Two down-to-the-wire thrillers left both schools with a win and with a disappointing loss Friday when Franklin-Simpson visited Jim Young Gymnasium to take on Russellville in a district doubleheader.
Lady Panther Loreal Cheaney hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the game into overtime, but the Lady Cats got the win by taking advantage of squatters’ rights on the foul line on the way to a 54-47 F-S win.
Coach Phil Todd’s Panthers showed teamwork is superior to an individual highlight film by beating the Wildcats 59-52 in the nightcap. Franklin had pulled to within three points twice in the final 30 seconds.
As expected, junior Division I prospects Pedro Bradshaw of Russellville and Tavin Lovan of Franklin had impressive nights. Lovan finished with 34 points and 17 rebounds. Bradshaw scored 18 and pulled down 20 boards.
Bradshaw had lots more help than did Lovan. Freshman Jacob Naylor hit some huge 3-pointers on the way to 13 points. Junior Jaylin McMurry hit a big bucket near the end and grabbed 10 rebounds. Jason Mitchell scored 8 points, as did Micah Naylor, including some clutch free throws as time was running out.
As would be expected from a Phil Todd-coached team, defense was a priority. So was depth. Role players Ricky Bellamy, Shon Kees and Paul Jones each had contributed four fouls to the cause midway through the fourth quarter.
The Panthers went up 17-11 early in the second quarter, but Franklin pulled to within one. Mitchell followed with a 3-pointer and Bradshaw added a goal. Things started going Franklin’s way when the Panthers were assessed a controversial technical for briefly having six players on the floor. Jacob Naylor’s 3-pointer with six seconds remaining put the Panthers up 25-23 at the half.
Lovan had 16 points—aided by 8 of 11 free throw shooting—and 9 rebounds at the half.
The third quarter was all Russellville. When Jacob Naylor hit a 3-pointer, the Panthers went up 41-29, having outscored their guests 16-6.in the quarter.
Franklin cut the lead to seven, but Bradshaw scored on an assist from Micah Naylor, who had corralled a loose ball. Daelon Payne then hit a pair of free throws for the Wildcats. The lead was down to five before McMurry stuffed a rebound back in.
Coach Dee Spencer’s Cats cut the lead to three on a Lovan dunk with 28 seconds remaining in the game. Bradshaw and Lovan each hit the front ends of a pair of free throws to keep the margin at three, but Micah Naylor’s clutch pair of foul shots with 17.4 seconds gave the home team breathing room.
Franklin then missed some shots before Bradshaw rebounded and was fouled. He put the game away with two free throws with four seconds remaining.
The win improved the Panthers’ record to 11-3 overall and 3-0 in the 13th District. Franklin-Simpson fell to 13-3 and 1-1 in the district.
Lady Cats 54, Lady Panthers 47
Russellville started the evening by scoring the game’s first nine points, but then went cold. Coach David Clark’s Lady Cats went on a tear and took the lead, building a small margin.
The Lady Panthers worked their way back and took what proved to be their last lead of the game at 30-29 on a 3-pointer by Cheaney, who struggled the entire game with her shot. That came with 4:50 remaining.
A half minute later, F-S regained the lead on a 3-pointer by Tami Lovan for her only points of the game. Franklin scored eight straight points, the last three coming on a basket and a free throw by Tristany Lunsford.
Russellville got going again on a 3-pointer by senior Devonya Bryant, who finished with a game-high 21 points.
DeShale LeBlanc hit two straight shots for Coach Calvin Head’s Lady Panthers, sandwiched around a 3-pointer by Lunsford. Bryant cut the lead to one on a defensive rebound that she turned into a length-of-the-court drive to make it 40-39 with 18.9 seconds. Miket Doss hit a pair of three throws with 12.4 seconds for F-S.
R’ville had some shots, but all looked lost before Cheaney took an inbounds pass and canned the long bomb at the buzzer to force OT.
Clark’s Cats dominated the overtime by hitting 8 of 10 free throws attempts during that four minutes. For the game, Franklin hit 17 of 28 free throws. RHS was impressive at 75 percent free throw shooting, but unfortunately that comes from hitting three of only four attempts for the entire 36 minutes.
LeBlanc backed up Bryant with 11 points. Cheaney’s pair of 3-pointers constituted most of her eight points. She had 8 rebounds and Bryant 6.
Lunsford totaled 15 points and Osheonna Baker 14 for the winners, but the most dominant Lady Cat was Jesse Bellar, who amassed 18 rebounds and 10 points.
Franklin improved to 5-14 overall and 1-1 in the district. RHS fell to 10-8 and 1-2.
GIRLS
Score by quarters: Final) Franklin-Simpson 54, Russellville 47
F-S (54) Tristany Lunsford 15, Osheonna Baker 14, Jesse Bellar 10, Kourtne Turner 7, Mikey Doss 5, Tami Lovan 3
RHS (47) Devonya Bryant 21, DeShale LeBlanc 11, Loreal Cheaney 8, Lexie Day 6, Addie Hendley 1, Reagan Wilkerson, Denise Stovall
BOYS
Score by Quarters: 1) RHS 11-9, 2) 25-23, 3) 41-29, Final) Russellville 59, Franklin-Simpson 52
F-S (52) Tavin Lovan 34, Daelon Payne 8, Carlesso Doaks 5, Trey Radcliffe 4, Josiah Robey 1, Jackson Caudill, Jordan Bass, Dee Ragland
RHS (59) Pedro Bradshaw 18, Jacob Naylor 13, Michal Naylor 6, Jason Mitchell 8, Jaylin McMurry 6, Ricky Bellamy 2, Paul Jones 2, Shon Kees, Jacolbie Mason