CLEVELAND — It’s doubtful few people in the White County gym Friday expected what they got in a pair of key Region 7-3A contests between the Warriors and Dawson County.
Certainly not the Tigers, that’s for sure.
The Lady Warriors opened the evening in a nearly-packed gym with a dominating 76-50 win over the Lady Tigers. The White County boys then followed with a stunning 76-48 victory to complete the sweep.
It wasn’t the wins that were the surprise, but rather the manner in which they happened.
The Lady Warriors (7-7, 5-1 Region 7-3A) trailed just once, at 5-3 in the opening two minutes, and then used an 8-0 run to reclaim the lead. The Lady Tigers (7-6, 1-4 Region 7-3A) never got closer than three points (15-12) the rest of the way.
The White County boys (9-5, 6-1 Region 7-3A) also trailed just once, at 3-0 on a Jaden Gibson 3-pointer, but used a 15-0 run over the final three minutes of the first quarter to pull away for the lead for good. Dawson County (11-6, 4-2 Region 7-3A) never got closer trailing by as many as 32 late in the fourth quarter.
In the girls game, both teams opened with 3-pointers off turnovers with the Lady Tigers taking an early 5-3 lead. The Lady Warriors answered with an 8-0 run capped by a Maci Shelnut basket.
Dawson County pulled within 15-12 on a Madison Anglin 3-pointer but White County closed out the first quarter with a 9-2 spurt, capped by a McKenna Moose 3-pointer off a dish from Dasha Cannon for a 24-14 lead. The Lady Tigers got as close as nine just twice the rest of the way.
White County increased its lead to 32-20 early in the second quarter on a Caitlyn Gailey trey off another assist from Cannon after a series of Dawson County turnovers. The Lady Tigers rallied to get within 36-29 on another Anglin 3-pointer but White County’s Naomi Roberts hit four free throws to spark a late flurry and go into the intermission with a 42-31 lead.
The difference in the first half was on the defensive end where White County forced 10 Dawson County turnovers that led to 12 points. The Lady Warriors had just 6 turnovers that Dawson County turned into just five points.
“We’ve been trying to make a conscious effort of giving everybody tough possessions,” White County girl coach Jarvis Davenport said. “The girls are doing a good job of buying in and rotating and just getting better and better. This is just the fourth game where we’ve had all our players so we’re still trying to figure some things out.”
White County held the Lady Tigers to just 19 second-half points.
Gailey led the Lady Warriors with 18 points. Maddie Futch added 16 points and Cannon had 8 to go with 7 assists as 10 different White County players scored.
Anglin poured in a game-high 26 to lead Dawson County. But no other players reached double figures. Mariah Benson had 8 points for the Lady Tigers.
In the boys game, White County came out on fire and stayed hot. Silas Mulligan drained back-to-back 3-pointers to match the Tigers’ Gibson for a quick 6-3 lead and the Warriors never trailed again. Kenny Simpson capped the Warriors’ big 15-0 run with a 3-pointer of his own for a 25-8 advantage. White County hit five 3-pointers in the opening frame, paced by Mulligan, who had three and 13 points.
Dawson County climbed back to within 28-17 early in the second quarter on a Joakeim Celestin basket but the Warriors answered that with a 12-1 run for an eventual 41-21 halftime lead.
“These guys are just playing hard and really we’re still jelling as a group,” White County boys coach Robbie Bailey. “I was shocked at the score tonight. That’s a really good Dawson County team. Our guys just came out and played their tails off in that first half. That might be the best half we’ve played all year.”
The Tigers came out strong to open the third quarter using a 7-2 run to get within 43-28 with still more than six minutes left in the third quarter. But once again White County answered using a 29-10 run into the fourth quarter for a 72-40 lead, its biggest of the game.
Mulligan led all scorers with 24 points to pace White County. Simpson finished with 15 points, Joden Yeh and Reece Dockery had 12 points each, and Cooper Turner 11 points for the Warriors.
Max Tierney and Jake Craft each had 10 points to lead Dawson County. Gibson finished with 8 points and Celestin 7 for the Tigers.
