.AndLifesty e The Levy County Journal The County Paper, Est. 1923 levyjournalonline.com Dec. 10, 2009 Bell beats Chiefland in overtime thriller Story and photos by Rick Burnham Editor Had Monday's high school boys' basketball game between Chiefland and Bell simply been a contest between Eugene Carter and James Thomas, it would have been wildly entertaining. But when you throw in the supporting cast for both sides, you get an epic battle - one for the ages. Bell won 78-74 in overtime on the strength of a 41-point performance by Thomas, a 6'8" inside force the Indians had few answers for. Chiefland countered with 37 from Carter, a lightning quick point guard that left Bell scratching its collective head. Carter struck first, scoring the first eight points of the game on a combination of acrobatic shots over and around Bulldog defenders near. the basket. He missed on his fifth shot of the game, but Chiefland's Bo Beauchamp was there to put the ball back in. The Indians led 10-0 with 5:11 left in the first quarter.. But Bell responded with a flurry of shots from several players to get back in it. Thomas hit two shots from the inside, and Chris Wilkerson buried a three-pointer from the left comer. Matt Stevenson scored a layup on a pass from John Bailey, and Chiefland's lead had shrunk to 15-13 with 42 seconds left in the first. . Chiefland's' last three shots of the quarter came on three-pointers. Jamantye Thompson hit the first, followed by long-range shots from Beauchamp and Carter. Chiefland led 21-13 after one. The two teams traded bursts in the second. Chiefland extended its lead to 12 when Carter hit a mid-range jumper and Marquis Greene followed with back-to-back layups. Bell clawed its way back with the final five points of the half - on layups by Thomas and Stevie Woodby, and a free throw .by Thomas. Thomas was essentially unstoppable in a fast-and-furious third quarter, scoring 24 of his team's 27 points in the frame. Most of those came on close-range shots following passes from Bulldog teammates. Thomas gave Bell its first lead of the game, 42- 41, when he picked up a loose ball and banked it in at the five-minute mark of the quarter. But Chiefland proved equal to the task, and got contributions from several players to do it. Carter scored eight in the frame, including back- to-back layups 'midway through. But Jacoryon Minniefield pitched in as well, scoring all of his 11 points in the third. Minniefield hit a three-pointer with 40 seconds left, and grabbed a rebound that bounced off Thomas and scored at the buzzer. Chiefland led 57- 54 at the end of three quarters. Both teams led the game at points in the fourth. Bell took a 61-59 advantage when Thomas converted a layup with 4:57 left, and Chiefland went up 68-65 on two Carter free throws with 1:35 Chietland's Eugene Carter goes up for a layup. Bell's Matt Stevenson See Chiefland, Page 3B (25) and Stevie Woodby arrived just a little late to stop him. Girls' middle school basketball Chiefland outlasts Williston Story and photos by Rick Burnham Editor Williston's Precious Williams drives past Curtesha Young during second half action Thursday. Bronson falls to Hawthorne By Terry Witt Staff Writer Bronson's varsity girls basketball team was defeated 34-14 by Hawthorne last week, but it Wasn't for lack of effort. The Bronson girls were the more physical of the two teams and gave the visiting Lady Hornets more than they could handle in that phase of the game. But the Lady Eagles looked rusty in the offensive phase of the game in the final three periods. Bronson took the lead in the first quarter behind a pair of 3-point shots from Shay Sherman and Angela Freeman, but the Lady Hornets quickly 1 6Sea Bronson, P8ge 2B forge a halft three-pointer 8-7, Shakeem The scorebook speaks of a double-digit 9 Chiefland. ] victory, but anyone who witnessed Thursday's throw to mak battle between the Williston and Chiefland middle with a long tw school girls' basketball teams knows better, at the half. In fact, much of Thursday's game, won 29-18 Jeana Ros by Chiefland, was nip and tuck. Williston led 12- a layup midv 11 at the end of the third quarter, and the score Johnson tied i was knotted at 13 midway through More middle school the fourth quarter. More middle school And then the Lady Braves, action, Page 3B led by Brittany Gilliam and Anita Hughes, put on a furious offensive show, scoring half back into 16 points over the final four minutes - three more A perfect than they had scored for first 20 minutes of the produced a lay game. shot after grab Chiefland's victory spoiled a stellar then made it 1 performance by Williston's Hannah Coleman, in a shot from who scored 14 points in the loss. Coleman hIi Chiefland (3-1) got the game off to a good start Hughes conn by jumping to a 5-1 lead. Hughes buried a 10-foot the Lady Brav jumper, and Gilliam followed with a layup and Gilliam hit a free throw. Coleman responded with a three- to make it 23 pointer to make it 5-4 before Curtesha Young free throw ani converted a layup to end the quarter. Chiefland within 23-18. led 7-4 after one period. Chiefland Williston got contributions from other players the game on la in the second period, and used those scores to a jumper by H Bronson's nay Snerman plays tignt defense against Hawthorne's Arriel Fort as Karrie Kelly swipes at the ball.; ime lead. After another Coleman got the Lady Red Devils to within i Johnson hit a layup to make it 11- Precious Williams converted a free e it 11-10, and Coleman connected 1o-pointer to put Williston up 12-11 ales gave her team the lead with vay through the third quarter, and t moments later with a free throw. That set up Chiefland's big rally, and it began when Head Coach Kim Bartley put several starters who had sat out much of the second the game. pass from Kali Morrell to Gilliam yup, and Rosales hit another inside bbing an offensive rebound. Gilliam 9-13 with 2:57 left when she banked the left side. Lit a 15-footer to make it 19-15, but ected on a long two-pointer to put ves up 21-15. t a running jumper at the 1:40 mark 3-15, but Coleman connected on a d a short jumper to get her team to then scored the final six points of ayups by Young and Hughes, and on [ughes at the buzzer., Karrie Kelly takes a jump shot over a Hawthorne defender. W5te-v * -MANN a i^ trc" JrWF^!ilglI^i