Pirates fall 85-73 to Bay in tournament action

Gosnell could not find a way to slow Bay down in the third quarter as the Yellowjackets exploded for 33 points to turn a two deficit at halftime into a 15 point lead after three quarters on their way to a 85-73 win over the Pirates in one semi-final game of the Gerald Jennings Tournament this past Thursday in Lepanto.

Bay got the board first with a basket inside before the Pirates got a three-pointer and a jumper from Marcus Anderson to go up 5-2. The Yellowjackets tied the game at five with a jumper as Chase Perkins hit two free throws for Gosnell to make the score 7-4 Pirates. Bay hit triple twine to tie the game at seven only to see Kerrion Terry score in the paint to make it 9-7 Gosnell. Jacob Willard hit a three-pointer to give Bay a 10-9 lead as Parker Wells answered for the Pirates with a three-ball to make it 12-10 Gosnell. The 'Jackets canned another trey for before Lamar Aldridge drilled a three-pointer to make the score 15-13 Gosnell late in quarter. Bay added another three-ball before the buzzer to take a 16-15 lead at the end of one.

Bubba Lucas got a stick back basket for Gosnell for the first points of the second quarter as Bay answered with a jumper to make it 18-17 Yellowjackets. Lucas got another stick back basket, Bay hit one of two free throws only to see the Pirates get two free throws from Terry and a reverse lay up from Rylan Jenkins to make the score 23-19 Gosnell with 4:35 left. Bay went on a 6-2 run with Anderson scoring down low to tie the game at 25. Gosnell got a three-ball from Brandon Razer and a fast break lay up from Anderson to take a 30-25 lead before back to back baskets by Bay cut the lead to 30-29 with 1:53 left. Terry put back an offensive rebound, Bay scored inside as Anderson hit one of two free throws to give Gosnell a 33-31 lead at the half.

Rylan Jenkins of Gosnell shoots a jumper in the lane during the Pirates' game with Bay this past Thursday in Lepanto. (Photo by Cosmo Cossey)

Bay tied the game at 33 with a basket early in the third quarter before Jenkins scored inside to make it 35-33 Gosnell. The 'Jackets scored the next five points to go up 38-35 only to see the Pirates get a stick back from Terry and two free throws from Jenkins to make the score 39-38 Gosnell with 6:06 left. Bay reeled off nine straight points before Cam Williams stopped the run with basket in the paint to make it 47-41 Yellowjackets. Bay converted an old-school three-point play, Anderson scored off the fast break as Bay hit a three-ball making it 53-43 'Jackets. Jenkins hit triple twine as Bay answered with a three-pointer and an old-fashioned three-point play to push their lead to 59-46 with 1:20 left. Gosnell got a three-ball from Anderson and a basket inside from Williams to cut the led to 59-51 only to see Bay drill a three-pointer and score inside to make it 64-51 Yellowjackets after three.

The teams traded points the entire fourth quarter as Bay hit eight of 10 free throws in the last three minutes of the game. Jenkins hit a jumper for Gosnell to open the quarter as Bay scored a basket in the paint making it 66-53 'Jackets. Wells hit the first of his three straight three-pointers with Bay answering after each with a basket inside, two free throws and a three-ball to make the score 73-62 with 5:40 left. Jenkins hit a jumper, the Yellowjackets scored back to back baskets as Anderson hit a jumper to make it 77-66 Bay. The 'Jackets hit three of four free throws on back to back trips to the line, Perkins got a basket down low for Gosnell before Bay again three of four free throws on back to back trips to the line to make it 83-68. Anderson connected on a jumper, Bay hit two free throws before Jenkins canned a three-pointer to set the final score at 85-73 Yellowjackets.

“I thought it was a fun and I bet it was especially a fun game to watch,up and down the court with a lot of point scored,” Gosnell head coach Corbin Clark said after the game. “I think Bay is an exceptional team and they have great guard play which makes it hard on us as we like to get up and pressure teams. We established our inside game in the first half and then it became a perimeter game in the second half which probably favored them. Our pressure wasn't as good the second half and Brannen (Justin) is hard to turnover,” Clark added.

Anderson led Gosnell in scoring with 19 points as Jenkins added 16 points. Wells finished with 12 points for the Pirates.