Wildcats post win over Hamilton County at Harrisburg tourney
The Anna-Jonesboro High School boys’ basketball team finished with a 2-2 record at last week’s Harrisburg Preview Tournament.
Goreville 71, A-J 51: The Wildcats remained within striking distance until the final quarter against the second place Blackcats in the loss Saturday, Dec. 3.
Goreville led 15-14 after one quarter and 32-28 at the half. The Blackcats went on a run in the third quarter that the Wildcats just couldn’t keep up with. A-J was outscored 39-23 in the second half.
Brady Wright scored 22 points and had 10 rebounds to lead the Wildcats. Travis Smith added 12 points and 2 rebounds. Jay Kemp scored 7 points and had 3 rebounds, Cody Garver, 5 points and a rebound; Jarid Veronesi, 3 points and 4 rebounds and Andrew Nixon, 2 points and 4 rebounds.
A-J was 12 of 27 from 2-point range, 3 of 17 from 3-point range and 18 of 20 from the free throw line.
A-J 58, Hamilton County 55: Wright and Smith each scored 20 points to lead the Wildcats to their second victory of the season Friday, Dec. 2.
Veronesi added 7 points, Garver 5, Kemp 4 and Tyler Vaughn and Caleb Mixen 2 each.
A-J led 8-7 after one quarter and 29-22 at the half. The Wildcats were ahead 46-34 going into the into the final period.
The Wildcats were 18 of 31 from 2-point range, 4 of 14 from 3-point range and 10 of 15 from the free throw line.
Harrisburg 62, A-J 28: The Bulldogs raced to a first quarter lead on their way to the win Wednesday, Nov. 30.
Harrisburg led 13-7 after one quarter and 33-13 at halftime. The Bulldogs were in front 46-17 at the end of the third period.
Wright scored 12 points to lead the Wildcats. Smith and Vaughn had 5 points each and Kemp, Garver and Evan Hughey scored 2 each.
The Wildcats were 10 of 24 from 2-point range, 2 of 14 from 3-point range and 2 of 10 from the charity stripe.
The Wildcats won their opening game of the tournament when Wright hit a shot just before the buzzer sounded to beat Carmi-White Co. 49-47.
A-J, 2-2, was to have played at Cobden on Tuesday and is home today, Thursday, against Du Quoin to open Southern Illinois River-to-River Mississippi Division action.