By Gaylen Duskey
realfang@citlink.net
Take that King Kong!
Calhoun finally got rid of its big non-winning monkey Friday night when it handed Braxton County a 45-38 loss at Mount Zion.
The Red Devils, 1-3, were led by Ryan Slider with 12 and Tyler Sims with 10 as it led all the way save for a brief fourth quarter tie at 36-36. Following that Calhoun outscored the Eagles 9-2 to win going away.
Calhoun started the season with two very good games and two very tough losses - 57-54 to Ritchie then 88-86 to Wirt - before getting bombed in the third game of the season by Roane County as it appeared the non-winning monkey grew into a gorilla.
But that was before Friday.
Calhoun, 1-3, grabbed a quick lead and was up by five, 13-8 at the end of one quarter.
In that quarter a pattern for the game was established as Calhoun had trouble getting shots off while Braxton had trouble hitting shots. In the long run Braxton's problem was more damaging than Calhoun's as the Red Devils toyed with breaking the game open all the way up until the Eagles' fourth period surge to tie the score.
With Calhoun keeping an 8-10 point lead through the first three quarters - Calhoun led 22-15 at the half and 30-18 after three - Braxton appeared ready to go down without too much fight.
Then Thomas Pritt stepped up.
Pritt led Braxton, 1-3, in scoring with 11 points - all in the fourth quarter.
Pritt's single-handed try at being a hero might have worked had it not been for some clutch Red Devil free throw shooting after some very non-clutch free throw shooting allowed Braxton back in the game.
Calhoun shot 15 free throws in the final period ⦠and missed eight of the first 10.
That allowed Braxton to rally back to tie the game at 36-36 setting up the closing drama.
But that was the high water mark for Braxton as its shooting bugaboo kept it from ever taking the lead or getting any closer the rest of the way.
After being tied at 36-all Calhoun took the lead for good as Mason Sheldon hit a free throw. That was followed by a bucket from Sims and a pair of free throws by Ethyn Miller to make it 41-36.
A couple of free throws by Braxton cut the lead to three - 41-38 - but that's when Sims' added a pair of free throws to give the Red Devils breathing room.
After that Mason Sheldon and Slider added free throws over the closing seconds as the Eagles were forced to foul.
Backing Slider and Sims in the scoring column for Calhoun was Tyler Gerwig with seven, Mason Sheldon and Sam Brady with six apiece and Miller with four. Lucas Wilson, Luke Sheldon and Cody Starcher all played but did not score.
Pritt with 11 was the only Eagle to score in double figures. He was backed by McKinley Moore and Cody Hilton with six each, AJ Jordan with five, Danny Mosley and Nevin Rollyson with four apiece and Josh Skidmore and Greg Bly with one each.
Calhoun enjoyed a sweep on the night as the reserve team posted a 36-31 victory over the Eagles behind Dylan Heiney's 12. Austin Gribble added seven for the 1-3 Red Devils while Chris Thornton had five, Luke Sheldon four, Zack Yanero and Dakota Jarvis had three each and Nick Watkins two.
For Braxton Troy McMillion led the way with 12 while Tyler Conrad added 11.
Calhoun will try to extend its winning streak when it travels to Hannan Dec. 28 for a makeup game while Braxton plays South Harrison Jan. 3, 2014 in its next game. | 
