BOYS' BASKETBALL: Golden Falcons upend Bulldogs

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on December 21, 2016 9:59 AM

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PRINCETON -- Happy holidays.

That was the prevailing consensus Tuesday night following Charles B. Aycock's grind-it-out, 53-46 victory over Princeton in consolation-bracket play of the Quickshirt.com Holiday Basketball Invitational.

The triumph snapped a three-game skid for the Golden Falcons, and moved the team to 4-7 on the season.

But it wasn't easy.

The powder blues endured an onslaught of textbook hoops in a rapid-fire opening quarter, one in which the Bulldogs moved with precision, generated quality looks from distance and played with toughness in the lane.

"They're a disciplined group," Aycock head coach Dave Elmore said of the tourney's host. "That's one of the toughest things with playing a team like them -- they make you guard forever."

After eight minutes, Princeton led 21-15.

Aycock found its rhythm in the second period, however, holding the blue-and-gold's motion offense to just six points with its longer, revamped lineup and launching its own barrage from beyond the three-point arc.

All-tournament selection Semaj Yelverton and junior forward Eli Batts led the charge, each connecting from distance and scoring five points in the quarter to trim the Princeton advantage to just a single point at the break.

The third quarter saw both teams struggle from the field, combining for just seven made field goals and 21 total points -- a refrain that would continue until the game's final minutes.

Aycock took command of the affair for good with a clear-out for Yelverton, whose twisting, contortionist-inspired left-handed layup with 1:10 remaining made the score 47-41 and signaled the end for Princeton.

"We played okay," said Princeton head coach Jeff Davis, whose team fell to 3-5 on the season. "We just shot poorly -- missed some that we normally make."

The Falcons iced their holiday party from the free throw line, going six-for-six over the final 30 seconds to preserve the victory.

Yelverton finished with 19 points, including 11 in the second half. Batts filed 15 points, including three triples, while Justin Lofton-Russell added six.

All in all, a proper -- and larger -- way to end the year.

"This bigger lineup is something we'll work with going forward," Elmore said. "Semaj is doing a lot for us on both ends of the floor, and Justin is doing a great job of running the team."

Aycock returns to action Jan. 3 against South Central in Pikeville.