Following a timeout, Gantt took a three-point shot while falling back from beyond the arc to give the Mustangs seventh grade boys the Region title with a 28-26 win Saturday. Gantt was then mobbed in a celebration that stretched the length of the floor.
Gholston Gillespie, who the Mustangs tried to use in the paint, played sparingly after getting into foul trouble early. With Gillespie sidelined temporarily, Hart County’s offense took advantage by putting together a 7-3 run to close the half on top 16-15. The Mustangs stayed close throughout the quarter with the help of three-pointers from Dylan Gentry and Courtney Stevenson. Gentry’s three-point shot gave Madison County the lead at 11-9 with 4:41 left in the half. Hart County answered with a 7-1 scoring run to take a one-point lead at the break.
The tables turned in the second half and whatever speech Coach Wayne McCarty used in the locker rooms worked. Madison County’s defense heated up and held the Bullpups to just two points in the third period. Meanwhile, Gillespie, who was playing with three fouls, dropped in back-to-back buckets to put the Mustangs on top at the 2:32 mark.
With Gillespie out again early in the final quarter after committing his fourth foul, Hart County took advantage again, using their inside game and a 6-0 run to regain the lead 24-23 with 2:44 left. Seconds later, Gillespie re-entered the game in time to connect on a basket, putting Madison County back on top by one, but Hart answered again with the stolen inbounds pass from Gantt to recapture the lead. The game ended however after Gantt’s buzzer beating three-pointer won the game.
Gillespie and Courtney Stevenson led the Mustang scoring with 8 points each followed by six from Dylan Gentry and three each from Gantt and Travon Daniel.
EIGHTH GRADE ACTION
The eighth grade Mustangs were unable to use the momentum from the earlier game entering the nightcap. Hart County used a strong full court press defense to keep Madison County off balance en route to a 34-26 Bullpup win. This contest could have ended up in a crushing defeat for the Mustangs after falling behind 23-9 at halftime after Hart County went on a 12-0 run to end the half. Madison County never called it quits in the second half and despite the loss Coach Wayne McCarty was pleased with their effort.
Madison County opened the second half with a scoring run of 6-0 capped off with a three-pointer from Sam Bartlett to close the margin to 24-15. Hart County answered by using a three-pointer of their own with 25 seconds left to earn a 29-17 lead entering the final period. Hart County then went stone cold on offense and was unable to rebound any of their missed shots.
Madison County responded with buckets from Stevenson and Ryan Moon to close the margin to 29-21. Hart County connected on two free throws to push the lead back to 10, but the resilient Mustangs continued to fight back. Cade Hancock drilled a three-pointer and Stevenson followed with another inside shot to pull Madison County to within five points, but Hart County sealed the deal by hitting 3 of 4 free throws in the closing seconds.
Cade Hancock led the Mustangs with eight points followed by seven from Cameron Stevenson, four each from Ryan Moon and Ethan South, and three from Sam Bartlett.
