STATE BOUND: Van Buren County Clinches Third State Tournament Berth In Four Seasons Via 56-51 Win At Clarkrange

By Michael Lindsay

 

The 60-mile drive from Spencer to Murfreesboro is becoming second nature to Van Buren County Eaglette basketball fans.

Van Buren County (26-6) clinched their third TSSAA state tournament berth in four seasons Saturday night as they traveled to Clarkrange and defeated the Lady Buffaloes, 56-51.

“100 percent credit to the girls,” said Van Buren County head coach Tyler Sapp. “We had a game plan and they executed it. We didn’t play our best in the region championship game against Copper Basin, and they responded tonight and decided we aren’t done. They’re good basketball players and even better people.”

Junior forward Cara Mills led the Eaglettes with 18 points along with 16 points each from Abigail Netherton and Emma Gammon. Chloe Rogers led Clarkrange with 17 followed by Kady Hopkins with 14 and Lydia Phillips with 10.

“Abigail is a sophomore didn’t shy away from the moment,” said Sapp. “Our guard play was huge, and being able to get the ball to Cara was huge. This was the best game she’s played all year and there’s no better time to do it. Our season was on the line, and we were ready to go.”

It was Clarkrange who controlled the early portions of the contest as the Lady Buffaloes jumped out to a 14-4 lead with 4:10 remaining in the first quarter.

“That was some adversity,” said Sapp. “I called a timeout and tried to get us settled down. We kept turning the ball over, then we finally handled their press well enough to break it. Breaking that press was huge; if we didn’t, then they would’ve beat us by 30.”

Van Buren County settled in and cut their deficit to 7 points at the end of the frame as they trailed 19-12.

The Eaglettes opened the second quarter on a 10-3 run to tie the game at 22 points each via a Gammon and-one with 5:41 remaining in the period. A Laura Gammon layup less than a minute later gave the Eaglettes their first lead of the evening at 24-22 with 5:08 left until halftime.

The teams exchanged one-possession leads through the rest of the second quarter and entered halftime tied at 32-32.

The second-quarter trend continued into the third quarter as neither team held more than a one-score lead. Clarkrange entered the fourth quarter with a 44-43 advantage.

A Phillips basket early in the fourth gave the Lady Buffaloes a 46-43 advantage before back-t0-back baskets by Mills put Van Buren back up by a 47-46 margin.

Van Buren County took their first two-possession lead of the game midway through the fourth quarter as Netherton hit a three-pointer followed by an Emma Gammon putback to give the Eaglettes a 52-46 advantage with 4:03 remaining.

Clarkrange pulled back within one possession via a Hopkins basket with 28 seconds left, but Van Buren County answered as Ellie Grissom found Emma Gammon cutting to the basket for a layup with 14 seconds remaining to put the Eaglettes up 56-51.

Van Buren County held off Clarkrange on the final possession to win by 5 and clinch their fourth trip to the Class 1A state tournament and third in four seasons.

“This is huge for us,” said Sapp. “That’s four state tournament trips in nine years. We don’t have football in Van Buren County, so basketball is our thing. Our fans love our team and show up for us.”

The Eaglettes are scheduled to face Memphis Middle College (25-8) in the first game of the first day on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. at the Murphy Center in Murfreesboro.