Spoils shared after Belgreen-Red Bay basketball doubleheader Thursday

The spoils were split when Belgreen High School and Red Bay High School met in girls’ and boys’ varsity basketball action on Thursday night.

Traveling to Red Bay, Belgreen’s girls got a big win over the Lady Tigers, 63-28; but Red Bay’s boys’ team were able to return the favor in the nightcap, beating the Bulldogs 56-38.

In the girls’ game, it was all Belgreen as the Lady Bulldogs jumped out to an early 19-7 lead at the end of the opening period. The visitors extended their lead by 20 points at halftime and continued to widen the gap until the final buzzer sounded.

Led by a game-high 12 points from Lilliana Willingham and 11 points from Makenna Fisher, 10 different Lady Bulldogs scored a basket in the win over Red Bay.

The Lady Tigers were led by seven points from Julianna Eaton in the loss. Gracie Edgmon, Katlyn Lindley, and DaRilee Colburn each had five points for RBHS.

The result improved Belgreen’s record to 6-3 while Red Bay dropped to 1-6.

In the proceeding boys’ game, Belgreen and Red Bay played it close for the first 16 minutes, but the hosts were able to open up a commanding lead in the third quarter and stretched it to 18 points by the end of regulation.

A 10-point first quarter by Red Bay’s Khalil Luster, who ended his night with a game-high 28 points, saw the Tigers up 11-7 at the end of the first quarter. Then in the second quarter, it was Belgreen’s Jake Dill’s turn to score nine points as the Bulldogs and Tigers battled basket for basket before the half. At the break, RBHS maintained its four-point advantage, 23-19.

In the second half, Red Bay used a 20-point third quarter to ultimately propel the team to the win. Bryant Harris hit two big threes and Luster gave Red Bay eight points in the third as the Tigers outscored BHS 20-9 to open up a 43-28 lead heading into the final eight minutes.

Red Bay outdid Belgreen again in the fourth quarter, 13-10, to cruise to a 56-38 win.

To go with Luster’s 28 points, senior Jaxon Vinson added 12 points for the Tigers. Dill finished with a team-high 14 points for the Bulldogs in the defeat and Gabe Estrada added nine.

With the win, the Tigers improved to 5-3; the Bulldogs dropped to .500 with a 4-4 record.

Up next for Red Bay is a doubleheader at state-line rival Belmont on Friday, December 5. Belgreen’s teams are next set to travel to Russellville on December 9.