Sports
Belton Tigers fall to Grey Wolves in overtime, 60-53
Monday, 21 January 2013 by Tony Adams
Braden Hammond goes up for a shot in a recent game. The Tigers fell to Shoemaker in overtime on Tuesday night.KILLEEN-The road has been winding and long for the Tigers in the 2012-2013.
Shoemaker's Paris Yerry made the road four minutes longer for Belton.
After a furious rally by the Tigers in the fourth quarter, Yerry hit a game-tying field goal forcing overtime and helped the Shoemaker Grey Wolves down the Tigers 60-53 in District 8-5A play Tuesday night.
The Grey Wolves charged out to an 11-0 lead to start the game. Braden Hammond, Andre Ewing and Daniel Mills pulled the Tigers back into game with a six-point rally. Shoemaker (17-6, 3-1 in District 8-5A) led after the first quarter 16-12.
Belton forced the issue in the second quarter, but couldn't draw any closer. The Grey Wolves took a 35-28 lead into halftime.
Both teams played a listless third quarter and Shoemaker continued to carry the lead, towing a 43-35 lead into the fourth quarter.
The three-point hammer from Hammond was felt within the first minute of the fourth quarter. The Belton senior scored seven points in the quarter's first minute, four on field goals and on his patented three-point corner bomb. Andre Ewing gave the Tigers' their first lead of the game on an offensive rebound of a missed Hammond jump shot, put-back and drew the foul. Ewing's completion of the three point play the old fashioned way gave Big Red a 47-46 lead, with 3:27 to go in regulation.
"We talked to our kids about effort," Belton coach Charlie Lewis said. "Today, we wanted to leave nothing behind and I think they did a good job of doing that."
Mills helped extend the Tiger lead to six points with a jumper in the lane, as Belton (7-15, 2-2 in District 8-5A) carried the lead into the final minute at 52-46. Shoemaker responded with a clutch basket from Yerry and Nikolas Dawson to pull the Grey Wolves within two points with 15 seconds to play. Shoemaker got the ball back and Yerry, who was 0-for-6 from the three-point arc, opted at the last moment to shoot for the tie and overtime. The shot was successful and the Tiger lead was gone.
In overtime, Shoemaker forced three consecutive Belton turnovers. The Tigers never recovered, being outscored 8-1 in the extra session.
Yerry had 18 points and Shane Johnson scored 17 for the Grey Wolves.
Hammond scored a game-high 19 points for the Tigers. Ewing had 15 points and Mills added 11 for the Tigers.
The Tigers next game is Friday night at Tiger Gym against District 8-5A opponent Waco Midway.
BHS falls to Kangaroos
It really was a tough night on the hardwood for the Belton Tigers boys basketball Friday night.
It was made harder when Killeen punched them in the mouth early and spend all night chasing them, as the Kangaroos outscored the Tigers 25-11 in the first quarter en route to a 64-52 victory. The loss dropped the Tigers to 2-1 in District 8-5A play.
Mikkel Clark and Melvin Anthony shot the Roos out to a 5-0 lead just 48 seconds into the game. After Daniel Mills hit one of two free throws to get the Tigers on the board, field goals by Brian Long and Devyn Williams put Killeen up 9-1. Braden Hammond got Belton (13-11, 2-1) on the board with a three-point basket to get the Tigers to within five points at 9-4.
Belton's frustration started to show, as a play appearing to be a jump ball possession was called as double foul on Long and Andre Ewing. Mills picked up technical foul was called for questioning the call.
"All teams are going to try to get in our heads," said coach Charlie Lewis. "We can't let that happen, and that happened tonight. No player is bigger than the system and I'm going to let him know we are not going to put up with that. If anyone is going to get a technical foul, it's going to be me."
The situation fueled the Kangaroos throughout the rest of the quarter, outscoring 13-7 and leading the Tigers 25-11 at the end of the first quarter.
Long and Mills traded baskets to start the second quarter. Following that trade, the Roos went on a 90 second, 9-0 run on baskets by Anthony, Long, and Devari McCray and pushed Killeen lead out to 20 points at 34-14 with 3:33 to go in the quarter. The Tigers scored one more field through the quarter and trailed 37-18 at the halftime break,
Hammond sparked to the Tigers scoring and comeback attempt in the third quarter, as he netted seven of Belton's 18 points for the quarter. Killeen had the answer for almost every shot in the quarter and the Roos carried a 15-point lead into the fourth quarter, ahead 51-36.
Mills and Juwan Haggins launched the Tigers back into a 5-0, 15 second run to start the fourth quarter to draw the Tigers within 10 points of the Roos at 51-41. Belton got no closer and were sent to their first District 8-5A loss of the season.
Long had 18 points for Killeen and Anthony added 10 points.
Hammond led the Tigers with 18 points. Mills added 16 points for the Tigers.
