Bronaugh sweeps Hume on hardwood

Michelle Workman/Daily Mail Lady Wildcats' guard Martell Moore (5) drives forward during Friday's game against the Hume Lady Hornets. The senior finished with 14 points.

Nevada Daily Mail

In their final games of the calendar year and the annual Christmas games with the teams wearing solid red and green jerseys, the Bronaugh varsity basketball teams swept Hume with ease on their home court Friday.

The Lady Wildcats continued their winning ways, taking their fifth win of the season as they beat the Lady Hornets 52-31.

Michelle Workman/Daily Mail/ Hornets center Austin Sullins prepares to shoot during their final game of the calendar year. Sullins scored seven points during the teams' loss Friday.

"We played really well," Wildcats' head coach Sean Crane said.

Behind leading scorers Martell Moore and sophomore Taylor Stratford, each finishing with 14 points, the Wildcats leaped to a double-digit lead early in the second quarter and extended it to 30-11 after junior Amanda Raper, finishing the night with 10 points, beating the buzzer with a layup at the end of the first half. The Lady Wildcats led by as much as 26 points by the third quarter.

"Our defense was a lot better," Crane said. "We've been fine offensively most of the year. Defense is where we've been inconsistent."

Michelle Workman/Daily Mail/ Lady Hornets guard Brhett Mumma goes up for a shot against the Bronaugh Lady Wildcats Friday. Mumma led the team with 13 points.

That defense had little trouble silencing the Lady Hornets, who scored just one point in the second quarter. Junior Brhett Mumma led Hume with 13 points while fellow junior Megan Sutcliffe added eight. Senior Hope Yarick chipped in with six.

With a 5-2 record for the season and 3-0 against conference teams, Crane said he believes the team is in a good position for a playoff run.

"I'm very happy," Crane said. "We're in a really good spot."

Michelle Workman/Daily Mail/ Bronaugh's Bryce Whitworth (5) drives toward the basket during the Friday game against the Hume Hornets. The senior finished with 10 points.

The Wildcat boys team, on the other hand, has struggled for wins after a slow start to the season. But leading up to Friday's game, coach Mark Scarbrough said he was "optimistic" since for the first time since the first game of the season (their only win), the entire team was together after a series of injuries, illnesses and a suspension.

The Wildcats did not disappoint, jumping to an 11-0 lead to start off the game, which ended with a 67-29 victory over the Hornets.

Ten of those 11 points and the first eight of the game came from junior Justin Hudson, who finished the game with a game-high 22 points after just recently returning to the team.

"We played much better," Scarbrough said. "We played under control and we brought toughness."

In previous games, the Wildcats struggled with getting into foul trouble, with players fouling out. But instead, the team drew fouls and took advantage of playing in the bonus for part of the game.

Scarbrough said they also installed a new strategy, using full-court pressure for the first time this season.

"It seemed to work out," Scarbrough said of the game plan, which limited the Hornets to just 29 points, scoring single digits in each of the final three quarters.

Bronaugh's Gabe McIntire scored 13 points, including a 3-pointer that beat the buzzer at half time, putting the Wildcats ahead 39-17. Senior Bryce Whitworth scored 10 points and sophomore Joe Mader finished with nine.

Junior Blake Lewis led the Hornets' offense with nine points while senior Austin Sullins followed with seven.

After Christmas break, the Hume boys and girls resumes action when they host Drexel, Jan. 6, with the junior varsity game set for a 5: 30 p.m. tipoff.

The Bornaugh teams will visit Humansville, Jan. 5, with tipoff slated for 5: 30 p.m.