Bulldogs split games to open basketball season

Posted 11/25/20

It was an impressive season-opener for a Quitman varsity boys basketball team loaded with seven sophomores and just one senior. The Bulldogs started the season with a pair of home games and the debut of new varsity boy’s Head Coach Brandon Fields.

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Bulldogs split games to open basketball season

Quitman Bulldog Thomas Sapedra played well in both Bulldog games last week. The Bulldogs went 1-1 to open the season.
Quitman Bulldog Thomas Sapedra played well in both Bulldog games last week. The Bulldogs went 1-1 to open the season.
(Monitor photo by Larry Tucker)
Posted

It was an impressive season-opener for a Quitman varsity boys basketball team loaded with seven sophomores and just one senior. The Bulldogs started the season with a pair of home games and the debut of new varsity boy’s Head Coach Brandon Fields.

The Bulldogs fell to Edgewood to open the season 68-53 followed by a 74-57 win over a scrappy Como-Pickton team Friday night.

Against one of the top Class 3A teams in the state, Edgewood, the Bulldogs showed they have a “never quit” spirit, clearly a reflection of the fiery Fields. Down by 22 points going into the final quarter, the Bulldogs fought tenaciously behind Brady Floyd’s 14 second-half points and the leadership of senior Aiden Corrior. Floyd led Quitman scoring with 16 points and his eight scores in the final quarter kept the Bulldogs within striking distance.

Quitman fell behind 21-13 in the first quarter. Edgewood had taken a 20-10 lead when Quitman’s Jack Tannebaum hit a long triple to cut the lead to 20-13. Tannebaum along with Corrior and Thomas Sabedra each hit a trey to keep Quitman within 38-27 at intermission.

Quitman played a constant full court press and aggressive offense from the opening buzzer to the final bell. Edgewood threatened to run away with the contest, but Quitman just kept coming at them.

“I was really proud of all my guys because of their hustle and determination. We are not going to back down from anybody. We have senior leadership in Corrior and we are very young otherwise, but these kids come to play every day, practice included,” Fields noted.

Things looked bleak after Quitman scored only 10 third quarter points and fell behind 59-37 going into the final eight minutes of the game. A swarming defense and Floyd’s driving scores kept bringing Quitman back.

“We might not have won the game, but I believe our players found out if they just keep going hard the entire game they can play with the Edgewoods of the world,” Fields added.

Corrior added 10 points and Sabedra nine. Landon Richey and Garin Kisinger each showed aggressive hustle on the boards throughout the contest.

Quitman was ready for Como-Pickton Friday night. Sparked early by the sharpshooting of Levi Thompson, the Bulldogs blasted off to a 16-2 first quarter lead. The Bulldog press and running game really paid off in the second quarter as Quitman scored 30 points to 20 for the Eagles, giving the home team a 46-22 halftime edge.

In the second quarter Quitman opened up advantages of 34-8 after a three-point shot by Thompson and built the lead to 42-14 after a Justin Matthews bucket. After falling behind 46-18, Como-Pickton’s Braden Miller hit a pair of baskets to cut the Quitman lead to 46-22 at the end of the first half. Miller had 12 second quarter points for the Eagles.

In the third quarter, Ford Tannebaum hit a long trey to make it a 60-32 lead for Quitman. The Eagles scored eight consecutive points to end the quarter and make it a 60-40 game going into the final period.

The Eagle’s Jojo Mejia scored a bucket to close the score to 60-45, but two free throws by Thompson, a bucket by Corrior and two more free throws by Kisinger put the Bulldogs up 66-45 and the Eagles could not catch up. Floyd and Richey each had scores in the final minute to lead to the Bulldog 74-57 victory.

For the Eagles, Mejia had a fine all around game and scored 16 points with teammate Miller hitting for 14.

The Bulldogs continued to show they play true team ball with four players scoring in double figures to lead the potent offensive effort. Thompson led the way with 16 followed by Floyd’s 12, Corrior and Jack Tannebaum with 10 apiece, Sabedra nine, Ford Tannebaum seven, and Kisinger six. Again, Kisinger, Richey, Matthews and Corrior added to the defensive effort, dominating the boards.

After the Thanksgiving holiday, Quitman goes on the road for eight consecutive games including opening District 12-3A play on the road at Harmony on Dec. 21. The Quitman boys team will not be at Ballard Memorial Gym again until a non-district match-up against Class 4A Canton Dec. 28.