Layoff doesn't hurt Middle Champs

Even though it had been 20 days since Cascade Middle last played, the Champions came out firing against visiting Middle Tennessee Christian Middle on Monday night.

A shooting touch that yielded five of the team's eight 3-pointers in a 21-point second quarter gave Cascade all the cushion it needed en route to a 66-51 win.

The Champs (12-1) only had two practices over the holiday break, but in those two sessions they concentrated on shooting in the first practice and scrimmaged against players from the high school team in the second. Coach Mike Edmondson said the floor time went a long way in helping his young squad prepare for the 2010 portion of its schedule.

Leading 12-10 after a quarter, the Champs got a pair of 3s from both Alex Hatchett and Noah Villarino to help them go into the break ahead 33-23.

"They don't have very much depth, so they weren't very aggressive on the defensive end," Edmondson said of MTC. "We got a lot of easy shots. They were keying in on those post guys. When they did, we kicked it back and we got lots of wide-open 3s. When they get wide-open looks, they can hit 'em."

Every member of Cascade's starting five provided points in a third quarter that saw the lead increase to 48-31.

Devin Epps and Derrick Spears contributed eight points apiece in the final period for the Cougars (15-9), but it wouldn't be enough as the Champs drained 10 of 20 free throws down the stretch to stave off the rally.

Cascade placed four in double-digit scoring. Jesse Barnes topped the column with 18 points. Hatchett finished with 13, Will Holt 12 and Blake Floyd 10.

Epps led all scorers with 24 points. Spears had 15 and Chad McCarver 10.

The Champs now have the rest of the week off to prepare for a road date at Webb on Monday night.

"We've got to work on some defensive effort. We had too much penetration tonight," Edmondson said.

MTC 54, Cascade 19 (G): Two first-half scoring runs gave the Lady Cougars an insurmountable advantage as they improved to 24-0.

MTC spread the scoring around as it broke a 4-all tie in the early going with an 11-1 rally.

The Lady Champions (10-3), whose three losses have all come to the Lady Cougars, were held scoreless for 4:25 midway through the first half. The Murfreesboro girls scored 17 points in that spell and went into intermission up 34-10.

Jessica Ervin's basket shortly after halftime was Cascade's last points until Kelsey Feck scored with four minutes left in the game.

Alexa Middleton sank all five of her free throw attempts and led all scorers with 19 points. Jasmine Bond netted 11.

Katie Vincent paced the Lady Champs with five points, all coming in the first quarter.