SHANE SHOEMAKER
Writer
The South Pittsburg Pirates boys basketball team picked up two big wins last week, defeating Whitwell 77-60 and Grundy 48-36.
The Pirates jumped out to a 20-7 first-quarter lead against Whitwell, with Dayon Cooper and Alex Phillips connecting from long range for a combined nine points. Cooper added six more on field goals in the second quarter, while Nicoli Burton — who led all scorers with 18 points — contributed nine to help South Pittsburg take a 41-19 lead into halftime.
Whitwell made a push in the third quarter, outscoring the Pirates 26-17. The Tigers went 5-for-8 at the free-throw line, with Tyson Brashears going a perfect 3-for-3 while adding six points on 3-pointers. Jordan Powell added eight points and Brody Harvey scored six.
The Tigers couldn’t close the gap, though, as South Pittsburg outscored Whitwell 19-15 in the fourth quarter. Burton added five points in the final frame, Cooper scored four and J.R. Hardrick chipped in six to finish with 12, not to mention a dozen rebounds, six assists and two blocks.
The Lady Pirates also picked up a pair of wins, beating Whitwell 46-40 and Grundy 48-36.
Against Whitwell, Kaudoree Ferrell scored 12 points off 3-pointers and finished second in scoring behind Madison Hawkins, who led the way with 16.
The Lady Tigers attempted to rally after a 12-point first-quarter deficit, scoring 18 points in the second quarter behind Callie Brocks’ 12 points, along with contributions from Kiley Billingsley and Ayva Apostles. South Pittsburg held on by outscoring Whitwell 20-18 in the second half, getting another 12 points from beyond the arc by Ferrell, Hawkins and Maliyah Roberson.