Catawba Valley Classic Championship: Blogging Live

December 29, 2011

BOYS ACTION:

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:
HICKORY 67, ALEXANDER CENTRAL 64

Hickory's Raheim Connelly hits his 10th three-point shot with 3 seconds left to lift the Tornadoes to the Catawba Valley Championship over Alexander Central.

The game featured 20 made three-point baskets, including Connelly's 10 and four from Catawba Valley Classic Tournament MVP Jalen Byrd.

An all-tournament team selection, Connelly led all scorers with 30 points and Byrd added 27.

Alex Ayer scored 17 to lead Alexander Central and Jonas Watts scored 15.

Game blog follows:

Hickory leads boys Catawba Valley championship game 16-14 over Alexander Central at the end of the first quarter.

At halftime Alexander Central leads Hickory 28-26.

At the end of three quarters, Hickory 48, Alexander Central 48.

At game's 4:33 mark, Hickory has hit 12 three-pointers in the championship game, including Raheim Connelly for eight 3s. Jonas Watts gives the Cougars a 57-56 lead with two made free throws. Connelly answers with his ninth three-point basket.

56.3 seconds left, Hickory leads Alexander Central , 64-62.

Alexander Central's Alec Ayer ties the game with 25 seconds left, 64-64. Hickory timeout with 14.7 seconds remaining.

Hickory's Raheim Connelly hits his 10th three-pointer with 3 seconds left to lift Hickory to Catawba Valley Classic Championship, 67-64.

GIRLS ACTION:

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:
HICKORY 35, NEWTON-CONOVER 27

Hickory survived a late rally to win the 2011 Catawba Valley Classic Championship over Newton-Conover, 35-27.

Hickory's Aja Hoyle was named tournament MVP. Hoyle led Hickory and all scorers with 14 points. All tournament selections Yazmin Hannah scored nine and Danasha Witherspoon scored seven. Jamie Bowers added three points, and Erica Troutman scored two.

Hickory finished 20-of-26 from the free throw line and Hannah was six-of-six in the second half.

Newton-Conover's all-tournament team selection Kadesha Gibbs led Newton-Conover with 12 points. Lanecia Williams was all selected for the all-tournament team, but was held scoreless after a 22-point night Wednesday.

Shynese Whitener scored eight for Newton-Conover; Taylor Petty added five; and Abbie Vanhorn scored two.

Game blog follows:
In 3:22 of play, Hickory leads N-C 5-2, five tie-ups/jumpballs.

After the first quarter, Hickory leads 9-3 over Newton-Conover in the C-V Championship game.

Hickory leads Newton-Conover 21-10 at halftime - a hard fought game for both teams. N-C shots not falling, Hickory defense intense.

Aja Hoyle leads Hickory scorers with nine first-half points. Danasha Witherspoon added seven points. Hickory is 8-of-11 from the free throw line.

Taylor Petty leads Newton-Conover with five, and Kadesha Gibbs scored three. Newton-Conover is 3-of-6 from the free throw line.

At the 1:53 mark of the third quarter, Hickory leads 23-15 over Newton-Conover in championship game.

Newton-Conover holds Hickory to two points, scores seven in third quarter. Hickory leads, 23-17 heading into final quarter of the championship game.

With 1:19 remaining Hickory leads 31-27 over Newton-Conover. Official timeout to clean up blood spilled during the game.

Hickory wins Catawba Valley Classic, 35-27 over Newton-Conover. Hickory's Aja Hoyle is tournament MVP.

BOYS ACTION:

EARLY GAMES:
SOUTH CALDWELL 63 ST. STEPHENS 54

South Caldwell places third in the Catawba Valley Classic, defeating St. Stephens, 63-54.

Jordyn Propst scored 22 to lead Spartan scorers and Jared Mask added 13.

Jordan James scored nine to lead the Indians and Kerigan Farley scored eight points. Zach Bumgarner and Chris Hefner each scored seven. Drew Starkey added five, while Christian Beasley, Matt Williams and Zach Houston each scored teo.

Game blog follows:

After one quarter, St. Stephens leads 14-9 over South Caldwell.

At halftime, South Caldwell's Jordyn Propst scores at the buzzer to give the Spartans a 29-20 lead over St. Stephens. South Caldwell outscored St. Stephens 20-6 in the second quarter. Jared Mask scored 11 points for the Spartans in the second quarter. He leads all South Caldwell scorers.

Zach Bumgarner scored seven first-half points to lead St. Stephens. Kerigan Farley added six points for the Indians in the first half.

After three quarters South Caldwell leads 44-34 over St. Stephens. Jordyn Propst scores nine to lead the Spartan second-half charge.

St. Stephens got as close as five points, but couldn't get any closer to South Caldwell. The Spartans defeated the Indians, 63-54 to win third place in the Catawba Valley Classic.

FRED T. FOARD 48, NEWTON-CONOVER 41

No. 2 seed Fred T. Foard finishes the Catawba Valley Classic in fifth place after defeating Newton-Conover

Tyler Dickens led a Foard flurry of points with three straight baskets to give the Tigers a lead midway through the fourth quarter. The Tigers defense held late Red Devils charges at bay, to collect the win. Dickens finished with 10 points.

Jordan Turner led Foard scorers with 19. Tre Robinson added six and Spencer Matthews and Joe Isenhour each scored two. Kasey Sims scored 1.

Kevin Cline scored 13 points to lead Newton-Conover. Tyoun Shuford and Kevin Holloway each scored seven. Joshuwell McCombs and Lee Mitchell each scored four. Josh Ramseur, Sam Avis and Tyler Barrymore each scored two.

Game blog follows:
After one quarter of boys action, Newton-Conover leads Fred. T. Foard, 8-4.

Newton-Conover's Kevin Holloway scores with less than a second left in the half to give the Red Devils a two-point halftime lead over Foard, 19-17.

Holloway leads Newton-Conover with four points and Joshuwell McCombs has four first-half points. The Red Devils have five players with two points each, Kevin Cline, Tyoun Shuford, Sam Avis and Tyler Barrymore.

Tre Robinson leads Foard scorers with six points and Jordan Turner added with six first-half points. Spencer Matthews and Tyler Dickens each scored two.

Jordan Turner drains a pair of threes to give Fred T. Foard a six-point, second-half lead, 25-19.

At the end of the third quarter Fred T. Foard leads Newton-Conover 30-27.

Kevin Cline's free throw ties the game for N-C, 34-34 with 4 minutes in the game.

Tyler Dickens hits a lay-up, Jordan Turner steals the in-bounds pass and scores, Foard leads, 40-36 with 2:54 remaining.

EARLY GAMES:

GIRLS ACTION:
ALEXANDER CENTRAL 43, SOUTH CALDWELL 35.

Game blog follows:
South Caldwell leads 8-6 over Alexander Central in the third-place game of the Catawba Valley Classic.

South Caldwell leads 21-9 over Alexander Central at halftime.

At the third quarter buzzer, Alexander Central's Marie Ritchie brings the Lady Cougars within 1 point, 27-26.

Alexander Central scores a come-from-behind victory over South Caldwell, 43-35.

FRED T. FOARD 52, MAIDEN 42
The Fred T. Foard Lady Tigers finish in fifth in the Catawba Valley Classic with a 52-42 win over Maiden.

Brooke Robinson scored 26 to lead the Lady tigers and Chelsea Turner added 13. Kayla Whitworth scored six. Chelsea Hoyle scored four and Hannah Skeen added a three-pointbasket.

Foard shot 50 percent from the free throw line, 11 of 22.

Sabrien Gaither led Maiden with 24 points. Taylor Coulter scored seven and Makenzie Eller scored five. Katie Foster scored four and Rachel Good added two.

Game blog follows:

Maiden's Sabrien Gaither hits a three-point basket to tie the game 3-3 at the 2:33 mark of the first quarter.

Maiden leads Fred T. Foard 8-7 at the end of the first quarter. Both teams struggling with turnovers - particularly traveling infractions.

Fred T. Foard takes a three-point lead into halftime, leading Maiden 18-15. Brooke Robinson has scored 10 to lead the Lady Tigers. Sabrien Gaither leads Maiden with eight points.

Fred T. Foard leads 34-31 over Maiden after three quarters. Best back-and-forth game of the tournament thus far as both teams compete for the fifth place finish.

PREGAME:

Championship day for the Catawba Valley Classic is here, and basketball action at Catawba Valley Community College’s Tarlton Complex tips off at 1 p.m.

A day full of hoops action concludes with championship games tonight when No. 1 seed Hickory faces No. 3 seed Newton-Conover in girls action. Game time is set for 7 p.m. in the boys championship game No. 1 seed Hickory plays No. 3 Alexander Central in a game set to start at 8:30 p.m.

Follow all the action from today’s on Twitter @TheONENews, and look for game details on The O-N-E game blog.

Other games set for today:

GIRLS:
• Maiden plays Fred T. Foard in the fifth place girls game at 1 p.m.
• South Caldwell plays Alexander Central in the third place girls game at 4 p.m.
• Hickory plays Newton-Conover for the championship at 7 p.m.

BOYS:
• Fred T. Foard plays Newton-Conover in the fifth place gam at 2:30 p.m.
• St. Stephens plays South Caldwell in the third place boys game at 5:30 p.m.
• Hickory plays Alexander Central at 8:30 p.m.