In the first varsity boys contest of the day, the Phelps Hornets squared off against Pike County foe, the East Ridge Warriors, in a matchup that delivered plenty of offensive firepower. From the opening minutes, the Hornets took control behind a dynamic one-two punch from Knox Wallace and Tyler Weddington.
Phelps jumped out to an early lead as Wallace poured in 12 first-half points while Weddington added 11, fueling a strong offensive surge that carried the Hornets to a 41–30 advantage at intermission. East Ridge kept itself within striking distance thanks to the efforts of senior Gavin Damron and junior Brayden Wilson, who tallied 11 points each in the opening half.
The second half brought more of the same steady pressure from Phelps, as the Hornets continued to build their lead with a balanced attack. Reece Norman stepped up with 7 second-half points, helping the Hornets maintain control throughout the closing frames.
In the end, Phelps proved too much for the Warriors, coasting to a 67–58 victory to open their Junior Newsome Classic run. Knox Wallace’s strong all-around performance earned him Surplus Products Player of the Game honors, finishing with 16 points.
Individual Scoring Recap
Phelps – 67 PTS- Tyler Weddington (17 pts), Knox Wallace (16 pts), Ethan Fields (14 pts), Reece Norman (10 pts), Andrew Caines (7 pts), John Socorin (3 pts)
East Ridge – 58 PTS – Gavin Damron (19 pts), Brayden Wilson (17 pts), Ayden Mullins (8 pts), Peyton Coleman (7 pts), Kaden McCoy (4 pts), Jordan Belcher (3 pts)
