Maston, Cameron Power Tyner Past Hixson, 69-60

Rams Subdue Wildcats In District 6-AA Opener

  • Tuesday, November 25, 2014
  • Larry Fleming

When Darren Maston transferred from Ooltewah to Tyner prior to last season, he was a role player on a team that had eight talented, experienced seniors.

Now, Maston is being asked to fill an expanded role as a scorer and leader.

He did both rather well Tuesday night as Tyner opened the 2014-15 season with a 69-60 District 6-AA victory over Hixson on the Wildcats’ floor.

The win completed a Tyner sweep as the Lady Rams won the opener, 55-35.

Maston’s quick three-bucket spree early in the fourth quarter helped the Rams stretch a six-point lead into a 57-46 advantage with 6:23 left.

That gave Tyner the security it needed and the Wildcats got no closer than seven points the rest of the way.

“He’s capable of doing that,” Rams coach Gerald Harris said, referring to Maston’s three goals in a span of 1 minute and 37 seconds. “He’s a big-time player and we’re trying to get him to play a lot more aggressive than what he is. He doesn’t understand that we give him the green light to do some things. Tonight he picked up two quick fouls, but he’s smart enough to work through those.”

Maston, now a senior, scored 10 of his 15 points in the second half when the Rams managed to gain control with the fourth-quarter push. Maston hit the Rams’ only 3-pointer, which were his only points in the second quarter.

Kevin Cameron, playing with an Achilles injury, led the Rams with 16 points. Jarra Deloach added 13, seven coming in the final period, and Jeremy Elston finished with 11 points, eight in the first half.

“It’s a win,” Harris said. “We lost eight seniors, including a rim protector and a point guard who was faster than anyone. I got some pieces missing, but credit coach (Lawanza) Crutcher’s team for playing hard all the way to the end. And they played smart, too.

“We’re awfully young and I thought we had some first-game jitters.”

Chandler Abbott paced Hixson with 16 points while Tevarus Weaver and Braven Horton each scored 14. William Nelson had 12, including two of the Wildcats’ four 3-pointers.

Jarra Deloach drove the baseline for a layup with 23.7 seconds left in the first half to give the Rams a 36-30 halftime lead.

Weaver and Nelson each scored in the lane in the first 35 seconds of the third period, slicing Tyner’s lead to 36-34.

The Rams reeled off seven straight points – four different players scored – with Cameron hitting a layup and one free throw to cap the spurt that produced a 43-34 lead.

A few seconds later the game was stopped for another aggravating problem with the scoreboard clock.

Maston had a 45-36 lead on another Maston field goal, but Abbott drilled a 3 from the left corner and Horton hit a layup 17 seconds later to pull the Wildcats to within 45-41.

Maston scored again, but Horton countered with 24.3 seconds on the clock. Deloach’s put-back with 0:01 remaining gave the Rams a 49-43 cushion heading into the final period.

Maston made back-to-back layups, Deloach dropped in a lane floater ahead of Nelson’s 3-pointer. Twenty-eight seconds later Maston rammed home a jumper from the left wing and Tyner’s lead was 57-46 with 6:23 left in the game.

“We’re capable of scoring in bunches and it comes off our pressure defense,” Maston said. “We pressure the ball and the turnovers lead to easy baskets. I like scoring in transition.”

Harris wants to see more of that.

“He’s more into our system now,” the veteran coach said. “He hasn’t played the role of leader until now because we had a lot of kids leading last year and the spotlight wasn’t on him. This year he has to step up to the plate because we’re leaning on him a little bit more.”

The Rams’ lead fluctuated between nine and 11 points for about three minutes, with two Cameron free throws putting the margin at 63-52 with 2:29 left.

Despite his nagging injury Cameron grabbed 12 rebounds, sharing the team lead in that category with John Boyd.

“I questioned whether Kevin could play tonight,” Harris said, “but he had to because Hixson was playing so hard. And Kenny Bulloch, a really good guard, is out with a toe injury.”

 Weaver’s fastbreak layup and two free throws by Horton pulled the Wildcats to within 63-56 with 1:58 on the clock, but Cameron made one free throw and Deloach hit two with 49.7 seconds remaining as the Rams regained an 11-point cushion.

Harris said the Rams need to work hard to play the tight man-to-man defense his teams are widely known for.

“We’re always good at that,” said Harris, who guided Tyner to the state tournament last season. “But we’re so young the guys don’t understand what good, hard, pressure defense really is at this point. That’s going to take a while.”

Tyner girls 55, Hixson 35: Porchia Turner led the Lady Rams with 18 points, 10 coming in the final eight minutes.

Samantha Mallett scored six of her 13 points in the third period when Tyner, which failed to score in the second quarter, had an 18-6 edge and stretched its lead to 35-20.

After taking a 17-6 first-quarter lead, the Lady Rams’ offense disappeared and the Lady Wildcats outscored Tyner 10-0 in the second and early third periods.

With its lead down to 17-16, Tyner went on a 9-0 run – Mallett had three points – to open a 26-16 lead. The dominant offensive pushed eventually reached 18-4 and that put Hixson in a 35-20 hole with 1:43 left in the third quarter.

Shawnquell Stounfield led Hixson with eight points, half coming on free throws in the first quarter.

Summaries

Girls Game

Tyner                          17 0 18 20 – 55

Hixson                         6 8 6 15 – 35

Tyner (55) – Bedford 2, Parks 4, Conyers 7, Melton, Samantha Mallett 13, Christopher 4, Smith 7, Rodgers, Porchia Turner 18.

Hixson (35) – White 2, Staten 7, Shawnquell Stounfield 8, Johnson 6, Jett 4, Dortch 6, Swafford, Hemphill, Taylor 2.

3-Point Goals – Tyner 2 (Mallett 2); Hixson none.

Boys Game

Tyner                          17 19 13 20 – 69

Hixson                        15 15 13 17 – 60

Tyner (69 – Darren Maston 15, Kevin Cameron 16, Russell 6, Jarra Deloach 13, Fleming, Young 1, Dickens, Jeremy Elston 11, Ja.Elston 1, Boyd 6,  

Hixson (60) – William Nelson 12, Chandler Abbott 16, Alameda, Brayen Horton 14, Bradley, Cooper 2, Harden, Beatty, Tevarus Weaver 14, King, Nundy 2.

3-Point Goals – Tyner 1 (Maston), Hixson 4 (Nelson 2, Abbott, Weaver).

(E-mail Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @larryfleming44)

Latest Headlines
Sports
Chattanooga Women Third At Spring Break Shootout
  • 3/18/2024

The Chattanooga Mocs got off to a solid start at the Spring Break Shootout. The ladies are 4 under on Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club’s South Course carding 280 over the opening 18 and 284 ... more

Sweetwater's Keke Norfolk Signs With Cleveland State
Sweetwater's Keke Norfolk Signs With Cleveland State
  • 3/18/2024

Keke Norfolk of Sweetwater High School signed a National Letter of Intent with the Cleveland State women’s basketball team this past week. Norfolk a 5’9” guard/forward, becomes the first signee ... more

Vol Baseball Win Streak Ends At 17 At Alabama
  • 3/18/2024

No. 5/5 Tennessee's 17-game winning streak came to an end with a 6-3 loss to No. 12/14 Alabama on Saturday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide (16-3, 1-1 SEC) ... more