Longhorns ready to kick off District Tourney
By Tim Chambers
SPORTS EDITOR
It is do-or-die time for both Johnson County teams as they face elimination games in the first round of the District Tournament that scheduled to be played at Elizabethton High School.
The Lady Longhorns will open up play on Thursday at 6 p.m. against Unicoi County, while the boys will face Sullivan Central on Friday at 6 p.m.
Johnson County dropped a pair of games to the Lady Blue Devils during the regular season while the boys split a couple of games with Central.
The Lady Longhorns fell 53-46 at home but lost 63-35 at Unicoi in a game where they were minus their two starting post players, Emmy Miller and Taylor Parsons.
Miller had 18 points against the Lady Devils at home while Parsons collected eight points and 12 rebounds.
The Horns must find a way to shut down Unicoi’s Halie Padgett who scored 20 points in their close win at Johnson County.
The boys fell 58-53 at Sullivan Central in a game that shot a frigid 27 percent from the field. They bounced back to defeat the Cougars handily 69-49 at Johnson County holding their leading scorer Jordan Self to only four points.
The Longhorns shot 55 percent in their win over Central and had three players in double figures and another one with nine.
The Longhorn boys and girls will move on to the regional tournament next week if they can each gather a win in the first round.
Below is a listing of all District Tournament games.
District 1-AA Basketball Tournament
At Elizabethton High School, Treadway Gymnasium
GIRLS
Wednesday, February 14
Game 1 – No. 2 Sullivan South (20-9) vs. No. 7 Happy Valley (5-23) 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 15
Game 2 – No. 3 Unicoi County (18-8) vs. No. 6 Johnson County (6-18), 6:00 p.m.
Game 3 – No. 4 Sullivan East (14-17) vs. No. 5 Elizabethton (9-18), 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 17
Game 4 – Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 3:30 p.m.
Game 5 – No. 1 Sullivan Central (14-9) vs Game 3 winner, 6:30 p.m.
Monday, February 19
Consolation – Game 4 loser vs. Game 5 loser, 6:00 p.m.
Championship – Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7:30 p.m.
BOYS
Wednesday, February 14
Game 1 – No. 2 Sullivan East (17-12) vs. No. 7 Happy Valley (6-21), 7:30 p.m.
Friday, February 16
Game 2 – No. 3 Johnson County (18-9) vs. No. 6 Sullivan Central (9-17), 6:00 p.m.
Game 3 – No. 4 Elizabethton (8-20) vs. No. 5 Sullivan South (15-15), 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 17
Game 4 – Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 5:00 p.m.
Game 5 – No. 1 Unicoi County (18-11) vs. Game 3 winner, 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday, February 20
Consolation – Game 4 loser vs. Game 5 loser, 6:00 p.m.
Championship – Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7:30 p.m.