The Clarkrange High School Lady Buffaloes came up big this past weekend in the Anderson County Holiday Basketball Classic in Clinton, Tenn. CHS won two of three contests.
The Lady Buffaloes opened the tournament with a 59-35 rout of Halls High School. They then followed that with a 50-43 victory over host Anderson County.
In the championship game, Clarkrange had a slow second half before falling 50-43 to talented Coalfield.
Clarkrange 59, Halls 35
The Clarkrange girls had little trouble in their tournament opener with Halls. While holding HHS scoreless in the first quarter, the Lady Buffaloes tallied 23 points to begin with a commanding lead.
Kady Hopkins led the way with CHS, while Stella Beyers and Chloe Rogers contributed early in the game.
The Lady Buffs scored 10 points in the second quarter to widen their lead to 26 points, 33-7, as the teams left the floor at halftime.
Payton Manis picked up a bucket on a layup for Clarkrange, and Lydia Phillips hit a jumper from outside.
Things didn’t get any easier for Halls as Clarkrange continued to widen its lead in the second half. Rogers hit a jumper from outside, Hopkins hit a turnaround jumper in the paint, and Sophia Sitton scored on a layup.
Clarkrange led 50-22 going into the final quarter.
Hopkins led the way for the Lady Buffaloes with 21 points. Rogers added 11 points and Stella Beyers had eight.
Manis scored six, Sitton added six as did Phillips. Averi Beyers chipped in one.
Bella Wires set the pace for Halls with 12 points. Paige Welch scored eight, while Brinley Wilson chipped in with five.
Clarkrange 50,
Anderson Co. 43
Clarkrange kicked things into gear in the second half of the Lady Buffaloes’ game with Anderson County.
The game opened with both teams going back and forth, with neither team gaining much of an advantage.
Clarkrange led 14-12 after one quarter, thanks to baskets by Hopkins and Phillips. Anderson County came fighting back in the second period.
However, the Lady Buffaloes held off the ACHS charge and led the game, 23-21, at the intermission.
But that’s when Clarkrange began to pull away. Hopkins and Sitton had the hot hands for the Lady Buffaloes, scoring in the paint and in transition.
CHS led 37-27 heading into the fourth and final period.
Hopkins led Clarkrange again with 18 points. Sitton scored 13 points, while Phillips chipped in eight. Rogers scored seven, while Manis and Katelyn Cottle tallied two each.
Addison Grooms led Anderson County with 12 points. Mary Basford added eight, and Emma Bullock scored seven.
Coalfield 67, Clarkrange 62
Clarkrange got behind early in the championship game of the tournament, never really seeming to find its offensive rhythm.
Coalfield led 22-9 after the first quarter, thanks to the hot hand of Lexie Hammock, who ended up with a game-high 29 points.
Clarkrange came charging in the second period, getting big buckets from Hopkins, Sitton and Mannis. The Lady Buffaloes pulled within eight, 34-26, at the intermission.
Coalfield came out of the locker room on fire and widened its margin to double digits as it took a 51-40 lead after three quarters.
But Phillips, Hopkins and Rogers got hot for Clarkrange in the fourth period. They cut the margin to single digits and trailed by only five, 67-62, when the game ended.
Hopkins set the pace for Clarkrange with 18 points. Phillips chipped in with 16 points, while Sitton tallied 11. Rogers scored nine points, Manis added six and Cottle chipped in with two.
Hammock tallied 29 for Coalfield, but she also got help from Lily Wright with 16 and Lilly Claire Lowe with 10.