Devils And Indians Battle To A Split In Kingsport

Girls:
Greeneville 52 – Dobyns Bennett 48

Greeneville’s Lady Devils relied on a strong defensive effort Friday night at the Buck Van Huss Dome to build scoring opportunities in the first half, then held on late to fend off a second-half rally and defeat the Dobyns-Bennett Lady Indians, 52–48.

“I always tell my players you can never have a big enough lead,” said Greeneville coach Annette Watts. “I thought our defense kind of slacked off in the second half, and our defense is what we win on. It was a good lesson for us to stick to our guns and do what we do to pull out a win.”

The Lady Devils jumped out to a 13–5 lead after the first quarter behind five points from Maria Lyde and four from Julia Woolsey. Greeneville held Dobyns-Bennett to a 2-for-10 shooting performance, with Reese Haselton hitting a three-pointer and Carlee Cradic adding the lone field goal.

Greeneville extended the lead to 28–9 by halftime after shooting 6-for-11 from the field and capitalizing on transition opportunities. Lyde, who finished with a double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds, scored 10 in the quarter and was a dominant force attacking the basket.

“For us to hit Maria in stride is big, because she isn’t going to miss,” Watts added. “She’s only a whopping 5-foot-9, so it’s hard for her to shoot over those big girls when we walk it down.”

Just when it appeared the Lady Devils might run away with the game, Dobyns-Bennett found its rhythm. After shooting a combined 4-for-26 in the first half, the Lady Indians caught fire in the third quarter, knocking down four three-pointers and trimming the deficit to 42–30. Sally McReynolds, who was held scoreless in the first half led the comeback with 8 points while Haselton added 6.

Dobyns-Bennett then opened the fourth quarter on a 14–2 run to tie the game at 44–44. The teams traded baskets down the stretch, but Greeneville managed to survive in the end. Matea Gray hit several key shots and finished with nine points, while Brylee Tullock and Woolsey added eight apiece.

Dobyns-Bennett placed three players in double figures, led by Haselton’s 15 points. McReynolds and Cradic followed with 12 points each.

Boys:
Dobyns Bennett 77 – Greeneville 67

Greeneville battled Dobyns-Bennett tooth and nail for three quarters Friday night, but a decisive 19–7 run in the second quarter proved to be the difference as the Indians pulled away for a 77–67 victory.

The opening period featured back-and-forth action, with Dobyns-Bennett holding a slim 16–11 advantage. TJ Maxwell knocked down two three-pointers to score six points in the quarter, followed by Tyree Thomas with five and Kaden Cutlip with four. Greeneville was led by Yordan Mills with five points, while Zyaire Neal and Ryan Maggert added three apiece.

Dobyns-Bennett used a balanced offensive attack in the second quarter, shooting 7-for-12 from the field while holding Greeneville to just 3-for-10 shooting. The surge pushed the Indians’ lead to 35–18 at halftime.

Greeneville refused to go away, cutting the deficit to single digits late in the game by outscoring Dobyns-Bennett 49–42 over the final two quarters, including a 30-point fourth quarter. However, the early damage proved too much to overcome.

Dobyns-Bennett’s offense was led by a balanced scoring effort, with five players reaching double figures. Maxwell paced the Indians with 17 points, followed by Henry Hill with 15. Cutlip and Tyree Thomas finished with 13 points each, while Jones rounded out the scoring with 10.

Greeneville also placed three players in double figures, led by Claridy’s 17 points. Mills added 16, and Parker Quillen closed out the night with 12.