BLUFF CITY, Tenn. – This warning isn’t one of those winter weather advisories that have appeared so frequently as of late, but Northeast Tennessee boys basketball teams need to be alerted of a major development: The Sullivan East Patriots aren’t the same squad in January that they were at the end of December.
The Patriots are unbeaten since the calendar flipped to 2024 as they ran their winning streak to four games with a 67-54 victory over the Union Bears on Wednesday night.
Junior post player Corbin Laisure and senior guard Tyler Cross were the tone-setters as East (9-8) led for the final 28:19 in avenging an earlier loss to the squad from Southwest Virginia.
The performance came one night after the Patriots overwhelmed Elizabethton for a 76-37 triumph.
“I thought we’ve played a solid 64 minutes the past two days,” said East coach Dillon Faver. “You can’t beat that.”
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Union (9-7) couldn’t stop Laisure on Friday as the 6-foot-5, 220-pound junior went for 29 points. He was 11-for-18 from the field and 4-for-5 at the free throw line.
“We utilized my size and the size of big 44 [Zach Johnson],” Laisure said. “Shout out to my guards for throwing the ball in there. They never hesitate to give me the ball.”
That’s because good things usually happen when he has possession of the basketball.
“We’re never scared to feed that man,” Cross said. “He’ll take it up strong or kick it out. He’s patient down there. You can always rely on him to get a board or block people as well.”
One of the area’s top football prospects, Laisure holds scholarship offers from UNLV, Miami of Ohio, Western Michigan, Austin Peay and Mercer on the gridiron. The Colorado Buffaloes have also shown serious interest.
He can hoop it up as well.
“I love it a lot,” Laisure said. “I love the grind and love the teammates.”
Laisure is smooth and the big dude also connected for a a 3-pointer in the victory.
“I keep telling him two hands, two feet, be patient, use your ball fakes and just do you,” Faver said. “That’s why he’s so successful on the football field, because he never stops, never gets super frustrated and plays hard the whole time. … Corbin’s been controlling the paint with what he’s been doing on the offensive and defensive-rebounding side and his scoring.”
Union didn’t have the size to contend with Laisure.
“We’re small. We’re athletic and get after it and play hard, but there are limitations there and they took advantage of the mismatch,” said Union coach Kory Bostic. “We did a better job the first time defending the post. They did a good job this time of pounding the ball into those guys and they finished around the basket. … We also gave them a lot of second-chance opportunities because we didn’t box out.”
East wanted a second chance after dropping a 58-53 overtime decision to Union back on Dec. 9 in Big Stone Gap. The Patriots led by 13 points entering the fourth quarter before falling in that contest.
“I told our team that we gave them a Christmas present when we played them at their place and there was no chance we’ll do that again tonight,” Faver said. “We had to play for 32 minutes, not 30.”
That gut-wrenching defeat was part of a five-game losing skid to close out December, but the Patriots have turned things around. Cross hit some big shots in the second half to put the Bears away and he finished with 14 points.
“We lost some energy during that losing streak,” Cross said. “We got the energy back in practices and the coaches got that hype back.”
Crisp ball movement has been a M.O. during the winning streak as well.
“We’re caring more about each other’s success than our own and we’ve taken that to heart in the way we practice and play,” Laisure said. “And it’s been showing on the scoreboard.”
Brayden Wharton led Union with 18 points.
“He shot the ball well tonight,” Bostic said. “He’s a senior leader for us. He made big shots against their zone and that’s what we need out of him.”
Kam Bostic (15 points) and Reyshawn Anderson (14 points) also scored in double figures.
The Bears beat John Battle on Tuesday in Bristol and Bostic liked his team’s effort in back-to-back games on the road.
“Every night we’re in the game,” Kory Bostic said. “When we shoot the ball well we have success and there are nights when our lack of size gets exposed a little bit. I can’t fault how hard these guys play. They’re undersized, but they battle and compete and play bigger than they are. They are a scrappy, athletic, hard-nosed bunch that comes to work every day.”
Union hosts Abingdon in an important Mountain 7 District showdown on Friday.
“That’s going to be tough.” Bostic said. “Abingdon has size and athletes. We’re just going to try to recover a little bit [Thursday] and get ready to go at it on Friday.”
Meanwhile, the temperatures aren’t the only thing on the rise.
The future hoops forecast looks promising for the Sullivan East Patriots.
“We have confidence all the time, but right now we’re really confident,” Cross said. “I think we’re going to have a great season.”
UNION (54) – B. Wharton 7 1-2 18, C. Wharton 0 0-0 0, Bunch 0 0-0 0, Bostic 6 2-3 15, Huff 2 1-2 5, C. Anderson 1 0-0 2, R. Anderson 6 1-3 14. Totals 22 5-10 54.
SULLIVAN EAST (67) – Hurley 0 0-0 0, Lowe 1 0-0 3, Donahue 1 0-0 2, Ridlehuber 1 0-0 3, Cross 4 2-4 14, Fisher 4 0-0 8, Johnson 3 2-2 8, Laisure 12 4-5 29. Totals 21 8-11 67.
Union 11 14 12 17—54
Sullivan East 19 17 12 19—67
3-point goals – U 5 (B. Wharton 3, Bostic, R. Anderson), SE 7 (Cross 4, Lowe, Ridlehuber, Laisure). Total fouls – U 9, SE 14. Fouled out – C. Anderson. Technicals – none. JV game – East won, 54-38.