McKenzie High Splits Nailbiters with Camden

McKENZIE (February 10) — McKenzie High School hosted Camden Monday for a pair of basketball contests. The Lady Rebels shook off a slow start and pulled off a thrilling comeback to win 44-43. A similar rally by the Rebels came up just short in a 59-58 loss.

During halftime, the young participants in the annual Taylor’s Cheer Camp held recently showed what they had learned with a routine led by the MHS cheerleaders. The camp is held each year in honor of Taylor Buckley, an MHS cheerleader who died in a car accident in 2011 at age 16, and funds the Taylor Buckley Memorial Scholarship.

McKenzie Lady Rebels 44, Camden Lady Lions 43
The Lady Lions blanked McKenzie 13-0 in the opening frame, led by Miley Hartney with six points on a pair of three-pointers. Addie Melton scored five with a three, and Abbi Grace Wallace had a pair.

The Lady Rebels cut into the deficit with a 12-5 advantage in the second quarter, with Molly French scoring all 12 points, including a trio of three-pointers. Hartney hit a three for Camden, and Bailey Berry had a pair. At the half, the Lady Lions led 18-12.

McKenzie had a 15-11 edge in the third, led by Ava Hastings with six points on a pair of threes. French and Sophie Pate each hit a three, and Aurora Johnson also scored three points. Lady Lion Emma Pierce scored six points. Hartney and Berry each added a pair, and Carson Douglas hit a free throw. Entering the final frame, Camden led 29-27.

The Lady Rebels completed the comeback with a 17-14 tilt in the fourth, led by Jaycee Stafford with nine points, including a three. Hastings scored six on a pair of threes, Pate added a pair, and French hit a freebie. Wallace led Camden with seven points, including a three. Melton scored four points, Hartney added a pair, and Pierce hit a free throw.

Lady Rebel Molly French led all scorers with 16 points, including four three-pointers. Ava Hastings scored a dozen on four threes.

Miley Hartney led the Lady Lions with 13 points, including a trio of threes.

Lions 59, Rebels 58
The first frame was a 12-12 wash. Rebels Tate Surber and Landon Brown each scored four points, and Cole Brown and Carter Kee each had a pair. Jake Reynoldson led Camden with six points. Isaac Moore scored four, and Nowah Porter had a pair.

The Lions pulled ahead with a 26-18 advantage in the second quarter, led by Porter with ten points, including a pair of threes. Brady Morris scored six on a pair of threes. Reynoldson had four points, and Jake Barker hit a three. Ayden Melton had a pair, and Moore hit a free throw. Surber scored six for McKenzie with a three. Craegen Travis had four points. L. Brown and Kee each hit a three, and C. Brown added a pair. At the half, the Lions led 38-30.

Camden had a 13-9 edge in the third, led by Melton with nine points, including a three-pointer. Moore and Gage Johnson each had a pair. Surber scored four Rebel points, Kee hit a three, and KD Cunningham had a pair. Heading into the final frame, Camden led 51-39.

McKenzie’s rally in the fourth came up just short at 19-8, led by Kee with eight points, including a pair of threes. C. Brown, Surber and L. Brown each hit a three, and Travis added a pair. Reynoldson hit a three for Camden, and Porter also scored three points. Moore added a pair.

Rebel Tate Surber led all scorers with 17 points, including a pair of threes. Carter Kee scored 16 with four three-pointers.

Nowah Porter led the Lions with 15 points, including a three. Jake Reynoldson scored 13, also with a three.