Top Boys Seeds To Battle For Title

The top two seeds will collide in the 2011 Cannon County Grammar School Cancer Tournament after No. 1 Woodland and No. 2 West Side secured semifinal wins at Woodbury Grammar Thursday (Dec. 8).

Woodland disposed of East Side, 52-27, to punch its ticket into the finals. West Side pulled away from Auburn late to secure a 56-38 win and earn its place in the championship game at Woodbury Grammar Saturday at 8 p.m. Auburn and East Side will play in the consolation game at 5:30 p.m.

Top-seeded Woodland used its depth and balance to wear down an outmanned East Side squad. Austin Martin led Woodland with 16 points. Bo Bryson and Jarred Judkins each scored 12 and John Mark Turney just missed double figures with eight as Woodland powered its way to the win.

Graden Strang poured in a game-high 17 for East Side. Austin Brock added eight.

East Side hung around for the first quarter and trailed 11-6 after the first stanza, but Woodland heated up in the second frame. Judkins and Turney combined for 12 points in the quarter, including a pair of treys from Judkins, as the Warriors staked claim to a 27-13 halftime advantage.

They stretched the lead to 40-20 after three quarters and never looked back on their way to the win.

WEST SIDE 56
AUBURN 38
Collin Anderson and Tucker Frances proved to be a dynamic duo as West Side pulled away from Auburn to claim a 56-38 win in its semifinal game.

Anderson and Frances combined for 46 of the team's 56 points in the win. Anderson poured in 25 points and Frances powered in 21 more. Courtland Ryan almost hit double figures, finishing with eight.

Briar Jakes tickled the twine for 23 points and Dalton Gaither added eight more to lead Auburn.

The game was highly competitive throughout the first half. Auburn started strong and led 16-9 after the first quarter as Jakes opened with 10 points on the strength of two 3-pointers.

Frances put West Side on his shoulders in the pivotal second quarter. He scored 13 of the team's 16 in the frame and came away with four steals and several deflections on the defensive end. His basket just before the half eliminated the early deficit and provided West Side a 25-24 halftime lead.

The momentum carried into the second half.

Anderson took over in the second half when he scored 18 of his 25. Anderson scored nine in the third quarter when West Side started to pull away for good. The Eagles led 40-28 after three quarters and maintained its advantage throughout the second half.