ELLERBE — The Ellerbe Middle School boys’ and girls’ basketball teams both suffered a home loss Wednesday against Spring Hill Middle School, returning to action after not playing for nine days.
Wildcats lose edge in fourth quarter
Back in action and looking for their second win of the season, the Wildcats hung with the Spartans for the first three quarters. But a 17-4 run in the final period iced a 38-23 win for visiting Spring Hill.
At the start of the fourth, head coach Tommy Shelton and the Wildcats trailed by just one point, 21-20. To that point, eighth grader Dalan Utley had scored 11 points, seven coming in the first half. But that’s the amount he would finish with.
But Ellerbe’s shooting would go cold late, as Conner Utley and Brooks Calhoun both scored a field goal for the Wildcats’ four points in the fourth. Ellerbe’s best scoring period was the third, which saw Dalan Utley drain his second three-pointer of the game and add a free throw.
Conner Utley and Freddie Hill, both of whom finished with four points, each added a bucket in the third to bring Ellerbe’s quarter total to eight points.
The Spartans used a fast start in the fourth and saw six different players find the basket, one of whom scored a quarter-best five points.
Ellerbe is now 1-5 on the season and will get a chance to put up another win at home against rival Cordova Middle School on Thursday. Tip is set for 5 p.m.
Lady Wildcats let late lead slip
The Ellerbe girls’ basketball team took a two-point lead into the start of the fourth quarter against the Lady Spartans on Wednesday, but couldn’t hold on for its first win of the season.
Up 14-12 at the start of the final stanza, the Lady Wildcats were outscored by seven points to fall to Spring Hill 23-18. Head coach Derek Anderson and his Lady Wildcats saw their overall record drop to 0-6.
Against the Lady Spartans, Ellerbe was the most competitive its been all season. Taniya Chandler led the home team in scoring 10 points. She netted six first-half points, including two field goals in the second quarter.
Ellerbe scored 10 points in the second, the most of any quarter. Adding to Chandler’s four points were two points each from Adena Gibson and Mikayla English. Spring Hill also scored an own-basket.
The Lady Wildcats could only muster four points in the fourth, using field goals from Chandler and Gibson, who finished with four points. English’s second-quarter basket were her only two points.
Both Ellerbe teams return to the hardwood Thursday at home against rival Cordova Middle School. The girls will start at 4 p.m., followed by the boys at 5 p.m.
