Clear Creek Middle School wrapped up its basketball regular season last week against the Lumpkin County Indians and Union County Panthers.
The Bobcats hosted Lumpkin Tuesday, and CCMS seventh graders won 63-29 before the eighth grade lost, 61-36. The Cats made the trip to Union two days later, and Clear Creek’s seventh graders lost for the first time this season, 56-40, while the eighth-grade Cats came out on top, 53-37.
The seventh grade’s win over LCMS came with strong post play by Bobcats Talyn Curtis and Jackson McVey, who scored 21 and 12 points, respectively.
A closely-played first quarter saw CCMS slip ahead 13-12 before opening a 30-19 advantage at the half. Six Bobcats scored in the third as their lead swelled to 50-22 with a quarter to play.
The Cats were not slowed in the fourth, and they increased their lead by five more points by game’s end.
James Wright added eight more points for CCMS, Boston Teague scored six as both J.D. Taylor and Haden West tallied five.
Union hit double-digit scoring in every quarter against the Cats to build a solid lead. UCMS jumped ahead 18-9 after the first and 29-14 at halftime.
The Cats fell behind by 22 at the start of the fourth. CCMS hit two three pointers in the final quarter but were not able to complete the comeback.
Curtis scored 13 points on the day, McVey had eight and Riley Davis and Teague both scored four. Taylor, West, Keegan Bryant all finished with three points and Blane Banks added two more.
For the eighth graders versus Lumpkin, the Indians were led by Cal Faulkner, who scored 25 points.
LCMS led 12-8 after a quarter and 27-19 by the break. A 23-point third allowed Lumpkin to extend its lead to 49-29.
The Indians controlled the fourth as well to come away with a 25-point win.
Kohan Davis led CCMS with 12 points, Ryder Wofford had six, and they were followed by Jacob Becerra, Ethan McCollum and John Ponders who all scored five. Ian Berry added two and Dawson Vanover scored one.
CCMS seized control of the game in the second half versus Union. The Panthers led by five points early before CCMS slipped ahead 21-20 at the half.
Union’s offense struggled in the second half as the Cats continued to score. Four Bobcats posted points in the third, and they extended their lead to 37-27 with a quarter to play.
The Cats maintained their lead in the fourth and added to it for a 16-point win.
Twelve of Becerra’s team high 17 points were scored in the second half. Davis added 13 more and Wofford totaled 11. Ponders scored eight points and Berry added four more.
The eighth-grade Cats will begin the league tournament Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. against Fannin. The seventh-grade Cats have a bye and will play Thursday at 5:30 p.m. All games are at Fannin County Middle School.