The Hill – Bryce Smoot matched his season high of 32 points and Isaiah Easter added 18 points in leading Carroll County High School to 6-0 on the season. The team completed the season sweep of Fort Chiswell Friday night, defeating the Pioneers 76-66.
Bryce Smoot evenly divided his points by scoring 16 in each half and Easter was equally effective from start to finish. The third Cavalier to reach double figures was Ethan Richardson and naturally he scored his 10 points by netting five in each half.
The team has now completed the first quarter of the season at a perfect 6-0 and what better way could there be for Head Coach Anthony Barnes and his squad to celebrate the Christmas break.
” Well 6-0 , playing a tough Fort group that never goes away, I really believe one of the keys to us winning was the large turn out of students and Cavalier Nation.,” Barnes said. I told the guys that this shows them and us as coaches that we have this program headed in the direction. We started slow again but finally started to get into transition and at the rim , Bryce continues to get to the rim and finish or get to the line , we still gotta be more effective with an offense set. “
The crowd was indeed in a festive mood after the Cavaliers played away from The Hill since opening night. Many in the house were wearing Christmas decor which added to the evening.
The only time the Cavaliers stubbed their toe came at the start of the third quarter. Leading 37-32 at the break, CCHS was stuck in neutral for a stretch that allowed Fort Chiswell to take a 38-37 lead.
What followed was quite possibly the best stretch of basketball that the Cavaliers have played this season. Bryce Smoot started the 13-2 run with a 3-pointer, a steal and assist to a streaking Richardson for two, Easter with a basket, Brayden Smoot with a free throw, Richardson with a 3 and finally Easter with a steal and length of the court lay up. All while only allowing one Pioneer basket.
FCHS would scrap and battle the rest of the evening to stay in the game but the 50-40 advantage of ten would remain intact until the end of the contest. While Bryce Smoot scoring 32 was not something new this season the effort on both ends from Easter could be a sign of things to come.
” Easter has a really nice rounded game on both ends of the floor finishing with 18. Ethan drops a quiet 10 with again stuff on defensive end that don’t hit stat line,” added Barnes. “Puckett and Reavis still giving us great minutes. I felt like we never got in 4th gear this game but told them I personally wanted to go into Christmas tournament 6-0 and the done just that. HOW ABOUT THEM CAVS !”
All 12 Cavaliers played and eight scored at least two points.
Hayden Jackson had himself a night in the Junior Varsity game as CCHS evened its mark at 3-3 with a wire to wire victory over Fort. Jackson netted 19 and was joined in double figures by matching 11 point efforts from Colton Gravely and Dane Leonard in the 53-36 victory.
Both teams will enjoy Christmas and then head up US-52 to compete in a 3-Day tournament at Fort Chiswell. The games will be played on the 27th, 28th and 30th.
A.S.P.N on The Hill 