Portland High freshman guard Austin Hicks prepares to pass during second-quarter action. Hicks scored three points.
HENDERSONVILLE The Beech High boys basketball team saw a different look from visiting Portland during the first half on Friday evening.
Beech High sophomore Nelson Smith drives into the lane as Portland sophomore Bryce Keith defends during third-quarter action. Smith scored seven points.
However, the Buccaneers did enough to combat it, pulling away in the second quarter and cruising to a 48-36 victory.
The Panthers (5-20 overall, 0-12 in District 9-AAA) used senior post player Caelum Utley on the outside against Beech’s 1-3-1 defensive scheme in the first half in order to try and jump-start the Portland offense. Utley scored six points in the first half before returning to his usual position inside in the third quarter.
“With the system of defense that we run, we definitely wanted to keep (Utley) from getting the ball in the middle, because that’s where he liked to operate,” Beech senior Caleb Walton said. “We just really tried to key in on that.”
Walton and classmate Noah Chatman were tasked with defending Utley once he returned to the interior.
“I thought he played well throughout,” Portland head coach Chris Carney said of Utley. “In the first half, we put him in a different position than we usually work him at in a 1-3-1 (defense), and that was up top, trying to make plays for other people. I think he did a good job, but it took away from his scoring. We moved him back inside in the second half.”
Utley scored 13 points in the second half to finish with a game-high total of 19.
Portland High senior forward Caelum Utley drives into the lane during second-quarter action. Utley finished with 19 points.
“I’ll be honest, I like that look on the perimeter based on what I saw in the fourth quarter,” Beech head coach Darrin Joines said. “(Utley’s) a good player. Give him credit, and give that team credit. I think they’re a team that – if you walk in the gym and look at effort – you don’t know who’s record is what. That’s a testament to Coach Carney and those kids.”
Walton led the Buccaneers (15-10, 7-5) with 13 points, while Chatman provided 10. Sophomore guard A.J. Robertson hit two of Beech’s four 3-pointers, scoring six points.
Dawson Simmons had five points for the Panthers, who trailed 25-13 at halftime. Beech led 9-7 after the opening quarter.
The teams played evenly in the second half, with each scoring 25 points over the final two quarters.
“We didn’t get the win that we wanted, obviously, but it was a completely different game than the first time we played them (a 57-29 loss to visiting Beech on Jan. 12),” Carney said. “It was a much more competitive game, and you can tell that we’re improving and getting better. We’re just taking small steps, but we’re moving in the right direction.”
Portland hosts Wilson Central on Tuesday and Lebanon on Friday, while Beech hosts Lebanon on Tuesday and travels to Hendersonville on Friday to close the regular season.
Beech High sophomore guard A.J. Robertson drives into the lane against Portland sophomore Dawson Simmons (left) and senior Eric Kirk during second-quarter action. Robertson scored six points.
“I think it’s all about mental focus,” Walton said. “The team that we have is a strong, aggressive team, and I think if we can stay intact mentally, then we can be prepared for a long run.”
Reach Chris Brooks at cbrooks@tennessean.com or at 615-575-7118. Follow him on Twitter @CB_SumnerSports.
PORTLAND (36) – Caelum Utley 19, Dawson Simmons 5, Grant Cook 4, Jay Crutchfield 3, Austin Hicks 3, Eric Kirk 2.
BEECH (48) – Caleb Walton 13, Noah Chatman 10, Ben Buhrow 7, Nelson Smith 7, A.J. Robertson 6, Ty Dean 3, Heath Pentecost 2.
Half: 25-13, Beech. Three-point goals: Portland 2 (Crutchfield 1, Hicks 1), Beech 4 (Robertson 2, Buhrow 1, Dean 1). Records: Portland 5-20 overall, 0-12 in District 9-AAA; Beech 15-10, 7-5.