By Staff
Scot Beard
RED BAY – The Phil Campbell seventh and eighth grade boys basketball team struggled early during the opening game of the 2009 Franklin County Junior High Basketball Tournament, but was able to pull away for a 32-29 victory against Vina.
The Red Devils began the game on a 6-0 run before Phil Campbell tied the score. Vina's Nicki Miller scored before the end of the first quarter to give the Red Devils an 8-6 lead heading into the second period.
The Bobcats took their first lead of the game when Colton Vickery scored, drew a foul and hit his free throw. Both teams swapped the lead before Vina took a 14-12 lead into halftime.
There were three lead changes in the third quarter, but the Red Devils emerged with a 19-17 lead.
With the game tied 21-21, Phil Campbell's Jamie Dorah drained a 3-pointer to reclaim the lead for good. Vina's Andrew Hester scored and converted a free throw to tie the game 26-26, but Nathan Duncan broke the tie for Phil Campbell.
Austin Jones added a couple of scores for the Bobcats to push the lead to 32-26.
Hester hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead in half. A traveling call against Phil Campbell on the ensuing inbound attempt gave Vina a chance to tie the game with 3.9 seconds remaining, but the shot fell short.
Jones and Dorah each scored a game-high 12 points for the Bobcats while Vickery added six points and Duncan scored two points.
Tyler Hammock led the Red Devils with 10 points while Hester scored nine. Miller added four points while Bradley Brooks and Ashton Hamm scored three points each.
With the win Phil Campbell advances to the semifinals. The Bobcats will face Belgreen at 11 a.m. Saturday at Red Bay High School.