Weather

Local News

   ___________
 

___________
 
AD RATES
___________
 

National News

Yet this work-in-progress under head coach Larry Joe Smith's tutelage managed give the host Lions all they wanted on their homecoming night. Camden edged a pestilent Rebel team 64-53.

From the outset, it appeared that points, rebounds and possessions would be hard to come by for the Rebels as Camden jetted to a 20-6 lead. The Lions controlled the boards, Rebel looks at the bucket and the tempo in establishing the 14-point opening cushion. Camden pulled down 11 rebounds to McKenzie's four in the first eight minutes alone.

Credit the Rebels for adjusting and persevering. In a mere 16 minutes, an out-of-control Lion effort was contained to a manageable five-point deficit.

"We showed a lot of heart and character," Smith said. "We made a defensive change in the second half and doubled down on Bain."

Ah, yes, Bain. The bane of the Rebels' existence last Friday night, especially in the first half, was one Jarrod Bain, who was 7-9 from the floor, 5-9 from the line and finished with 19 points. He was limited to a scant three in the second half as the Rebs imposed their will made their rush.

Sophomore guard John French took a big step forward with his four triples. He began scorching the Lions early in the third and led a blistering run where MHS outscored Camden 12-4. The torrid pace might have been the start of some good French toast perhaps? He singed the nets again with 2:22 to play and a halftime deficit of 15 points had been whittled to six, 39-33. After a Ben Reed bucket a minute later, freshman Drew Hayes responded with a three ball at the: 27 mark to cut the once formidable lead to five, 41-36.

Camden repelled the drive and ran the lead back to 16, 57-41, after Reed's eruption. He was 4-5 from the field in the fourth and finished with 15 before fouling out. The 16-5 run to start the final frame didn't stop McKenzie.

The Rebels managed to trim the lead to 11 after Daniel Duncan flushed a pair of free throws and French lobbed another threebie. John Craig Howell's three throw at the :23 mark cut the lead to 10, but Camden had pretty much settled the issue by then.

"They threw a lot at us," Smith said. "They ran a 2-3, 3-3, half-court trap; they ran five different defenses and I thought we adjusted pretty well."

The coach said he was pleased with the progress of his team, particularly of French and Howell.

"They both made progress tonight," said Smith. "They both stepped up and made big shots."

French had the hot hand, 6-13 from the floor and 16 points on the night. Howell had eight points, 3-5 from the field and 1-2 from the line. Duncan had a strong eight points as well. Senior Ryan Drewry had six.

The mad Rebel rush in the third quarter staggered the Lions and prompted Camden coach Barry Martin, a Bethel product and former Trezevant girls' skipper in the early 1980s, to call a time out.

"It was good to see us put someone else on their heels," said Smith. "We played hard until the final buzzer and we hope we can improve more from there."

McKENZIE 53
French 6-13 0-0 16, Howell 3-5 1-2 8, Duncan 3-7 2-4 8, Drewry 3-6 0-0 6, Anderson 1-2 2-4 4, Trull 1-1 0-0 3, Huffman 1-8 0-0 3, Hayes 1-4 0-0 3, Jones 0-0 1-2 1, Lacey 0-0 1-2 1.
TOTALS 19-45, 7-14 53.

CAMDEN 64
Bain 7-9 5-9 19, Reed 6-10 3-6 15, Harris 3-6 7-8 13, Martin 1-8 3-4 5, French 2-3 0-0 4, Sims 2-3 0-0 4, Boyd 1-3 0-0 2.
TOTALS 23-43, 19-27 64.

First quarter - Camden 20, McKenzie 6
Second quarter - Camden 33, McKenzie 18
Third quarter - Camden 41, McKenzie 36.

3-point field goals - McKenzie 8-18 (French 4-6, Howell 1-2, Huffman 1-5, Hayes 1-3, Trull 1-2). Camden 0-3 (Martin 0-3). Rebounds - McKenzie 18 (Duncan 7); Camden 29 (Martin 7). Fouled out - McKenzie: none; Camden: Reed.
Turnovers - McKenzie 17; Camden 18.
 

Perhaps that was the lesson in AP English class Friday morning because it was, indeed, the best and worst of times for the McKenzie Lady Rebel basketball team Friday night in Camden.

McKenzie turned in its best performance of the season in the first half against the Lady Lions, leading 32-13. The half wasn't as close as the score indicated, either. Then, inexplicably, MHS suffered perhaps its worst half of the season. The wheels fell off for the Lady Rebels and Camden took off like the dickens.

Bad pun.

Needless to say, it was a wild ride as the Lady Rebels escaped with a 47-46 victory.

McKenzie was smoking in the first half, opening the game with a 12-3 run and then scoring the last 12 points of the first half without reply. McKenzie took care of the ball in the first half, committing only six turnovers.

As the second half began, the Lady Rebels coughed up the ball 11 times in the third quarter and Camden closed within seven.

"In the first half, we played well. I was pleased with how we played in the first half," said McKenzie coach Dan Ridley. "We didn't change anything in the second half. I don't know what happened it felt like we had 35 turnovers."

In the first half, McKenzie could do no wrong. Becky Toombs marked twice in the first quarter, followed by a big three bomb from Julie Smith. As the quarter closed, McKenzie led 16-8.

The Lady Rebs turned on the afterburners in the second frame. McKenzie hit 5 of 12 shots from the floor, cleared 13 rebounds, including four offensive, and clearly dominated Camden, who apparently was looking forward to a homecoming dance after the game.

Kristen Wiggins had a big second frame, as did Hope Wyder. In the process, Renee Crawley began her best game of the season. Her score with 3:01 sparked a 12-0 dash to the halftime horn.

Then came that awful exhibition in the second half. Wiggins hit a free throw with less than a minute gone in the third and McKenzie wasn't heard from again for nearly five minutes. Camden's Karen Farmer and Carmen Medina helped light the fuse for a 13-0 run and the lead had narrowed to seven, 33-26.

Crawley scored and Jasmine McMackins drained a free throw and the lead was 10 again.

"I thought when we got it back to 10, we had survived it," said Ridley.

Good thing he didn't have a crystal ball on the bench. He might have been reaching for the antacid.

Medina converted a three-point play, Sandra Farmer buried a three and Camden was right back in the hunt. The Lady Lions slowly eroded the McKenzie lead. With :43 to play in the game, Karen Farmer found Medina inside and she deposited the turnaround shot to knot the score at 46.

Crawley hit the second of two free throws to edge MHS in front 47-46 with 13 seconds to play. Camden made one last attempt at winning the game and Toombs tied up the ball with 2.7 seconds left, giving the Lady Rebels the ball and the win.

"I think we stopped attacking the basket in the second half," said Ridley. "We sucked it up and rode out the storm."

Crawley had 11 points and 11 rebounds to lead MHS. "Renee went to the boards strong and aggressively. Wyder did well, too."

Wiggins helped bail the Lady Rebs out of trouble for much of the night as well. She finished with 10 points and five boards. Toombs scored eight, Smith six, McMackins and Wyder with five each and Jennifer Johnson with two.

Medina led Camden with 11, Lacey Cagle added 10, Heather Dillon nine and Karen Farmer eight.

"I'm happy with the win," Ridley said. "We have to figure out ways not to blow 20-point leads."

McKenzie 16 32 36 47
Camden 8 13 28 46

McKENZIE 47
Renee Crawley 11, Kristen Wiggins 10, Toombs 8, Smith 6, McMackins 5, Wyder 5, Johnson 2.

CAMDEN 46
Carmen Medina 11, Lacey Cagle 10, Dillon 9, Karen Farmer 8, Sandra Farmer 3, Anna Martin 3, Jenna Evans 2.

Advertisements