By Tabitha Evans Moore | EDITOR & PUBLISHER

LYNCHBURG, Tenn. — Though the visiting Rockets led by 17 at the end of the third quarter, Moore County senior Brantley Hill got hot from behind the perimeter in the fourth quarter to help the Raiders make a run at a comeback. Unfortunately, it was a little too little a little too late, and Moore County dropped it’s sixth straight game with a 53-41 loss to Forrest on Friday.

Moore County came into the game fresh off a narrow 63-57 loss at Culleoka, and really, that game felt a lot closer than the final score. Moore County battled for three periods – tying the game and earning the lead in the third period. But shots at the charity stripe allowed Culleoka to edge the Raiders down the stretch. {To read our complete coverage of that game, click here.}

The Warriors made eight of nine from the line in the final stanza to pull ahead late. Moore County pulled within one with 1:31 to play with a perimeter swish from Colton Morey but Warrior baskets from the line sealed the win.

The Forrest boys squad came into Lynchburg with a 1-5 season record. Their lone win happened at Cornersville on December 3 by a margin of 58-41.

{Editor’s Note: This year’s Raiders’ basketball coverage is free to all readers thanks to our community partner, Woodard’s Market.}

Perimeter shots keep Raiders in it

Jay Sparkman got Moore County on the boards first with a trey. Sparkman was one of five Raiders – including Hill, Cooper Dickey, Colton Morey, and Peyton Martin – to connect behind the line on Friday. Martin scored the Raiders other lone basket in the first. Moore County trailed Forrest 12-5 at the end of the first period.

Martin scored one from the line for Moore County’s first points of the second period. He continues to rule the baseline for the Raiders. Each time he goes up, he consistently gets either the points or the foul.

Moore County’s defense then allowed the Rockets to go on a 9-point run to pull ahead 21-6 in the second period. Back-to-back treys by Hill and Dickey narrowed the gap, 23-12, but by the halftime buzzer Moore County trailed 30-17. Martin led in the first half with eight points.

Sparkman played the same song a second time with a trey of the second half tip off. Hill followed him with a jumper a possession later to pull within eight, 30-22. It was as close as the Raiders would get. Forrest then pieced together a 7-point run before Martin stopped the bleeding from the line to make it 37-24. Forrest scored on back-to-back possessions to end the third period ahead, 41-24.

Moore County made a run at a comeback in the fourth period – outscoring the Rockets by five. Hill swished a basket and three from behind the line to score 11 of those points. At the buzzer, Moore County lost to Forrest, 53-41.

Brantley Hill led for Moore County with 16 points followed by Peyton Martin with 13 points. Other contributing Raiders were: Jay Sparkman (6), Colton Morey (3), and Cooper Dickey (3).

Moore County scored 15 points from the floor and 27 points from the perimeter. They were four of 10 (40 percent) from the line. For comparison, Forrest scored 30 from the floor and 15 from the perimeter. They were eight of 13 (61 percent) from the line.

The Raiders will move on to a home game against Loretto on Monday. Interestingly, the match up will be a bit of a homecoming. Former Raider Greg Tipps coached the Loretto boys’ team. Tip off will follow the girls’ game. •

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