Clear Creek Middle School’s basketball teams hit the court for rivalry games against the Fannin County Rebels last Monday.
The Lady Cats both came out ahead on the day. The seventh graders downed FCMS 39-38 while the eighth-grade Cats won, 41-22.
Grace Bramlett and Bree Burnette led the eighth-grade Cats with 13 and nine points, respectively. Fannin had a sluggish first half and struggled with the Cats’ press while they built a 15-7 advantage.
CCMS put the game away in the third quarter with four different players contributing points.
Both Madison Bradshaw and Burnette hit three pointers for CCMS, and Aliza Chastain and Bramlett were there for points as well. The Cats’ lead swelled to 32-11 with a quarter to play.
Fannin was able to find some offensive footing over the final eight minutes of the game. However, the Cats were up for the task and never let the Rebels get close en route to a 19-point win.
“We came out pretty strong,” CCMS coach Jessica Hensley said. “We were in a press, and my guards were pretty aggressive and we made them turn the ball over a good bit. I wouldn’t say it was our best game, but we were consistent.
“We put in a new press this year, and I feel like that’s helping us stay alive for the most part.”
Remaining eighth-grade scorers included Bradshaw (seven), Carly Becerra and Julibelle Queen (four each) and Chastain and Kamryn Baxter (two apiece).
The seventh-grade Lady Cats were in a tight game versus Fannin and held on at the end. CCMS led 11-7 after a quarter and 23-21 at halftime.
In the third, points from Chelsey Griggs, Gracie Pritchett, Sarah Dale, Madison Hall and Jaylee McDaniel helped the Cats push their lead to 35-26 entering the fourth.
CCMS held a late lead and Fannin drew within a point with less than a minute to play. An ensuing Lady Cat turnover gave the Rebels an opportunity to tie or pull ahead, but they were held in check by the Cats.
“I’m extremely happy with the win,” Hensley said. “They kept fighting and battling and hung in there.”
Griggs led CCMS with 11 points, McDaniel added seven, Addie Vick, Dale and Hall each scored six as Burnette and Pritchett tallied two points and one point, respectively.
The seventh- and eighth-grade Bobcats’ game information was not available by Monday’s press deadline.