Tuesday Around UC Sports Nation: #5 Upperman Lady Bees Upset in Smithville

The Upperman Lady Bees led the DeKalb County Lady Tigers virtually the entire way throughout Tuesday night’s District 7-3A meeting in Smithville… until the final seconds of the game. Lady Tiger sophomore Ella VanVranken sank a pair of free throws with just under five seconds to play, as DeKalb County scored a 42-40 upset of the fifth-ranked Lady Bees. It was the second district loss in a row for Upperman (15-4, 2-3 District) who dropped a 43-38 decision at Livingston, last Friday night.

Upperman held a seven-point lead after both the first and second periods, and a five-point advantage going into the fourth. Shots stopped falling for the Lady Bees in the final frame, as DeKalb County (11-8, 1-4) clawed back. With the game tied 40-40 in the waning seconds, Brooklyn Crouch had a chance to give Upperman the lead on a one-and-one trip to the free throw line, but Crouch missed the front end, and the Lady Tigers corralled the rebound. VanVranken was fouled, giving her a chance to put DeKalb on top, which she did.

VanVranken led the Lady Tigers with 14 points, while Kadee Ferrell added 10. Crouch paced Upperman with 15.

The Upperman boys dominated the nightcap, winning a physical 59-42 decision. Rex Davis scored 17 and A.J. Nash added 14 for the Bees (7-7, 2-3), who pushed the lead into double figures at the half and never looked back. Brayden Antoniak scored nine points to lead the Tigers (9-9, 1-4).

Elsewhere Tuesday night, Cassie Gallagher led a balanced Cookeville attack with 11 points, as the Lady Cavs topped M. Juliet, 53-25, to win their 20th consecutive game. Josh Heard and Bennett Reeves scored 15 each, as the Cavaliers handily won the nightcap, 66-45.

Here’s the full Tuesday night scoreboard from UC Sports Nation:

Girls
#4 Clarkrange 59
Gordonsville 51
(District 7-1A)

#2 Cookeville 53
Mt. Juliet 25
(District 9-4A)
(CHS: Improves to 20-0; Cassie Gallagher 11 points)

DeKalb Co. 42
#5 Upperman 40
(District 7-3A)
(DC: Ella VanVranken 14 – made 2 FT in final 5 seconds in upset)
(UHS: Brooklyn Crouch 15)

Red Boiling Springs 34
Jackson Co. 18
(Non-District)

Warren Co. 53
Franklin Co. 40
(District 6-4A)
(WCHS: Improves to 17-3)

Boys
Gordonsville 68
Clarkrange 36
(District 7-1A)

Cookeville 66
Mt. Juliet 45
(CHS: Josh Heard, Bennett Reeves 15 points each)

Upperman 59
DeKalb Co. 42
(District 7-3A)
(UHS: Rex Davis 17, AJ Nash 14)

Jackson Co. 74
Red Boiling Springs 47
(Non-District)

Franklin Co. 55
Warren Co. 45
(District 6-4A)

Five doubleheaders were postponed Tuesday night, due to remnants of Sunday’s winter weather: Pickett County at Clay County, White County at Cumberland County, Stone Memorial at Livingston Academy, Monterey at York Institute, and Van Buren County at Grundy County.