Hoggard and Clinton both down Corinth Holders to take respective Hawk Holiday Hoops Championships

By: Zack Adams

12/23/17

The two best guys and girls teams in the 2017 Hawk Holiday Hoops Tournament squared off Friday evening at Triton High. Both Corinth Holders varisty teams found their way into the championship contests after nailbiting victiories on Thursday. The girls would meet Hoggard in the championship opener and the Dark Horses of Clinton would square off with the Pirate guys in the night cap. But Friday evening did not go so hot for the guys and gals in the purple and gold.

Hoggard vs Corinth Holders GBB:

The Girls Championship game was all Hoggard. Hoggard (8-1) floored Corinth Holders (4-7) 52-21 Friday night to win their second consecutive Hawk Holiday Hoops Tournament championship. The Lady Vikings were making it rain all night long from outisde. Hoggard hit five triples on the evening, including three on five trips down the floor. Also, the Hoggard girls pesky 2-3 zone was causing havoc for Corinth Holders all night long. The zone forced the Lady Pirates to jack up three point jump shots and unlike Hoggard, the shots for the "home side" just were not falling. Hoggard was up 31-15 at intermission but a 19-2 third quarter run, where that string of three threes on five trips occured, really shut down any chance for a fourth quarter comeback for the Pirates. Hoggard seniors Keeley Britt and Lola Lovitt outscored Corinth Holders combined. Britt finished with 16 and Lovitt added 14. Also, senior guard Mia Boone added nine on three triples. The Lady Pirates were led by Mikayla Thompson with 11 and Lamaya Miles, who added four.

Clinton vs Corinth Holders BBB:
The tone was set from the get go when Clinton's Xzavier Howard met Corinth Holders' Warren Ramsey at the rim with a big time block with a bit of contact with no call. Corinth Holders (3-7) took a lead early on with a Ramsey triple to make it 3-2 in the Pirates favor but Howard answered with the first of his two threes on the evening to give Clinton (7-1) the lead once more and the Dark Horses would never look back. Clinton throttled Corinth Holders 69-38 to win the 2017 Hawk Holiday Hoops Boys Tournament championship. Senior guard Kris Williams scored 18 points to lead Clinton, 14 of those coming in the opening half. Williams also shot 50%, 2/4 from three. Forwards Dewan Lesane and Xzavier Howard, as mentioned before had big nights. Lesane finished with 16, ten of those coming in the first half. Lesane followed up Kris Williams missed three late in the third to beat the buzzer with a tip in to complete his scoring on the evening. Howard had 13 on 2/7 shooting from three. Zion Autry may have not scored in double figures but he had a stellar game Friday night. Only scoring four points but he also grabbed nine boards and dished out four assists. It wasn't such a good showing from the Pirates. Corinth Holders shot just 13% from three (3/22). Warren Ramsey made two of those threes as the senior finished with 11 points and four rebounds. Cameron Walden added 10 points, six rebounds, and four assists for Corinth Holders in defeat. The Pirates would cut the Clinton lead to ten points early on in the third but four straight turnovers in the last 2:29 of third, leading to quick fast break points for the Dark Horses in all likelyhood put the game on ice as they then led 44-25 as Corinth Holders called timeout. Clinton plain and simply just outshot Corinth Holders Friday night as they mad seven threes to Corinth Holders' three. It is very difficult to win basketball games at any level if you shoot 13% from three point land, in which the Pirates found out in Erwin Friday.

The Hoggard girls return to action following the Christmas holiday (Dec. 27) when they play in the Brogden Holiday Tournament at Laney High when they meet the Cap-7's, Millbrook. The Clinton boys will square off against the Eagles of East Bladen next Wednesday, Dec. 27 as they meet in the West Bladen High Holiday Tournament. Both Corinth Holders squads will suit up again in the 2017 John Jacobs Christmas Classic at Cleveland High next Wednesday, December 27th. Both teams are set to meet the Rocky Mount Gryphons in the opening round. The girls are set to tip at 1:00 and the boys to follow at 2:30.