If there was a solid reason not to miss opening day at the Masonic Lodge Christmas Tournament at the Dalt on Monday, it would be the matchup between Rhea Middle and the Morrison Eagles.
Both teams had the athleticism and coaching to make for a compelling and engaging contest to both play in and watch from the fan side of the house.
Virtually tied after the first half, 25-24, it was a matter of who would blink first … it wasn’t Morrison as adjustments during the contest and maximum use of miscues by Rhea let the Eagles fly away with the win, 48-35.
“It was a well-played game by both teams,” said Morrison head coach Kyle Cannon. “They were a very good team and well coached. We played solid defense and made some adjustments at halftime to try and slow down their outside shot. We also did a better job finishing our own shots.”
The mismatch on the treys wasn’t quite as bad as it appeared as Rhea Middle School’s Eagles clipped off three, 3-point shots in the first two quarters for a total of four. Morrison dialed long distance for three shots outside the arc, but they were spaced throughout the contest.
A fast-paced clip made the game flow well, with only 10 foul shots allowed in all four quarters. Rhea went 1-of-2 and Morrison 3-of-8.
Kason Holder was key in the offensive block of the Morrison squad as he both boarded well all game and converted his own shots with a fast break layup that added up to 25 points for Holder and an answer to the question how Morrison pulled away late in the game with more consistent follow through.
Rylan Holder broke double digits for the Eagles with 11, Dominique Betancourt shot for 6, Parker Yates 4 and Will Hyder hit for 2 points.
The Morrison Eagles move on to play the winner of the Avery Trace/WCMS contest on Thursday at 5 p.m. at Warren County High School.