HUNTER COOKSTON
Writer
The Whitwell Tigers girls’ and boys’ basketball teams were in action for their season openers last Tuesday. Both squads, looking to start the season with a win, accomplished just that. The girls’ team played shut-down basketball, winning 49–6, and the boys secured a strong double-digit victory, 67–49.
The girls came out determined to set the tone for the season, and they did just that by jumping out to a 13–0 lead after the first quarter. The defense was swarming all night, as the Lady Tigers totaled 23 steals. Callie Brock led the way with seven steals, and senior Charlee Casseday wasn’t far behind with six.
The second quarter brought more of the same as Whitwell caught fire, turning steals into points off turnovers and extending the lead to 29–0 at halftime. The Lady Tigers continued to overwhelm the Yellow Jackets. All 11 players scored for Whitwell, and sophomore Kiley Billingsley led the team with 12 points. Billingsley also led the team with seven rebounds.
The boys’ season opener marked the first game of the Chad Billingsley era. The first quarter featured a heavy dose of sophomores Jordan Powell and Colin Beason, who combined for 12 of the Tigers’ 14 points in the opening frame.
Senior Tyson Brashears made his presence known with a 10-point second quarter. Beason added five points, and Powell contributed four more. Whitwell led 33–27 at the half.
In the second half, the Tigers’ defense locked down the Yellow Jackets, allowing just 19 points. Brashears and Beason kept their rhythm, combining for 14 of Whitwell’s 20 points in the third quarter. Sophomore Brody Harvey scored two points, and Powell added four for his second straight four-point quarter.
Gabe Ross, Beason, Powell, and Harvey handled the scoring in the final period. Beason even threw down an emphatic dunk to seal the victory. The season opener unfolded exactly the way Whitwell hoped it would.
The Tigers’ next game is at home on December 1 against Grundy County. JV Girls tip off at 3:30, JV Boys at 4:30 p.m., Varsity Girls at 6 p.m., and Varsity Boys at 7:30 p.m.