McKenzie Sweeps Houston County

ERIN (January 24) —- McKenzie traveled to Houston County High School Friday for a pair of district basketball contests. The Lady Rebels led throughout and held off a late Lady Irish rally for a 58-54 win. The Rebels trailed at the half but dominated down the stretch for a 76-54 victory.

McKenzie Lady Rebels 58, Houston County Lady Irish 54
The Lady Rebels had a 12-8 lead after the opening frame. Sophie Pate and Jaycee Stafford scored six points each, Pate on a pair of three-pointers. Kylee Smith scored all eight Houston County points, including a pair of threes.

McKenzie had a 14-13 edge in the second quarter, Stafford scoring all 14 with a three-pointer. Lady Irish Maddie Brooks scored eight points with a three. Presley Moore also hit a three, and Ally Mitchell had a pair. At the half, McKenzie led 26-21.

The Lady Rebels had a 17-9 advantage in the third, led by Stafford with eight points, including a three-pointer. Molly French scored four with a three, Pate hit another three, and Braylin Auvenshine had a pair. Brooks scored five Houston County points with a three, and Smith had four points. Entering the final frame, McKenzie led 43-30.

The Lady Irish rally in the fourth came up just short at 24-15, led by Brooks with 12 points, including a three-pointer. Mitchell scored five with a three. CJ Clark had four points, and Smith hit a three. Stafford led McKenzie with six points. Ava Hasting hit a three, and French also scored three points. Auvenshine added a pair, and Pate hit a free throw.

Lady Rebel Jaycee Stafford led all scorers with 34 points, including a pair of threes. Sophie Pate scored ten with a trio of three-pointers.

Maddie Brooks led Houston County with 25 points, including a trio of threes. Kylee Smith scored 15, also with a trio of threes.

Rebels 76, Fighting Irish 54
Houston County led 23-15 after the first frame, led by Towens Epps with seven points, including a pair of three-pointers. Brady Bucciarelli scored six on a pair of threes, and Hagen Honeycutt had five with a three. Ryan Carter scored three points, and Mac Baggett had a pair. Rebel Craegen Travis scored seven with a three. Cole Brown had four points. Landon Brown and Carter Kee each had a pair.

McKenzie had a 16-10 edge in the second quarter, led by Tate Surber with 14 points, including a pair of threes. Kee added a pair. Carter led the Irish with four points. Bucciarelli hit a three, and Casen Clark also scored three points. At the half, Houston County led 33-31.

The Rebels pulled ahead with a 21-6 tilt in the third, led by Surber with eight points. L. Brown scored five with a three, and Travis had four points. C. Brown and Eli Vinson each had a pair. Honeycutt, Clark and Baggett each added a pair for the Irish. Heading into the final frame, the Rebels led 52-39.

McKenzie capped the comeback win with a 24-15 advantage in the fourth, led by Travis with nine points. Surber scored six, and Kee hit a three-pointer. C. Brown, L. Brown and Avery Brown each had a pair. Clark and Baggett each hit a three for Houston County, and Honeycutt and Owen Reason each scored three points. Epps added a pair, and Brody Link hit a free throw.

Rebel Tate Surber led all scorers with 28 points, including a pair of three-pointers. Craegen Travis scored 20 with a three.

Hagen Honeycutt led the Irish with ten points, including a three.