By Gaylen Duskey
realfang@citlink.net
Playing perhaps its best defensive game of the year Calhoun rode the red-hot shooting of Kyle Keesler and Cai Clothier to a 61-49 road victory over Clay County Thursday night running its winning streak to three straight.
Keesler was especially dangerous for the Red Devils, 6-8, with a game-high 28 points while Clothier added 11.
The Red Devils trailed early but battled back to tie the game 28-28 at halftime. That's when the defense took over.
Calhoun held Clay, 1-14, to six points in the third quarter to break the game open and only 21 in the entire second half.
An example was the defensive work the Red Devils did on Clay's Sean Duffield. Duffield had 14 points in the first half but was held to four points - all on free throws - after intermission.
The game marked a career high in scoring for Keesler, the Red Devils point guard, as he was a red-hot five for eight on three-point goals while adding six two-point shots and seven of seven at the free throw line. He also had four steals, three assists, three rebounds and a blocked shot.
For Clothier the 11 was also a career high. He parlayed his scoring and defensive work on Clay's 6-5 Sam Belt (who had four points and two rebounds before fouling out) and six rebounds into what may have been his best game as a member of the Red Devils varsity.
Backing those two were Justin Gerwig, who had nine points and a team high 11 rebounds. Bronson Clark added seven while Chucky Kendall chipped in with four.
Tyler Bennett. Anthony Richards, Brandon Sampson, Caleb Schoolcraft and Dan Sims all played but did not score.
For Clay Duffield was the only player to hit double figures with 18. He also had a game high 13 rebounds for the Panthers.
Clay won the junior varsity contest by a 56-53 count thanks to the late heroics of Ryan Thomas.
Thomas only scored four points and had two rebounds but the heroics came in since he scored half his points and grabbed half his rebounds in the last 30 seconds of the game. He also had a blocked shot during that period of time.
His two points off a rebound gave Clay a little breathing room - actually setting the final score - and his blocked shot of a desperation Calhoun attempt sealed the deal as time ran out.
Josh Samples scored 17 to lead the 5-8 Panthers while Alex Butcher had 11.
For Calhoun, 0-11, Schoolcraft led the way with 17 while Sampson added 16.
Schoolcraft did his damage from outside with five three-point shots while adding a couple of free throws.
Sampson played a solid hustling game as he added 11 rebounds and seven steals to his 16 points.
Quentin "Q Dawg" Murphy added seven points and Bennett four. Derek Dawson and Stuart Fitzwater had two each while Sims and Luke Moore both played but did not score.
Calhoun will try to keep on the winning track tonight (Friday) at South Harrison with a doubleheader against the Hawks.
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