Worth County’s boys held off a frantic Albany rally in the fourth quarter after building up a 16 point lead and held on to win 41-31. Caleb New had 15 points for the Tigers on offense and Brayden Combs took a key charge on defense to kill the Warrior rally in the fourth.
Worth County came into the game with a 3-0 record and momentum after their overtime win over King City. But Albany, after a slow start, was on a red hot streak, having won their last four games. They talked Curtis Cox, their long-time boys basketball coach, into coming out of retirement; the Warriors are sure to be a nightmare for opposing coaches in coming years. They are already back to playing suffocating man-to-man defense, constant movement on offense, not giving up easily, and not backing down from anyone. The result was a defensive slugfest in which Worth County was able to make a few more plays than Albany, while the Warriors will look back on their 3 for 13 showing from the line and wonder what might have been.
The first quarter belonged to the Tigers as Brock Healy started them off with a 3-pointer and Hayden Sanders got a drive to make it 5-2. Barrett Worrell’s free throws cut the Warrior deficit to 5-4, but then Caleb New scored off a drive and then cleaned up after a Brayden Combs steal. Ryder Smyser got loose in transition after a Jordan Dannar steal to make it 11-4. Jace Palmer cut inside to cut it to 11-6, but Caleb New countered with a pair of free throws to make it 13-6 after one.
The Warriors made a push to get back in the game in the second as Daulton Worrell went backdoor and then hit a free throw. He missed the second, but Jace Palmer got the putback to make it 13-11.
But then Albany went on an eight-minute scoring drought as Worth County built up a double-digit lead after Hayden Sanders took a charge on defense on a possession in which Albany could have tied or taken the lead. Brock Healy scored off a drive and then added a guarded three to make it 18-11. Ryder Smyser scored from inside, and Hayden Sanders and Jordan Dannar scored off drives to put the Tigers up 23-11 at the half.
Caleb New connected from inside to start the third quarter to make it 25-11 before Shae Miller broke the Warrior drought and Daulton Worrell followed with a drive to make it 25-15.
The Tiger margin stood between 10 and 12 before Caleb New cleaned up after missing a runner and Hayden Sanders hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to make it 32-17. Albany had their chances to answer, but missed six straight free throws in the quarter. Caleb New’s free throw to start the fourth gave Worth County its biggest lead at 33-17.
But then Daulton Worrell finally got one to go down after picking up a carom and Barrett Worrell added a 3-pointer. Daulton Worrell scored off a drive to make it 33-24. Jace Palmer then added a 3-pointer to make it 33-27, Albany got the ball back, and Palmer had an drive down the left baseline and an apparent score that would have made it four. But the basket was wiped off, and Palmer was called for a charge as Brayden Combs had stepped in perfectly and taken the charge on defense to kill the rally.
Hayden Sanders then hit a tough shot in the high post with a hand in his face to make it three possessions again at 35-27. Albany missed some chances to answer, and as they were swarming and pressing, Hayden Sanders drove through four Warrior defenders and found Ryder Smyser all alone to make it 37-27.
Barrett Worrell hit a shot from the wing, Brock Healy went one for two from the line, and Daulton Worrell scored off a drive with 45 seconds left to make it 38-31 and a chance to convert a three-point play. But his free throw went astray, and Worth County ran off 20 seconds before Albany could get them fouled. Brock Healy made one of two from the line, and Caleb New hit two free throws at the end to clinch it.
Caleb New had 15 for the Tigers. Brock Healy had 10, Hayden Sanders 8, Ryder Smyser 6, and Jordan Dannar 2. The Tigers were 3 for 17 from the 3-point line, 8 for 12 from the free throw line, and 12 for 31 from inside the arc for a total of 15 for 48 from the field.
Ryder Smyser and Brock Healy had 8 boards. Caleb New had 6, Brayden Combs and Jordan Dannar 2, and Dylan Smith and Hayden Sanders with 1.
Jordan Dannar had 3 assists. Brock Healy had 2, and Brayden Combs, Hayden Sanders, and Ethan Lininger had 1.
Brock Healy had 2 steals. Brayden Combs, Hayden Sanders, Jordan Dannar, and Caleb New had 1.
Brock Healy, Jordan Dannar, and Ryder Smyser had 1 block.
Brock Healy, Hayden Sanders, and Jordan Dannar had 3 tips. Brayden Combs and Ryder Smyser had 2 and Caleb New had 1.
The girls were not so fortunate as they were ice cold from the field, shooting 13 for 44 in a 45-30 loss to Albany. They were 1 for 12 from the 3-point line, 12 for 32 from inside the arc, and only made four trips to the line, converting three.
Kambree Briner had 10 points for the Tigers. Megan Tracy had 7, Audrey Runde 6, Kristen Tracy 4, and Rylee Ruckman 3.
Audrey Runde had 5 rebounds for the Tigers. Kristen Tracy had 4, Rylee Ruckman 3, and Megan Tracy, Kambree Briner, Kennedy Murphy, and Keira Hardy 2.
Kambree Briner had 5 assists and Megan Tracy 3.
Megan Tracy had 2 steals. Rylee Ruckman, Keira Hardy, and Kristen Tracy had 1.
Kristen Tracy had 2 blocks and Rylee Ruckman 1.
Kambree Briner had 4 tips. Kristen Tracy had 2, and Audrey Runde and Keira Hardy had 1.
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