Midgrade teams get first wins

By DAVID HUNTER

The Cannon Courier

The Cannon County middle grade basketball teams conquered another historical mark in their first ever season as both teams swept the Covenant Academy Lions on Jan. 5. It was the first ever home win at Robert A. Harris Gymnasium for in both program's history. However, their next two games were snowed out later that week.

The CCMG Junior Lionettes took the court first in their first game since the Christmas break. Pride was on the line between the two Lionette schools. CCMG opened the advantage during the first quarter as it broke out an impressive 19-2 lead after the opening six minutes of the games.
Every CCMG Lionette played and all but two players scored in the dominating 66-15 win. Besides having their highest offensive output of the season, the defense was locked in as CCMG held CA to only 10 points during the opening half and five points in the final 12 minutes of the game.
"We were extremely excited to play tonight coming off a long break from Christmas," CCMG girls head coach Ashley Cantrell said after the win on Jan. 5. "We have not played since December 19, and the girls needed to get in the gym and get moving up and down the floor again. We had some practices, but it is not the same as getting to play a real game."

In the boys' game, it was the same results as the CCMG Lions took control early and they never looked back. They outscored their opponents 25-11 during the first half, and the defense also did their job holding their opponents to eight points in the second half.
Every CCMG player got playing time and all but one player scored, while the CCMG defense only allowed two CA leading scorers to four points apiece in the dominating win.
"We were ready to get back into it," CCMG boys head coach Jared Nave said after the Jan. 5 win. "I told the guys before the game you can look at it two ways: We took time off and looked rusty or we got rested. I say we got rested and played pretty good tonight."
For the players, they were very happy to make more history by getting the first ever home win for both programs. For one Junior Lion, it was a cool birthday present as he turned lucky 13 on the same night.
"It felt great and really amazing," CCMG Junior Lion Lavell Rogers said after the win. "It felt great."
Fellow Junior Lion and birthday boy Jordan Timmons added, "It felt really good to come out here and made history getting our first home win."
After the game, Timmons invited a few friends over for a birthday sleepover.
"It was pretty cool, because we were the first ones to do it," Junior Lionette Shelby Smithson said.
Fellow Lionette Jalin Fann added, "It is really fun to support our county, and play with my friends."

The CCMG teams were supposed to play three games in four days, including the win on Jan. 5, but mother nature had other ideas. A winter system threatens the misstate the night of the win, but it did not hit until the next morning dropping a couple of inches of snow on the ground.
Cannon County schools were closed, because of the weather on Jan. 6 and Jan. 9. The CCMG teams were supposed to play on both nights, but the rules state on a day with no school, it also meant no extraocular activities on the same day.
So, the Jan.6 home game against Forrest will be rescheduled on Jan. 24, but the Jan. 9 game at Coffee County was cancelled and it will not be made up.
The CCMG basketball teams were back at home on Jan. 12 in a rematch against Avery Trace from earlier this season. In the first meeting on Dec. 19 at ATMS, the Junior Lions fell to the Raiders 51-20, while the Junior Lionettes also lost 53-36 to the Lady Raiders on the same night.
CCMG was swept again by ATMS, but the performance was better with the losing margin smaller.

In the girls' matchup, the Lady Raiders was red hot from three-point range as Olivia Shipman and Katherine Groves combined for nine of them, while shooting 60 percent from long distance. It was the difference in the game as ATMS defeated the Junior Lionettes, 45-31. The Junior Lions fell 45-35 to the Raiders.
Both teams are now 2-5 on the season, and CCMG will be back in action at Robert A. Harris Gymnasium on Jan. 16 against White County with the Junior Lionettes game tipping off at 6 p.m. All the eighth graders will be honored before the game.

Box Score
Jan. 5 (Lions)- Lavell Rogers- 11, Zachary Basham- 7, Jordan Timmons- 6, Gus Davenport-6, Connor Tucker-6, Brady Bryson-5, Eddie Hill-4, Kyler Bryson- 3, Eli Cantrell-3, Branden Reed-2, James Vassar-2
(Lionettes)- Shelby Smithson- 16, Katelyn Duggin- 12, Jalin Fann- 8, Bradi Mason-8, Rudy DeArmond-7, Shelby Parker- 5, Cassie George- 4, Maleah Sissom-2, Lauren Knox-2, Zettie Elrod- 2.

Jan. 12 (Lions)- Gus Davenport-9, Conner Tucker-8, Brady Bryson-6, Eli Cantrell-4, Jordan Timmons-3, Eddie Hill-2 Zachary Basham-2, Lavell Rogers-1.
(Lionettes)- Cassie George-10, Shelby Parker-6, Katelyn Duggin-5, Shelby Smithson-4, Macy Sellers- 3, Bradi Mason-3.