HUNTSVILLE | What might have been, if not for the first half.
Scott High’s ice-cold first half doomed the Highlanders in an important district game against Clinton here Friday, as the Dragons held on for a 52-44 win over the Highlanders.
Neither team could score in the first quarter; a buzzer-beater by Jeremiah Lee gave the Dragons a 7-4 lead after the opening period.
The problem was that while Clinton found an offensive rhythm in the second quarter, Scott did not. The Dragons went on a 16-6 run to lead 23-10 at halftime.
The third quarter was played evenly, as Scott High prevented Clinton from expanding the lead, but was unable to eat into the lead.
But the Highlanders found something in the third quarter. Kayleb Woodward, who came off the bench after missing two games earlier in the week with a hand injury, scored six points to end the third quarter, en route to a team-high 14 points.
Woodward scored six more in the fourth quarter before fouling out with several minutes remaining.
In the meantime, Scott High trimmed Campbell County’s lead all the way to four points.
But Clinton was awarded numerous free throw opportunities — more than twice as many as Scott High, despite a pair of technical fouls against the Dragons that helped the final tally seem a bit less lopsided. Teegan Bolinger went to the line 14 times in the fourth quarter alone, making 13 of them.
For the game, the Highlanders shot 39% from the field and 71% from the free throw line. Campbell County was 67% from the free throw line, which was enough for a 20-10 scoring advantage there.
The Dragons did not score a field goal in the fourth quarter.
Woodward had a team-high eight rebounds. Brady Strunk added seven boards.
SCOTT (44): Woodward 14, Todd 11, Babb 7, Jeffers 6, Garrett 5, Strunk 1.
CLINTON (52): Bolinger 21, Lee 21, Maddox 5, Wergin 3, Dorsey 2.
