Hawks finally pull away from Eagles

Arkansas-SEMO Live Blog
photo Silverdale's Lindsay Sims, right, gets a hand in front of Notre Dame's Morgan Cantrell as she shoots Monday at GPS. Silverdale defeated Notre Dame 11-10.
photo Silverdale's Emily Skelton (32) blocks the shot of Notre Dame's Morgan Cantrell on Monday at GPS. Silverdale beat Notre Dame 11-10.

One of Hamilton Heights' starters Monday in the first night of the city high school basketball jamboree was 6-foot-11 Abdulhakim Ado. One of Signal Mountain's was Michael Cate, listed at 5-7 on the Eagles' roster.

In the last of six periods Monday at GPS in the first of two nights of action, the Hawks managed to pull away late and defeat the Eagles 14-7.

Five periods are scheduled tonight at GPS, starting at 6.

Signal Mountain was without four varsity players who are still with the football team as it prepares for a Class 4A second-round state playoff game Friday at Loudon. And another team member will return from suspension after the second game of the season.

Yet the Eagles managed to be tied with Hamilton Heights, a private Christian school loaded with international talent, with less than three minutes to play. Ado's basket in the low post with 2:40 to play gave the Hawks the lead for good.

Ezekiel Balogun, who scored with a thunderous dunk off the opening tip, led Hamilton Heights with three points. Cate made three of four free throws in the first minute and was the scoring leader for the Eagles, who were leading 5-4 after Griffin Palmer made both ends of a one-and-one at the 5:14 mark.

"We told them, 'They're going to get their dunks,'" Signal Mountain coach Steve Redman said. "I thought they would've had more. We just wanted them to play hard and be fundamental. I thought we got some decent shots and we got to the line. Obviously they're on a different level athletically."

• Silverdale Baptist Academy 22, Notre Dame 16: In the other boys' period, the Seahawks made 11 of 13 free throws, including their last 10 with six of those coming in the final 1:16.

Jordan Delashmitt scored eight points for Silverdale, which never trailed, and Nathan Keylon made two 3-point shots. Tyler Byrd's nine points topped the Irish, who also have athletes still competing in the football playoffs.

• Signal Mountain girls 20, East Ridge 8: The Lady Eagles got a double-digit scoring performance from Aryn Sanders in the first period of the night, and Brooke Whitmire's scoring support included two 3-point goals. The action marked the first as a head coach in eight years for Kendra Bell, who spent the last five seasons as an assistant at Hixson after taking two years off from coaching after leaving Ooltewah.

"I loved having some time off, and being an assistant," Bell said. "But as soon as I got it, I realized how much I missed it. It's a great opportunity that kind of fell in my lap. We've got a lot of potential with some good young kids and two seniors. It's a solid program that can definitely get better."

• Hamilton Heights girls 30, Signal Mountain 8: The Lady Eagles also played in a later period that didn't go as well.

Six players scored for the Lady Hawks, paced by Elizabeth Balogun's eight points and Jasmine Massengill's seven.

• Silverdale girls 11, Notre Dame 10: The Lady Seahawks were down three before getting a basket underneath by Megan Lewis ahead of Emily Harkleroad completing a one-and-bonus situation with 48.5 seconds left for the final margin.

Lewis led Silverdale with five points. The Lady Irish's Adia Colvin had seven, including two 3-pointers.

• Baylor girls 26, Brainerd 8: The game was 9-6 before the Lady Red Raiders went on a 15-0 run.

Kaleigh Clemons led Baylor with seven points and Mya Long and Jutoria Willis added six each. Jamee Ward scored seven points for Brainerd.

Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow him at twitter.com/KelleySmiddie.

Upcoming Events