FLORENCE – The Catawba Ridge boys basketball team feasted on the competition over the past three days to win the 2023 Turkey Shootout at West Florence High School.
Catawba Ridge beat the Marlboro County Bulldogs 59-43 in the finals Wednesday to take the tournament title and improve to 3-0 on the season. Led by Zyan Hager and Lance Barnes, who made the All-Tournament team, the Copperheads were easily able to hold off any challenge against the Bulldogs.
“I really enjoyed this event,” said Catawba Ridge head coach Brett Childers. “Our guys responded to a lot of adversity this week. Our bench guys played well. They stepped up. Lance played well all week.”
Both Barnes and Hager scored in double figures in the game as Hager led with 22 points and Barnes added 16 in the win.
Catawba Ridge and Hager started hot as he scored 14 of his 22 points in the opening quarter and the Copperheads led 21-15 after the first period. Catawba Ridge ended the first quarter on a 9-3 run after the game was tied at 12.
The second quarter had a slow start for both teams. Catawba Ridge again had a strong opening scoring the first nine points in the quarter to go up 30-15, before Marlboro County closed the quarter on a 5-0 run, with all their points in the quarter coming in the final 70 seconds of the half.
Catawba Ridge had a 30-20 lead to open the third quarter and scored the first five points all coming from Barnes. Both teams shot poorly as the Copperheads hit just five of 18 shots from the field in the quarter.
Despite the shooting struggles for both teams, the Copperheads had a 13-point lead entering the fourth quarter at 41-28. Catawba Ridge opened the final period with back-to-back 3-pointers by Hager to go up 47-28 and cruised to the win from that point.
Landon Foley added eight points and Sully Gay added five points for the Copperheads as well.
Catawba Ridge opens the regular season on Tuesday, Nov. 28 at home in The Arena against Marvin Ridge starting off with the girls’ varsity playing first followed by the boys’ varsity.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
