Belgreen, Phil Campbell basketball teams meet on the hardwood

The varsity basketball teams of Belgreen High School and Phil Campbell High School met on the hardwood Tuesday night with each school taking home a win in the inter-Franklin County matchup.

The varsity girls’ teams started the evening with an overtime thriller that saw the Lady Bobcats eke out a narrow victory over the hosting Lady Bulldogs, 44-42, while the result in the boys’ game went to Belgreen, who beat PCHS 44-36.

In the first game, the visiting Lady Bobcats led at the conclusion of the first three quarters of play, but Belgreen, in small increments, narrowed the gap after each to eventually tie the game 39-39 at the end of regulation.

In overtime, Phil Campbell, led by four points from Leela Baker in that decisive period, did just enough to sneak by Belgreen, outscoring the hosts 5-3.

Baker, who finished the game with 17 total points, was PCHS’ top scorer in the contest, while Belgreen senior Dacota Green led all scorers with 21 points in the loss. Phil Campbell’s Siddalee Rogers also got to double-digit points, scoring 11.

The Belgreen and Phil Campbell boys capped the night at the BHS gymnasium. 

The two teams traded blows in the first half: Belgreen jumped out to a 14-8 lead on Phil Campbell after the opening quarter, but the Bobcats reversed the situation heading into the halftime by scoring 13 points and holding the Bulldogs to five points.

The second half was all Belgreen, however. The hosts, led by first-year head coach Will Bonner, outpaced PCHS 14-10 in the third period and 11-5 in the fourth to pull out an eight-point victory.

Braycen Johnson led the Bulldogs with 15 points in the win, while Phil Campbell sophomore Austin Elliott led his squad with 15 points in the Bobcats’ loss.