BLOUNTVILLE — The Sullivan Central girls basketball team rode an explosive fourth quarter to a 48-39 Three Rivers Conference victory over Unicoi County on Tuesday.
Neither team found much offense over the first three quarters, and the game was tied at 24 entering the final period. That’s when Peyton Sams got hot and scored 10 of her game-best 14 points, spearheading the sixth-ranked Lady Cougars’ 24-point fourth.
Abbey Crawford, who missed the previous game with an illness, scored six points in the final quarter and finished with eight. Avery Leming hit three buckets behind the arc and totaled nine points and Jaelyn West had seven for Central (17-2, 6-0), which is already nearing its 19-win total from last season.
Ashtan Vance scored nine points, all in the second half, to lead the Lady Blue Devils (12-8, 2-3). Tenley Holt and Kayla Street added eight apiece.
SCIENCE HILL 47, VOLUNTEER 29
JOHNSON CITY — The Lady Falcons went toe to toe with the Lady Hilltoppers for the first 19 minutes of their Big 7 Conference game before Nae Marion got the home team some separation.
Marion’s post presence helped push Science Hill (12-6, 5-0) to the win that set up a first-place showdown with Dobyns-Bennett on Friday.
Marion scored 14 of her 18 points in the second half. Peja Shay hit a trio of treys for all nine of her points for Science Hill, which played without the injured Alasia Smith.
Volunteer (10-9, 1-3) led 15-14 at halftime but scored only six points in the third quarter, trailing 26-21 entering the fourth.
“The game was very intense,” said Volunteer coach Tyrone Smith. “We played very well in the first half, but the third quarter killed us. ... But I love my girls and I love my team. We never quit and played to the end. We have a lot of basketball left and we will finish strong.”
Aliyah Crawley kept the Lady Falcons in the hunt, finishing with 14 points.
SULLIVAN NORTH 58, TRI-CITIES CHRISTIAN 26
KINGSPORT — Fresh- man Kierra Kotee made her presence felt with a 15-point performance for the Lady Golden Raiders.
Sahara Bates totaled 12 points, Maddy Winters had 10 and Taylor Cochran added eight to the mix for North.
Lydia Smith finished with a dozen points to lead Tri-Cities Christian, and Grace Williams chipped in seven.
DAVID CROCKETT 54, TENNESSEE HIGH 41
BRISTOL, Tenn. — Emma Gouge had 17 points and a dozen rebounds in the Lady Pioneers’ Big 7 victory.
Emily Trivette hit four shots behind the 3-point line and scored 16 points, and Makenzie Baldwin totaled nine points and nine rebounds.
Tennessee High got a 16- point effort from Annie Hayes.
TWIN SPRINGS 56, J.I. BURTON 23
NICKELSVILLE — The Lady Titans’ Emaleigh Powers drained six 3- pointers as part of a 20- point outing against the Lady Raiders.
Erin Larkin added 17 points. Twin Springs finished with 12 3-pointers as a team in earning the Cumberland District win.
Abby Phipps and KJ Jenkins scored six points apiece for J.I. Burton.
THOMAS WALKER 73, RYE COVE 24
EWING — Shelbie Fannon dropped in 22 points and the Lady Pioneers overpowered the Lady Eagles in Cumberland play.
Lakin Burke added 15 points and Talyn Dibrell scored 12 in the win.
Sarah Cupova was the top scorer for the Lady Eagles with nine points.
EASTSIDE 81, CASTLEWOOD 11 (Sammy Belcher 📸📸📸)
COEBURN — Kaylee Yates scored 15 points in the Lady Spartans’ no-doubt Cumberland victory at home.
Kacie Jones added 14 points and Anna Whited chipped in with 13.
RIDGEVIEW 64, JOHN BATTLE 35
CLINTWOOD — Hailey Sutherland poured in 24 points to lead the Lady Wolfpack to the Mountain 7 District manhandling of the Lady Trojans.
Ridgeview (10-3, 3-1) was up by only eight points at halftime before taking complete command.
BOYS
SULLIVAN NORTH 76, TRI-CITIES CHRISTIAN 57
KINGSPORT — Isaiah Pruitt cut loose for 25 points, hitting seven shots from 3-point range, in the Golden Raiders’ nonconference win.
Trey Williams powered in 20 points, CJ Mardis scored 11 and Bryson Vance had 10 for Sullivan North.
Gavyn Etter paced Tri-Cities with 19 points and four assists. Adam Pigeon had a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Drew Correll added nine points.
DAVID CROCKETT 53, TENNESSEE HIGH 50
BRISTOL, Tenn. — The Pioneers took an early lead then held off the Vikings for the Big 7 win.
Eric Dunbar put up 15 points to lead David Crockett. Donta Hackler added 13 and Mason Britton and Dawson Wagner each scored nine.
Mchale Bright’s 12 points were tops for Tennessee High, which got nine apiece from Aidan Carter and Blake Fauver and eight each from Nolan Wishon and Cole McBrayer.
SCIENCE HILL 85, VOLUNTEER 35
JOHNSON CITY — The fourth-ranked Hilltoppers (19-1, 5-0 Big 7) led 51-19 at halftime of the mercy- ruled game.
Hunter Phillips made all seven of his shots from the field to finish with 14 points for Science Hill. Keynan Cutlip added 12 and Jordan McLoyd had 11 points with four assists. Jake Matherne finished with 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Junior Eli Amyx led the Falcons (7-13, 0-5) with 10 points, getting all of them in the first half. Evan Berry hit a pair of late 3-pointers and finished with eight points.
UNICOI COUNTY 54, SULLIVAN CENTRAL 45 (Cheryl Gray 📸📸📸)
BLOUNTVILLE — The Blue Devils (11-10, 2-3 Three Rivers) came out on top in the nip-and-tuck affair, led by 16 points from Robbie O’Dell and 12 from Lucas Slagle.
Ty Barb scored a team-best nine — all in the first half — for the Cougars.
RYE COVE 71, THOMAS WALKER 63
CLINCHPORT — Matthew Rhoton and Ethan Chavez each scored 18 points to help the Eagles hold off the Pioneers in their Cumberland tilt.
Andrew Jessee added 13 points and Mason Hardin chipped in with 11 for the Cove.
Caleb Yeary put forth a valiant effort for the Pioneers, pouring in 27 points as the game’s leading scorer. Logan Ely finished with 14 points and Kenny Ball tallied 11.
J.I. BURTON 60, TWIN SPRINGS 55
NICKELSVILLE — Jonah Cochrane dropped 17 points for the Raiders, who took down the host Titans in a Cumberland battle. Mikey Culbertson added 16 points and Trevor Culbertson contributed 13.
Twin Springs’ Connor Lane was the game’s top scorer with 21 points.
EASTSIDE 65, CASTLEWOOD 28 (Sammy Belcher 📸📸📸)
COEBURN — The Spartans dominated at home, rolling over the Blue Devils to improve to 6-6 overall and 3-0 inside the Cumberland.
Castlewood dropped to 4-7, 1-2.