JOHNSON CITY — Bill Francis isn’t used to coaching while sitting down, but he’s used to his Dobyns-Bennett girls basketball team handling adversity well.
The Lady Indians’ reward? Their first regular-season sweep of archrival Science Hill in eight years.
D-B accomplished the feat Friday night, grinding out a 45-31 Big 4 Conference win over the host Lady Hilltoppers.
Of course, Francis didn’t sit the full 32 minutes by choice. Dobyns-Bennett (17-7, 4-1) received a pregame technical foul for running out directly through the Lady Hilltoppers’ warmup area.
“They’d changed the benches, so I thought we were warming up on the other end, so that’s not the kids’ fault. That’s on me,” Francis said.
“That was an odd start, but I thought the kids responded,” he added.
Science Hill (11-14, 0-5) scored the first seven points of the game, but three-point plays by Kaydence Black and Caroline Hill got the Tribe going. Black’s second 3-pointer gave D-B a 21-19 halftime lead.
Hill began Dobyns-Bennett’s decisive run with six straight points, four free throws and a layup. Her 3-pointer and Kaylee Crumbley’s layup gave the Lady Indians a 39-22 lead going to the fourth quarter.
“Caroline did a great job getting to the rim tonight,” Francis said. “What she did was she freed herself and took a couple great looks from distance when she had them, and she was patient as the game went on.”
Hill scored 11 points in the third quarter to give her 19 for the game. Black added two late field goals to finish with 16 points, after a 12-point first half.
After Khloe Sommers got Science Hill within 23-21 to start the third quarter, D-B didn’t allow another field goal for more than eight minutes.
Lexi Green finally ended Science Hill’s drought with a 3-pointer, but 39-25 was as close as the Lady ‘Toppers could get.
Kaylee Oler led the Lady Hilltoppers with eight points. Green added seven, and Sommers six.
Dobyns-Bennett warmed up wearing black T-shirts, bearing a No. 24 with Hannah Frye’s last name on the back. Frye suffered a season-ending injury against Wise Central.
“One of the parents came up with those and gave them to the kids today,” Francis said. “Hannah’s a big part of what we do, and she’ll still be a big part of what we do now.”
SCIENCE HILL BOYS ROLL ON
Dissatisfied as he was with giving up more than 60 points, Science Hill boys coach Jon Higgins was more than satisfied with his team’s response.
The Hilltoppers, who’ve yet to lose since the calendar turned, collected their ninth straight win with a 75-67 triumph over Dobyns-Bennett.
It marks the first time since the 2015-16 season that Science Hill (16-9, 5-0) has swept its longtime rival in the regular season.
The Hilltoppers controlled the first two quarters and led 41-25 just before halftime, but the Tribe (10-12, 0-5) quickly pulled closer. Two Cam Hayworth baskets got D-B within 55-51 to start the fourth quarter.
“That’s a lot of points for us to give up,” Higgins said. “But you know what? The fact that we could win this game is a testament to how far we’ve come on both sides of the floor.”
After all, the Hilltoppers continuously answered D-B’s comeback attempts. Layups by Brady Lawson, Jaysahn Swartz, Oliver Peterson and Jabriel Fain made 65-54 with 3:28 remaining.
Lawson scored 23 points, and Fain had a career-high 20 for the Hilltoppers. Both players hit from 3-point range twice as did Peterson, who chipped in 13 points. The three of them combined to go 8-of-12 from the foul line in the final period.
“I feel like we’re getting a lot more comfortable with our offense and how we’re supposed to play within it,” Higgins said. “So our looks are starting to get a little bit better and we’re stating to make shots.”
Science Hill trailed only once at 3-0, until Landon Smelser, Lawson and Peterson all made 3-pointers for a 9-0 run.
Major Dawson’s transition dunk at the horn got the Indians within 41-30 at the half, and it was 53-46 heading to the fourth.
Hayworth had 11 points in the fourth quarter and finished with a game-high 26. Zayden Hayes added 14, and Jeremiah Jones eight.
UP NEXT
D-B entertains Morristown West on Tuesday.
