Kaleb Martin drives to basket vs Lenoir City.(Photo:GaryBolden)

Four Eagles Hit Double Figures in Win

11/22/22

Evensville, TN -- Rhea County basketball got off to a slow start against the visiting Lenoir City High School Panthers in a Friday night game to officially open the regular season after the Hall of Fame Tournament games the week before. Zach McNabb led the Panters with three long range bombs to power the Panters to the early lead 8-2 with 5:24 left in first. Mcnabb's 3 with 4 minutes pushed the Panther lead to 14-4. For the Eagles, it was Martin working inside with 8 first-quarter points, but Lenoir led 19-11 after the first quarter.

Caleb Carr and Sean Norman led a comeback for the Eagles as they erased the 8 point lead. With 4:47 left in the second quarter, Norman tied the game at 21-21 with a free throw. Lenoir City used a 7-0 run to take a 28-21 lead with 3:13 left in the half. Norman and Mattin helped lead Eagles back and they only trailed 32-31 at the halftime juncture. Early in the third, Bryce Dupre made his presence felt with a 3 to give Eagles 34-32 lead. Dupre was making his first appearance in the lineup this year, after nursing an injury. Carr and Martin helped push the lead to 38-32 before Panthers scored. The Eagles kept the lead and Dupre 3 with 2;20 pushed the lead to 9 points. and Eagles used Michael Truax free throws late to take a 48-41 lead after three quarters.

A Sean Norman elbow 3 pushed the Eagle's lead to 55-44 with 6;38 left in fourth-quarter and with 6:08 left, Martin completed old-fashioned 3 with free-throw on and-one play for 58-44 lead, the largest of the night for the Eagles. Lenoir used a run of turnovers by Eagles to cut into the lead and free-throw from Franklin of Panthers cut the Eagle lead to 59-52 halfway through the fourth-quarter. Tramell had a nice spin move in the lane and hit the short shot to pull Lenoir within 61-59 with 2:30 left in fourth-quarter. Bryce Dupre hit couple of big free throws and Sean Norman followed with basket and three free-throws to give Eagle a cushion at 69-60 with minute left in game and Bryce Dupre added last point for Eagles, but Panthers used a last minute 7-0 blitz that ended with the buzzer and Eagles had survived 69-67.

Kaleb Martin led the way with 20 points and double figure rebounds on the night. Also in double figures was Sean Norman(15), Bryce Dupre(130 and Caleb Carr(11). The Eagles are scheduled to play Tennessee Christian Prep out of Cleveland on Monday, November 28, 2022. Tennessee Christian Preparatory School, is located at 4100 Stephens Rd NE, Cleveland, TN 37312. Game-time is 7:30 pm est. No Lady Eagle action on Monday. They will play at Soddy Daisy(3-3) on Tuesday night with a 6 pm. game before the Eagles game on that night at 7:30 pm.