Shelbyville Times-Gazette: High School Sports: Vikes can't hold back MTC (01/06/10)

Kyle Dyer sets up the Viking offense Tuesday night against the Cougars.
(T-G Photo by Jimmy Jones)

MURFREESBORO -- Chris Brandon scored a career-high 34 points to lead Middle Tennessee Christian to a 59-46 District 9-A win over the Community Vikings on Tuesday evening.

The loss moved the Vikings (2-11, 2-3 9-A) into the lower tier of the district standings as the postseason tournament approaches.

"We continue to play hard," Community coach Jace Bryant said. "But at the same time we are still looking around for somebody to take the ball in crunch time.

"The guys have to realize that Justin (Stallings) and (Wylder) Norris are gone. Somebody has to want to step up for us now. We are still learning the game and we are making progress but we have to learn to get over the hump at the end of the game."

Brandon opened the game red hot to score 13 points in the opening quarter and overcome four points each by Community sophomores Tyler Christian and Jake Leverette for a 13-11 lead.

The Cougar defense flexed its muscles in the second period to hold the Vikings to just three baskets and the offense poured in 14 points, led by Brandon's nine-point effort to take a 27-17 cushion into intermission.

MTC led by as many as 16 in the third stanza before the Community offense showed some life when Logan Pierce and Kyle Dyer spotted up and drained a trey apiece on consecutive possessions.

Community freshman Zeke Grissom looks for an open teammate as he dribbles the ball upcourt.
(T-G Photo by Jimmy Jones)

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The Cougars were relentless in the paint and on the glass to maintain a 42-29 cushion going into the final frame.

The Vikings were able to cut the lead to eight points early in the fourth period but turnovers doomed the comeback attempt as Brandon hit 6-of-6 shots from the charity stripe to nail down the victory.

"We had a nice little stretch where we made a run at them," Bryant said. "The difference was that they would beat us off of the dribble and hit the shot. We beat them off the dribble and either turned the ball over or missed the shot. We made some youthful mistakes and we will learn from them."

Killen Middleton hit for 16 points in support of Brandon.

Community was led by Sammy Bryant and Leverette with 10 points apiece.

MTC made 18-of-25 shots from the free-throw line. The Vikings connected on 4-of-6.

Community takes on Forrest in Unionville on Friday night at 7:30.