Rebels roll to 68-33 win over EPC

Riverside (16-3, 4-1) got 26 points from Cash Gillis and 25 points from Brayeson Timms as the Rebels beat EPC (4-2, 3-1) 68-33 this past Thursday in Lake City.

Timms scored the first points of the game on a jumper before Dennis Gaines, Jr. canned a three-ball for the Warriors to make it 3-2 early in the game. Gillis hit triple twine for Riverside then Tyrus Reel got a steal and lay up for EPC to tie the game at five. Riverside got a basket inside from Timms, a three-pointer from Thatcher Durham and to free throws from Timms to make it 12-5 Rebels with 3:37 left.

Doug Reel hit one of two free throws for EPC only to see Timms convert an old-school three-point play and follow with a basket in the paint to make the score 17-6 Riverside.

EPC's Landon Nichols shoots a jumper over Cash Gillis of Riverside during 2A-3 action this past Thursday in Lake City. (Photo by Cosmo Cossey)

EPC's Omar McCuiston was whistled for a technical foul and Gillis hit one of two technical free throws before hitting two free throws from being fouled to push the Rebels' lead to 20-6. Riverside got a basket inside from Grayson Taylor and a three-ball from Gillis to make it 25-6 before EPC's Tyrus Reel was whistled for a technical foul with less than a minute left in the opening quarter. Gillis hit one of two of the technical free throws as Timms hit one of two free throws before Tyrus Reel hit a jumper to make it 27-8 Rebels at the end of one.

Jacob Gaines hit one of two free throws for EPC to open the second quarter scoring to make it 27-9 only to see Riverside get a basket inside from Gillis and a three-pointer from Durham to make the score 32-9 Rebels with 5:14 left. The Gaines brothers connected on two of four free throws before Gillis hit back to back three-pointers making the score 38-11 Riverside. Jacob Gaines hit a jumper for the Warriors as Riverside scored the last nine points of the quarter as Timms hit a jumper and three-pointer, Gillis was good on two free throws as Timms got a steal and lay up to make it 47-13 Rebels at the half.

Gillis pushed the Riverside lead to 49-13 with a jumper before EPC scored the next six points as Tyrus Reel hit a jumper and McCuiston and Landon Nichols had back to back baskets to make the score 49-17 Rebels with 5:44 left in the third quarter. Timms hit a jumper in the lane for Riverside, Nichols scored down low for the Warriors as Timms and Tucker Emery scored back to back baskets for the Rebels making it 55-19 Riverside. EPC got back to back scores from Tyrus Reel and Jacob Gaines before Timms got inside for a baskets for the Rebels making it 59-23 Riverside. Doug Reel scored inside for EPC, Emery canned a three-ball for the Rebels as the Warriors got a bucket in the paint from McCuiston and two free throws from Gaines, Jr. making the score 62-29 Riverside at the end of three.

With the mercy clock running at the start of the fourth quarter, Jacob Gaines hit two free throws making it 62-31 Rebels before Gaines, Jr. was whistled for his second technical foul and ejected from the game with just over five minutes left. Gillis hit the two technical free throws as Zain McClure scored in the paint for the Rebels making it 66-31 Riverside. Jamaure Young hit a jumper for EPC and Jacob Tipton hit a jumper for Riverside making the final score 68-33 Rebels.

“We jumped on them early and the guys shot the ball well tonight,” Riverside head coach Buster Campbell said after the game. “I'm proud of the guys and the intensity they had during the game,” Campbell added.

Gillis and Timms combined to score 51 points to lead the Rebels. Durham and Emery added six and five points respectively for Riverside.

Tyrus Reel and Jacob Gaines each scored eight points to lead the Warriors as Gaines, Jr. finished with six points for EPC.

EPC coach Jamarcus Thaxton declined to comment after the game.