Dawgs Roll Over Owls, 52-37
By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter
ANDERSON – As the 2016-2017 basketball season begins to wind down, the Crockett Bulldogs are beginning to peak as they prepare to head into the postseason. Crockett is currently sitting alone in second place in District 21-3A and if things stay the way they are, after the Dawgs 52-37 win over the Anderson-Shiro Owls, they will likely face the Newton Eagles in a Bi-District matchup.
First things first, however. The Dawgs hit the road on Tuesday for a game against the Owls and did just enough to win. They looked sharp at times but also appeared to be looking ahead to their Friday night game against the district leading Hempstead Bobcats.
Crockett jumped out to 15-6 first quarter lead against Anderson-Shiro and never looked back. Allen Horace paced the Dawgs with six points in the period while Drew Corry netted four. A.J. Owens dropped in three and Lucky Daniels had two.
The Owls got their points from Addison Hesterman with four and Andrew Pullen with two.
In the second quarter, the two teams both put up 11 to make the halftime score 26-17, in favor of Crockett. Tyrese Anderson dropped in four during the period while B.J. Anderson knocked down a 3-pointer. Owens connected for two as both Horace and Harvey Stewart converted one of two from the line.
Darius Bookman scored a pair of baskets for the Owls during the second quarter and was joined in the Anderson-Shiro point production by three teammates – Hesterman, Pullen and Josh Mancuso with two apiece. Tre Hightower also joined in on the Owl scoring as he made one of two from the charity stripe.
After the break, Owls managed to whittle the nine point deficit down to four as Hightower put up eight in the quarter while Willie Brooks dropped in four as both Pullen and Dillon Hesterman added two.
The Dawgs points came from both Daniels and Owens with four. Horace netted two and Marcus Smith made one of two from the line to help keep Crockett ahead by a score of 37-33 with eight minutes remaining.
Defense was the name of the game in the fourth quarter as Crockett held Anderson-Shiro to four total points on baskets from Hightower and Pullen.
The Dawgs, meanwhile, pulled away as Jurmond Wooten poured in eight. Daniels made three of four from the line, Stewart added two as both T. Anderson and Keshaun Smotherman converted a free throw as Crockett held on for the 52-37 win.
The Owls were led in scoring by Tre Hightower with 11 points and Andrew Pullen with eight. Addison Hesterman dropped in six, Darius Bookman and Willie Brooks both had four while Dillon Hesterman and Josh Mancuso added two apiece.
Crockett was led by three players – Lucky Daniels, Allen Horace and A.J. Owens – with nine points apiece. Jurmond Wooten dropped in eight, Tyrese Anderson netted five and Drew Corry had four. Both B.J. Anderson and Harvey Stewart had three while Keshaun Smotherman had one to round out the Crockett scoring.
Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].
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