Clear Creek Middle School basketball returned to the court last week after Thanksgiving break.
The Bobcats were in Dahlonega Monday to take on Lumpkin County. The seventh graders were up first, and the Cats won 51-38, while CCMS eighth graders lost, 47-37.
Clear Creek was at home Thursday versus archrival Pickens. The visiting Dragons won the seventh- and eighth-grade games by respective scores of 34-31 and 60-50.
The Lady Cats hosted Lumpkin Monday and won both. The seventh grade got a 36-34 victory, and the eighth graders won, 44-38. Pickens secured two home wins three days later. CCMS seventh graders were defeated, 43-32, and eighth graders lost, 50-48.
Bobcats
Seventh-grade Bobcats Peyton Chancey, Andrew Chastain, Preston McVey, Chaz Curtis and Jase McCollum all scored for CCMS in the first quarter versus Lumpkin, and they were joined by A.J. Callihan and Douglas Callihan in the second.
The Cats doubled the Indians’ scoring output in the second quarter and led 24-16 at the half. LCMS cut the deficit to 35-28 entering the fourth where both Chancey and Douglas Callihan scored six points to help propel CCMS to victory.
Chancey, McVey and Douglas Callihan all scored 10 points, A.J. Callihan added nine, while the trio of Chastain, Curtis and McCollum all finished with four.
CCMS fell behind by four points in the first quarter versus Pickens but rebounded for a 25-22 lead at the break after PCMS only scored four points in the second quarter.
The Cats were up 25-22 entering the fourth. Pickens got hot enough from outside with a pair of three pointers, which proved to be the difference in the six-point loss.
CCMS points were scored by Douglas Callihan (10), McVey and Chancey (six), A.J. Callihan (four), Chastain (three) and McCollum (two).
CCMS eighth graders fell behind by seven versus LCMS after a quarter. A pair of Jaden Sevcech three pointers allowed the Cats to cut into that slightly by halftime down, 25-19.
The Indians doubled the Cats’ scoring once again in the third, and the 13-point margin was too much for CCMS to erase over the final seven minutes.
Boston Teague led the way for CCMS with 13 points, Sevcech scored eight and Connor Nelson added seven.
Teague was there for 25 points versus Pickens three days later. He accounted for 16 of 24 points through a half. After falling behind 13-6, CCMS closed out the first quarter with an 8-0 run.
Pickens trailed 14-13 but erupted for 25 points in the second. The Dragons’ offense got a boost with four three pointers to lead 38-24 at the half.
Bobcat Keegen Bryant tallied eight of his 13 points in the third. PCMS continued its steady scoring for a 51-36 edge after a third and held on to win by 10.
Lady Cats
Sarah Dale scored 14 points against Lumpkin and Jaylee McDaniel was there for 11 more. The Cats pulled ahead 12-8 after the first and were still up by four at the half, 20-16. The Cats extended their lead to 30-23 with seven minutes to play, and while LCMS did outscore CCMS in the fourth, its comeback bid fell short.
Pickens slipped ahead in the first quarter 16-9 and maintained a 25-17 edge by the break. While Dale was there for nine points in the third, CCMS only tallied one more. CCMS was down 34-27 and its offense slowed in the fourth and Pickens claimed the win.
Dale led the Cats with 16 points and McDaniel added nine.
CCMS eighth graders played an even first quarter against Lumpkin. Bree Burnette, Chelsey Griggs and Gracie Pritchett handled all of the scoring in the second as CCMS opened a 25-14 lead at halftime.
The teams matched each other point for point again in the third. While LCMS outscored the Cats 12-7 in the fourth, it was not enough to eclipse the Cats’ 11-point lead.
Burnette finished with 15 points, Pritchett added 12 and Griggs tallied 11.
Pickens’ Ellison Steinhauer accounted for 35 of the Dragonettes’ 50 points. Pritchett was there for 20 points for the Cats.
PCMS led 14-13 after the first, but a 16-point second quarter saw the Cats open a 29-25 lead at halftime.
Each team totaled 13 points in the third. PCMS outpaced the Cats 12-6 in the fourth to snag a two-point win.
Burnette added 13 points for CCMS, Griggs had nine, and Gracie Gaitanaglou scored four.