Second quarter surge by Dyersburg dooms Choctaws in 13-3A tilt

 



Jason Peevyhouse

Editor, JP Productions Sports



Dyer County dominated the opening eight minutes of action during the District 13-3A boys contest on Friday night in Newbern before a 24-12 second-quarter effort by the Trojans set the tone for the rest of the night as Dyersburg took a halftime lead and never trailed after halftime to take a 65-52 win at Dyer County High School.

“Sometimes it takes us a minute to get our feet week and get acclimated,” Dyersburg Head Coach Blaine Mahaffey said. “It’s a tough place to play.”

“Like we’ve done so many times this year, we just struggled scoring in the second half,” Dyer County Head Coach Derek McCord said. “Jace Ward was really good for them tonight. He hit some tough shots and some big threes.

“Their quickness was the difference in the second half tonight. And, Devin’s foul trouble. When he goes out it’s like a four-point game – that hurt us. They’re a good basketball team and you’ve got to play four quarters.”

Dyer County had the hot hand early, getting a pair of buckets from Devin Hayward as part of an 8-0 run to start the game. Jace Ward broke the run with a bucket but Hayward added a three-pointer and Pereon Isom tossed in a late free throw as the Choctaws took a 12-4 lead after one quarter.

An early Clay Dodds bucket pushed the Dyer County lead to double figures in the second quarter. The Trojans began to battle back, getting buckets from Ward and Jayce Ellerbrook then another from Ward to cut the Dyer County lead to six. Three-pointers from Ward, Cameron Rhines, and AJ Higgins helped cut the Dyer County lead to two points with 2:13 left in the half. Ward then added a jumper and a three-pointer in the span of 27 seconds to give Dyersburg its first lead of the evening at 26-23. A late Travon Smiles bucket extended the Trojan lead to 28-24 heading into the half.

“We had several people step up and make some plays,” Mahaffey added. “Proud of our guys. Coming on the road in our league, it’s always tough.”

Dyersburg was able to extend its lead early then get an 8-3 run with buckets from Higgins, Ward, and Jeff Cobb that were only countered by a Jayden Tyler three-pointer to build a 41-31 lead. Though the Choctaws continued to battle, Dyersburg was able to answer back every step of the way including late scores from Isaiah Thomas and Breyden Turnage to take a 47-37 lead into the final frame.


Dyer County had one last run in them, getting four points each from Hayward and Gauldin to create an 8-0 run and cut the Trojan lead to 47-45 with 4:51 left. But, Ward came up big again as his bucket with 4:14 left in the game sparked a 14-0 run by the Trojans to effectively put the game out of reach and seal the win for the back and gold.

“I thought, without our post player, we did a decent job on Turnage,” McCord added. “He got some buckets there at the end.”

Mahaffey added the factor of it being Dyer County and the rivalry that goes with it is more for the players.

“I think if you talk to Coach McCord and myself, I don’t think this game weighs any more than the rest of them,” the Trojan head coach explained. “Maybe to the kids and maybe to the people a little bit more.

“Maybe if they start giving us two wins, then it might. But, as it is right now, it holds the same weight as any other game. It’s a road win which is hard to come by.”

The win by the Trojans marks the first time either Dyer County or Dyersburg has swept both games of the home-and-home series in the regular season.

Ward led the way for Dyersburg with 26 points while Cobb added 12 in the win.

Hayward led Dyer County with 15 while Tyler tossed in 12. Gauldin added 11 in the loss.

“We’ve had some really good battles and I imagine it’ll continue to be that way,” Mahaffey added.

“Appreciative of our students that came,” Mahaffey said. “I thought we had a great student section on the road. I am proud of our guys. We’ve had some tough days and they just keep showing up. We’re getting better.”

Dyersburg hosts South Gibson in a District 13-3A matchup on Tuesday in the Terry Glover Gymnasium. Meanwhile, Dyer County remains at home on Tuesday when the Choctaws host Obion County Central.


“We’ve just got to take them one at a time,” McCord added. “We’ve just got to put four quarters together. Tonight we played really well for two-and-a half, three quarters.

“But, we still struggled scoring. We’ve got to still score balls and run offense in the second half.”



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