’s when Cumberland County got hot. A 3-pointer from Schaeffer Sitton gave the blue and gold a 27-25 lead early in the third period. White County tried to fight back, but four straight points from Jake Christopher gave the Jets a 33-27 advantage wit 4:12 on the clock. Cumberland County scored the final 10 points of the quarter to take a 43-29 advantage heading into the final eight minutes of play. Andrew Dennis led Cumberland County with 17 points in the game. Schaeffer Sitton contributed 16, while Christopher scored six. Rhys Davenport and Futrell contributed three each. Asher Mifflin scored two. Pinion set the pace for White County with 17 points. Cole Simms scored 13 and Collin Norris tallied eight. Cumberland County improves to 17-7 on the season and 3-3 in league play. White County falls to 15-8 and 1-6 in league play. CCHS will visit Livingston Academy on Feb. 10 before hosting Stone Memorial Feb. 13. It will then hit the road for a visit to Alcoa on Feb. 17.
The Cumberland County girls and boys battled one of the strongest basketball programs in the state Friday night when they hosted Class 3A powerhouse White County. The doubleheader came down to the wire, before they ended up splitting the twinbill.
The Lady Jets rallied to make a run in the girls game before losing a 72-68 decision. Cumberland County had little trouble in the boys contest. White County cut the CCHS margin to single digits late in the game before the Jets pulled out for the 53-40 win.
It looked bad for the Lady Jets early in the girls contest, falling behind by a score of 15-0. White County rolled ahead with baskets by Bella Winningham, Gracie Clark and Ashlyn Selby within the first period.
Cumberland County got a 3-pointer from Daminica Beal and Sydney Wilhite, along with baskets from Maddy Spriggs to cut the margin to 20-18. Olivia Futrell scored four straight points to make it 28-28 with 2:43 to go in the first half.
The Lady Jets outscored White County 8-5 over the final few minutes to help Cumberland County to a 36-33 lead at halftime.
“We got behind early,” said Cumberland County Coach Radhika Dishman. “But we called a timeout and kind of refocused on what we’re suppose to be doing. We were able to come back.
“We put Daminica [Beal] in and we started to chip away at their lead. When we put her in the whole energy of the game changed.”
Play went back and forth in the third quarter. Selby, Clark and Lakelyn Gratsky got White County on the scoreboard in the frame. Futrell scored on a layup, Beal canned a 3-pointer and Spriggs hit a bomb from deep to maintain a 3-point margin, 52-49, heading into the fourth period of action.
Cumberland County jumped out in front in the fourth quarter with baskets by Wilhite and Futrell. Winningham nailed a 3-pointer to close the CCHS lead to 56-54 with 6:48 to go in the game. The two teams exchanged baskets and four straight points from Selby and Clark made it 63-62 with 3:00 on the clock.
Futrell then hit two free throws, but White County scored six straight to retake the lead over Cumberland County at 69-65. Futrell converted a 3-point play, but that was as close as the Lady Jets could get with 0:45 to go in the game.
Futrell led Cumberland County with 22 points. Spriggs scored 18 and Wilhite contributed 16. Beal chipped in 12.
Selby led White County with 22 points. Clark scored 16 and Winningham chipped in 13.
The loss drops Cumberland County to 14-12 overall and 1-5 in District 7 play. CCHS will visit Livingston Academy Feb. 10. White County improves to 24-4 on the year and 5-2 in league play.
Cumberland County 53
White County 40
The Cumberland County Jets got back on the winning track Friday night when they used a 22-6 run in the third period to cruise to the surprisingly easy district victory over White County.
The first half of action went back and forth, with neither team getting much of an advantage through the first two periods of play.
Andrew Dennis, Sol Sitton and Tristan Futrell led the Cumberland County call early to help the Jets stay right with the Warriors. White County led 11-10 after the first quarter. Lukas Smith and Tucker Pinion kept White County moving forward.
A bucket by Smith gave the Warriors a 17-16 lead, but Dennis hit a 3-pointer and Futrell nailed a bomb from the top of the key, and the Jets trailed 23-22 going into halftime.
But that’s when Cumberland County got hot. A 3-pointer from Schaeffer Sitton gave the blue and gold a 27-25 lead early in the third period. White County tried to fight back, but four straight points from Jake Christopher gave the Jets a 33-27 advantage wit 4:12 on the clock.
Cumberland County scored the final 10 points of the quarter to take a 43-29 advantage heading into the final eight minutes of play.
Andrew Dennis led Cumberland County with 17 points in the game. Schaeffer Sitton contributed 16, while Christopher scored six. Rhys Davenport and Futrell contributed three each. Asher Mifflin scored two.
Pinion set the pace for White County with 17 points. Cole Simms scored 13 and Collin Norris tallied eight.
Cumberland County improves to 17-7 on the season and 3-3 in league play. White County falls to 15-8 and 1-6 in league play.
CCHS will visit Livingston Academy on Feb. 10 before hosting Stone Memorial Feb. 13. It will then hit the road for a visit to Alcoa on Feb. 17.