Both the eighth grade and seventh grade boys’ basketball teams from Bethel Middle School earned victories on Thursday night over[more] their counterparts from the Anthony School in Little Rock.
The Bryant Blue Hornets eighth grade team improved to 11-5 on the season with a 51-23 win while the seventh grade squad upped its season mark to 8-2 with a 40-23 victory.
The eighth grade team includes Jake Acord, Austin Green, Ryan Hall, Jason Hastings, Brushawn Hunter, Andrew Kincaid, Blaine Knight, Brian Tackett, Paul Tierney, Brandon Warner, John Winn, Mark Winn, Dylan Wolfe and Brendan Young.
The seventh graders are Logan Allen, Gunnar Burks, Blake Carnahan, Drew Carnahan, Drew Castleberry, Daniel Darbonne, Tanner Ezell, Alex Falco, Nic Feeko, Lawson Fincher, Jordan Gentry, Nic Hardin, Devin Howard, Aaron Orender, Jacob Pipken, Grayson Ruple and Ethan Southard.
The first quarter set the narrative for the eighth grade game as Bryant Blue piled up an 18-3 lead. It was 35-8 by halftime and 42-18 going into the fourth quarter.
“We had 10 players score,” noted Hornets coach Derek McGrew. “The kids played very sharp and they were focused. Our full-court man press was very effective.”
Hunter led the offensive effort with 13 points. Warner added 10. John Winn finished with 8 and Mark Winn 6. Hastings and Hall contributed 3 apiece. Wolf, Tierney, Kincaid and Young scored 2 each.
The seventh grade game was tight early. Bryant Blue led 6-5 after a quarter but revved things up in the second period to establish a 25-12 lead by halftime. It was 30-18 going into the fourth.
Allen paced the team with 11 points. Ezell finished with 8, Burks 7. Pipken and Howard each had 5, Ruple 3 and Castleberry 1.
The eighth grade team returns to action at Conway White on Tuesday, Feb. 1. The seventh grade squad takes on Bryant White at home on Thursday, Feb. 3.
