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DeKalb Basketball Sweeps Cannon
Tigers
Ella Van Vranken was the top scorer for the Lady Tigers as DeKalb hosted Smith County.
Tigers
Xharia Lyons goes for two as the Lady Tigers faced the Lady Owls in a game that went into overtime.
Tigers
The Lady Tigers’ Madison Martin shoots for two against the Lady Panthers.
Tigers
Robert Wheeler shoots a two-pointer at home as the Tigers faced the Owls.
Tigers
Stetson Agee plows his way in for a two-point shot.

The DeKalb County High School basketball teams had a busy week with three nights of games, one on the road with two on their home court. DeKalb would start the week off right, as they once again faced off with Cannon County teams.

On Monday, December 6, DCHS was on the road in Woodbury, where faced border rival Cannon County. The teams’ first meeting ended in close games with DeKalb on top, but the Tigers and Lady Tigers looked sweep the series.

In the Lady Tigers’ game, DeKalb jumped out big in the first period, scoring 24 points. Ella Van Vranken had three three-point baskets and a couple of free throw points, while Madison Martin scored a three-pointer and a two-pointer. Natalie Snipes and Avery Agee each had a three-pointer, while Kadee Ferrell added a pair of free throws. Cannon was held to just five points.

Ferrell came on strong for the Lady Tigers in the second period, scoring a couple of two-point baskets and a free throw, while Martin had a two-pointer and a three-pointer. Van Vranken had a pair of free throw points. Cannon jumped into the game with 22 points, but DeKalb held a 36-27 lead at the half.

The Lady Tigers scored 12 more points in the third period, with Van Vranken coming away with a two-point shot, and three-pointer and a pair of free throw points, while Ferrell had a couple of two-pointers and a free throw. Cannon was held to only six, increasing DeKalb’s lead, 48-33.

DeKalb scored 11 in the fourth, with Ferrell sinking four free throws, while Dare Collins hit a three-point shot. Van Vranken and Agee each had two free throw points. Cannon also scored 11, giving DeKalb the 59-44 victory.

Van Vranken had 22 points in the game, while Ferrell came away with 16. Martin had 10, Agee five, and Snipes and Collins each had three.

The Tigers would again have a close game with the Lions as they took to the court. DeKalb scored 15 in the first period, with Stetson Agee sinking a two-pointer and a pair of three-pointers, while Conner Close had a two and three-point shot. Robert Wheeler also had a two-point basket. The Lions stayed right with them, scoring 14.

DeKalb came away with 10 points in the second period, with Close and Agee each getting a couple of two-point baskets. Wheeler had one two-point shot. Cannon shot ahead, scoring 14 and taking a 28-25 halftime lead.

Close had two two-pointers for the Tigers in the third period, while Agee, Elishah Ramos, Brayden Antoniak and Wheeler each had one. The Lions were held to seven points, giving DeKalb the lead back at 37-35.

It all came down to the fourth period. DeKalb would score 13 points with Antoniak and Wheeler each getting a couple of two-pointers, while Agee added a two-point shot and a free throw. Ramos also had a free throw point. Cannon would come away with 14 points, giving DeKalb the narrow 50-49 win.

Agee had 18 points in the game, while Close had 13. Wheeler came away with 10, Antoniak six, and Ramos three.

The following night, the teams were back at home where they took on some tough competition from Smith County.

In the Lady Tigers’ game, DeKalb scored eight points in the first period. Natalie Snipes had a three-point shot, while Madison Martin hit three free throws. Kadee Ferrell had two free throw points. The Lady Owls stayed right with DeKalb, scoring nine points.

The Lady Tigers had 14 points in the second period, with Ella Van Vranken hitting four free throws, while Martin had three. Snipes added a three-point basket, while Cam Branin had a three-pointer and a free throw. Ferrell was hurt in the game with an ankle injury and would not return. Smith was held to eight points, giving DeKalb the 22-17 lead at the half.

The game was contentious at times with even the cheerleaders getting into the act. During a time out, a tumbling battle ensued with Annabella Dakas coming out victorious in the duel. The local student body got fired up as Dakas back flipped across the court. 

Van Vranken was hot in the third period, scoring a three-pointer, a pair of two-point baskets, and three free throws, while Snipes added a three and two-point shot. Ella Hendrixson had a two-pointer, while Branin had a three-pointer. The Lady Owls also came on strong, scoring 23 points. DeKalb held a narrow 42-40 lead.

DeKalb came away with 11 points in the fourth, with Van Vranken hitting a two-point basket and a couple of free throws, while Avery Agee had a three-point shot. Xharia Lyons had a two-pointer, while Dare Collins added a couple of free throw points. Smith ended with 13 points, tying the game at 53 and sending it into overtime.

Van Vranken would score the Lady Tigers’ only points, hitting a two-point basket, while Smith would get nine points and the 62-55 win.

Van Vranken had 20 points in the game, while Snipes had 11. Branin had seven, Martin six, Agee three, and Ferrell Lyons, Collins, and Hendrixson each had two.

The Tigers would also have a tough match against Smith County. DeKalb scored 15 in the first period, with Stetson Agee hitting a two-pointer, a three-pointer, and a pair of free throws, while Elisha Ramos sank a couple of three-point shots. Brayden Antoniak had a two-point basket. The Owls scored 17.

DeKalb kept things going in the second period, scoring 19 points. Antoniak had four two-point shots and three free throws, while Agee added a two-pointer and three free throw points. Ramos had a couple of free throws, while Robert Wheeler had one. Smith had 18 points, giving them the slim 35-34 halftime lead.

Nathaniel Crook hit a pair of three-point shots in the third period, while Agee had a two and three-point basket. Wheeler had a two-pointer, while Antoniak added a free throw. The Owls caught fire in the third, scoring 27, and taking a 62-48 lead.

Jordan Young scored a couple of three-pointers in the fourth, while Crook added a three-pointer and a free throw. Agee and Ramos each had a two-point shot. It would not be enough. Smith scored 17 points and claimed the 76-66 victory.

Agee had 19 points in the game, while Antoniak had 18. Crook scored 10, Ramos eight, Young six, and Wheeler had five.

On Friday, the teams were again on their home court, this time facing their first district game as they hosted Stone Memorial. The girls would let their game slip away, but the boys would come out on top.

The Lady Tigers would play without one of their best players, with Ferrell still sidelined with an ankle injury. DeKalb scored eight in the first period, with Madison Martin getting a two-point basket and a pair of free throws, while Xharia Lyons and Avery Agee each had a two-pointer of their own. The Lady Panthers scored 11 points.

Ella Van Vranken came out strong in the second period, scoring a three-pointer, two two-pointers, and a couple of free throws. Martin and Ally Fuller each had a two-point shot. Stone upped their game, scoring 27, and taking a 38-21 lead at the half.

The Lady Tigers came away with 17 points in the third period, with Van Vranken sinking a pair of three-pointers and a two-point shot, while Martin added three two-pointers and a free throw. Agee also had a two-pointer. The Lady Panthers were held to 15, but still commanded a 53-38 lead.

In the end, Stone’s lead was too much to overcome. DeKalb scored 16 points in the fourth, with Van Vranken getting a couple of two-point baskets and a free throw, while Dare Collins had a pair of two-point shots of her own. Natalie Snipes had a three-point shot, Martin a two-pointer, and Lyons and Agee each added a free throw. The Lady Panthers scored 14, taking the 67-54 win.

Van Vranken had 22 points in the game, while Martin had 15. Agee had five, Collins four, Lyons and Snipes each had three, and Fuller had two.

In the Tigers’ game, the boys would pull away in the second period and the Panthers would never be able to catch up. DeKalb scored 16 points in the first period, with Elishah Ramos getting a three-pointer and a pair of two-point shots, while Brayden Antoniak had three two-pointers. Stetson Agee sank a three-point basket. Stone Memorial came away with 20 and the early lead.

The Tigers kept the heat up in the second period, scoring 18 points. Agee had two three-point baskets, a two-pointer, and a free throw, while Antoniak added a couple of two-point shots and a free throw. Isaac Knowles got on the board with a two-pointer and a pair of free throw points. Defensively, the Panthers were held to just two points, giving DeKalb the 34-22 lead at the half.

DeKalb kept pouring it on in the third, with 14 more points. Robert Wheeler had three two-point shots, while Jordan Young and Antoniak each had a couple of two-pointers. The Panthers got back into the game with 13 points, but the Tigers led 48-35.

The Tigers would end the game with 19 more points. Agee and Antoniak each had a two-pointer and a free throw, while Wheeler had a two-pointer and a pair of free throw points. Ramos added a couple of two-point baskets and a pair of free throws, while Young had three free throw points. Stone came away with 23 points, but not enough for the win. The Tigers won their first district match, 67-58.

Antoniak had 18 points in the game, while Agee had 15. Ramos had 13, Wheeler 10, Young seven, and Knowles had four.