The Catholic Rockets freshman team shot 61 percent from the field for the game and put together a 20-5 surge in the second half to break open a close game on the way to a 47-34 win over the Bryant Hornets freshmen at Bryant Middle School gym Thursday night.
The Hornets held a 24-23 lead with 3:47 left in the third quarter before Catholic went on its rampage. Over the rest of the third quarter, the Rockets outscored them 14-4 with Bryant’s lone points coming on baskets by Tristan Calhoun and Sam Chumley.
It was 37-28 going into the final period. The Rockets put together a 6-1 push before Brandon Hill’s three-point play produced Bryant’s first field goal of the fourth quarter at the 2:51 mark.
But the Hornets couldn’t get closer than 11 points as the Rockets spread the floor and patiently waited for avenues to the basket.
Chumley wound up with 9 points and Luke Curtis had 6. Brandon Murray, Calhoun and Brooks Ellis finished with 4 each. Bryant shot 33 percent from the floor.
Catholic had three players in double figures and another with 9. Van Noy had 15, Austin Alsbrook and Christopher Elser 10 each. Blake Schluterman finished with 9.
The Hornets led early. A layup by Murray, a free throw by Jake Forst and a drive by Curtis made it 5-4.
But the Rockets scored the next 6 points. Ellis made it 10-7 in the final minute of the period. It was 11-7 going into the second quarter.
Free throws by Calhoun and Antonio Todd cut it to 11-10 and, after two free throws for Catholic, Chumley drained a 3 to make it 13-13.
But a 10-4 surge by the Rockets created a 6-point edge before Ellis scored off the offensive glass at the buzzer to make it 23-19 at the intermission.
When the second half started, Chumley connected on his second triple and off a block by Curtis, Murray drove for a layup to put Bryant up 24-23. After a Catholic turnover, the Hornets had a chance to increase the lead but came up empty on a trip to the free-throw line.
That’s when the Rockets started their game-breaking run.
The game was the final one at home for the Hornets who return to action on Monday at Russellville then close out the season by visiting Cabot Red on Feb. 12 and Conway White on Thursday, Feb. 19.
ROCKETS 47, HORNETS 34
Score by quarters
Catholic 11 12 14 10 — 47
BRYANT 7 12 9 6 — 34
ROCKETS 47
Alsbrook 3-6 4-4 10, Allison 1-1 0-0 2, Scheldknecht 0-0 0-0 0, Van Noy 6-9 3-3 15, Elser 5-7 0-1 10, Funk 0-1 1-2 1, Chase 0-1 0-0 0, Roe 0-1 0-0 0, Schulterman 4-5 0-2 9, Brown 0-0 0-0 0, Gulley 0-0 0-0 0, Sanders 0-0 0-0 0, Burney 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-31 8-12 47.
HORNETS 34
Murray 2-4 0-0 4, Chumley 3-5 1-2 9, Forst 0-1 1-2 1, Curtis 3-3 0-2 6, Ellis 2-5 0-0 4, Calhoun 1-14 2-2 4, Moody 0-2 0-0 0, Sandidge 0-0 0-0 0, Hill 2-5 1-1 5, Todd 0-1 1-2 1, Shirlee 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 13-40 6-11 34.
Three-point field goals: Bryant 2-11 (Chumley 2-3, Calhoun 0-6, Murray 0-1, Forst 0-1), Catholic 1-3 (Schulterman 1-1, Alsbrook 0-1, Van Noy 0-1). Turnovers: Bryant 12, Catholic 14. Rebounds: Bryant 9-11 20 (Curtis 3-1 4, Calhoun 1-3 4, Chumley 0-2 2, Ellis 1-1 2, Sandidge 0-2 2, Hill 1-1 2, Todd 2-0 2, Forst 1-0 1, Moody 0-1 1), Catholic 6-18 24 (Van Noy 1-8 9, Alsbrook 1-2 3, Elser 1-2 3, Schulterman 1-2 3, Allison 1-1 2, Chase 1-1 2, Funk 0-1 1, Roe 0-1 1). Team fouls: Bryant 12, Catholic 6.
