EHS dominates Golden Raiders

By Allen LaMountain
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

   KINGSPORT -- Cyclone junior post Vince Redd didn't bring the roof down at Sullivan North on Friday night -- just one of the basket supports.
   A monstrous dunk by Redd in the third period brought action to a standstill as North officials had to re-set the basket, which Redd had brought down nearly three-fourth's of an inch as Betsy romped to a 73-41 win.
   The win kept EHS unbeaten in Watauga Conference play at 8-0, while improving their overall mark to 13-6, and gave the Cyclones a home-and-home sweep of North.
   Redd scored 21 points on the night, but wasn't the teams' high-scorer. That honor went to senior forward Eric Stout who did his usual work under the basket while tossing in 23 points for his varsity career-high.
   "In the last five or six games Eric has really grown," said EHS head coach Tony Hardin. "For a team to be good, it has to have senior leadership and Eric has done that. He brings his best effort to every game, and even to practice. You can't teach that and that's what he brings."
   North once again had trouble maintaining any offensive continuity as Redd's presence forced North into a perimeter game that they aren't well suited for.
   "Redd had a lot to do with everything that went on out there," said Raider head coach John McCrary. "He's a huge factor, and the Stout kid killed us on the backside boards. Offensively, we are waiting for someone to step up."
   Post Phillip Scarsellone scored 19 for the Raiders, but no one else managed more than seven points for North who fell to 8-9, 4-4.
   Betsy cruised to a 38-15 halftime advantage as Stout poured in 15 first half points for the Cyclones.
   In that first half North struggled to a six-for-22 effort from the floor (27.3 percent) compared to 16-of-29 (55.2 percent) for Elizabethton.
   North finished the contest with a 14-for-42 effort which translates to a 33.3 percentage and won't win you very many ballgames in any league.
   "EHS is solid, and I'm not sure we can play with them," said McCrary. "We didn't do a good job of getting back on defense, but EHS is very quick down the floor. They are a tough matchup for us."
   Stout who pulled down a game-high nine boards on the night credits hard work for his success saying, "I just try to go into every game and play hard and when you're on you're on and it seems like every shot goes in. With a big man like Vince inside it helps us control the paint and forces the other team outside and gives us a lot of rebound opportunities."