I wish that I could tell people that creating a story in the manner that I do just happens but that would be lying.
Yesterday afternoon, with the tip of the Junior Varsity Boys 👦 game until a few minutes ago is what it took to try and send off our four Basketball 🏀 teams with the amount of respect that I believe that they have earned.
Minus ➖ a two hour nap and the 25 minute drive to the Airport in St George, the mindset was to send off our Basketball teams with elegance. I hope that I accomplished just that and I equally hope that this next flight ✈️ includes a NAP.
When the Hoops season started it was my plan to hang out with my Friend and Neighbor, Kris Richardson and provide coverage for his Middle School Girls team and then move on. A couple of twists and turns altered the game plan and anything worth doing has to be done ✔ at 100% commitment…
We board in a few minutes so, fingers crossed 🤞. I will check for Swim 🏊♂️ updates on the other side !
Glenvar High School needed overtime Wednesday night to defeat Carroll County, 82 -78 and the heartbreaking💔 setback has Anthony Barnes and our Cavaliers hoping 🙏 for an invitation to the Regional tournament. The team should receive word shortly if they have qualified as the 8th seed.
The Region is once again stacked with talented teams, top to bottom, but an always optimistic Barnes would welcome the opportunity to play David to a top – seeded Goliath in the quarterfinals.
” This one could have went either way, they just made shots at the end ,long 3’s contested,” said Arnes. ” We played really hard all night, executed our game plan on offense had opportunity to win it in regulation, didn’t get the look we needed but got it off, the run they had in the 3rd quarter hurt us in that stretch, we had way too many unforced turnovers after half 10 of them to count. I told them pregame we could not let them shoot and make more than 10 3’s and we win and they knocked down 16 too our 10, six point swing lost by 4.”
Reed played the game of his young career and looked like he was ready to take the torch of team leader from the group of Seniors that are set to graduate 🎓 later this spring. Two of the Juniors classmates were still out of the lineup as both Colton Gravley and Hayden Jackson were injured down the stretch as the weather forced the team to play seven games in just over one week.
A season that started with Darian Brown leading the Middle School Boys might indeed be over but its a safe bet that the five who have possibly played their last game as Cavaliers, are hoping that is not the case.
What was equally impressive about the number of 3-pointers that Glenvar made was how they scored in bunches at every point that it appeared Carroll County could pull away.
“Isiah Easter 23pts,13 rebounds, Blake Reed his biggest night of the year 33pts,4 Reb, 3 steals 4 blocks. Trace 10, 6 rebounds,” added Barnes. ” Usually when you put that many guys in double figures you win, both teams can’t win in a shootout like this , now we wait and see if we get in Friday in the seeding. Proud of my guys fight and effort and never giving up. Very thankful for a group of great Coaches dedicated and passionate about the program. Go Cavs !”
If the team earns a trip to the post season tournament we will be there to cover it for them. If not, know that Isaiah Easter, Kyle Bunn, Trace Reavis, IsaiahLeagans and Landon Phillips wore the uniform with Pride and representEd the program with Class. But then again, that is the only way it gets done under the guidance of Barnes and Jason Stockner.
Ryan Phillips completed his initial season as Head Coach of the Junior Varsity team last night as well. Phillips will now turn his attention to Bill Worrell Field as the Assistant JV coach to Adam Nester.
The team hung with their hosts until late in the third quarter before falling to a barrage of hot 🔥 shooting.
The future of the team will focus on which players put in the work during the off-season in hopes of joining the six returning players on Varsity. Reed, Gravley, Jackson, Landon Kinder and Eli Lark will form the core alongside Will Motley.
The emotions of the evening were highly predictable as the community said its goodbyes to the indoor versions of Madison Coleman and Callie Harris on Senior Night. Coleman will now lace up her cleats and roam the outfield for Head Coach Rick Nester at Cavalier Park while Harris will take to the Pitch at Tommy Thompson Field for her Sister, Adrienne Harris McGuire.
Yes, we knew that both families would be reminiscent and that the crowd would be there to soak in the pre-game festivities. But what we didn’t know is just how stimulating a contest was about to take place between Carroll County and the Highlanders of Glenvar.
Hailey Cushman and her talented group of Junior Varsity players finished up with the school high-water mark for victories with 12. But the fact that Glenvar did not field a JV team this season, the future Kiddos missed out on two things. They missed out on wins 13 & 14 but also missed out on getting to set the stage for the grand finale.
Glenvar High School runs very Hot 🔥 and Cold 🥶 with their Athletic teams as they tend to challenge for State Championships or struggle to be competitive. Girls Basketball is a great example of this as the team entered the night with a mark of 0-20 on the year.
CCHS is in a major rebuild process with its flagship program and Head Coach Howard Mayo returned to the place where he began his Hall of Fame career to handle the reboot. I cannot imagine someone who is more qualified than Mayo to handle the AD portion of Lady Cavalier Basketball, with the AD standing for After Dynasty.
Later tonight, Alyssa Ervin will lace up her sneakers 👟 down in Greenville, South Carolina where Furman University is set to host Samford University. Ervin was a generational talent and played with some impressive teammates. Mayo is tasked with finding the right combination of players that will allow the program to return to its place in the Basketball world 🌎 that is the Three Rivers District.
Mayo is old school and has won at every stop ✋ along the way. Pretty sure he is going to get the mission accomplished and he has surrounded himself with a boat 🚢 load of Basketball junkies with ties to the program. Cushman, Assistant Coach Kayla Nester, Middle School Coach Kris Richardson and AAU workaholic, Brandi Cochran Mitchell all have deep roots with Lady Cavaliers hoops.
Carroll County was looking for away to both send off the duo and have everyone who will be returning leave on a positive note 📝. The challenge was playing against a team that desperately wanted to secure its first and only victory on the season.
Both teams had their moments in the first half and the Lady Cavaliers finished up with a 26 – 25 lead. The fact that the game was competitive was not a surprise as the first time around up at Glenvar, the game was up for grabs until the very end.
Unfortunately, the Cavs offense hit a speed bump in the third quarter and Glenvar made the most of their opportunity. The visitors outscored Carroll County 14 – 5 in the third quarter and their largest lead was nine.
The fourth quarter comeback was such an answered prayer 🙏 because of it being the lasting memory that the returning players would have for their off season workouts. RayleGoins & Laynie-Jo Leonard led the team in scoring on the night and here is how the team erased a nine point deficit!! Eight down to start the 4th…
Opening possession, Bree Campbell Zendejas finds Aaliyah Hampton for a lay-up!
7:06 – Hampton goes 1 of 2 from the Free Throw line.
5:39 – Coleman with a lay-up
5:15 – CC Mitchell goes 1 of 2 at Line, we rebound the miss and Campbell – Zendejas finds Coleman for a lay-up !
4: 28 – Hampton jumper from Coleman
Tied at 41
1:51 – Campbell – Zendejas with a lay-up and we lead by 1
1:37 – Glenvar banked in a 3-pointer and now we trail by 2. We commit two turnovers and its look like the end of the line.
Not so fast my friend, in my Lee Corso voice… After a Glenvar free throw pushed their lead to 46 – 43, Leonard scored an And One to tie the game at 46!!!
The final play was almost the perfect ending. We forced a miss and Harris grabbed the defensive rebound and looked to go end to end. The shot bounced off the rim but Raylee Goins grabbed the board and was fouled on the play.
Goins missed both free throws at 0:21.5 but instead of dropping her head, the Sophomore simply stole the ball right back and gave us the lead 48-46, scoring 2 the old fashioned way.
Coleman sealed the deal by pilfering the ball and the Lady Cavaliers ran out the clock ⏰. Gabby probably never been so proud of her Kiddo stealing something in her life.
Coach Mayo offered his thoughts on the evening :
“We showed a lot of toughness tonight coming back from a 8 point deficit in the 4th quarter. We got contributions from multiple players. Raylee Goins had a double double with 14 points and 11 rebounds .
Laynie Jo Leonard come off the bench and provides a spark with 11 points. I am glad we were able to send our seniors off with a victory. We wish Callie and Madison the best in their future endeavors.”
Glenvar HS. 7 18 (25) 14 (39) 7 – 46
Carroll County 8 18 (26) 5 (31) 17 -48
Sometimes a win is just a win, other times its a building block !!
Thank You Coach Mayo, Coach Cushman and Coach Richardson ➕ everyone who helped you all this season !
A.S.P.N on The Hill 