Eagles fall at Brantley

Published 12:02 am Saturday, February 15, 2014

Pleasant Home's Jon Cole Chesser (3) guards Friday night during his team's 71-42 loss to Brantley in the Class 1A South Sub-Regional. | Kendra Bolling/The Luverne Journal

Pleasant Home’s Jon Cole Chesser (3) guards Friday night during his team’s 71-42 loss to Brantley in the Class 1A South Sub-Regional. | Kendra Bolling/The Luverne Journal

Brantley ended Pleasant Home’s basketball seasons Friday night.

The boys fell 71-42 in a rout to the Bulldogs, while the girls lost 54-25.

The Eagles were led by Chase Gunter with 14 points. Gunter played against a tough Bulldogs team with the stomach bug and went 4-for-8 from the 3-point line.

PHS dug itself a hold early, trailing 21-8 in the first period and 41-17 at halftime.

“We got down early and dug us a big hole we couldn’t get out uf,” PHS coach Bradley Stephens said. “I felt like we played better in the third period. There was a time there where we cut it to 11, but then they started hitting a threes at the wrong time.

“Right when I felt like the boys were settling in, they get something to bust the momentum,” he said. “(Gunter) was shooting really well, doing all he could do.”

Alex Myrick almost had a double double for the Eagles, but finished with nine points and nine rebounds.

“Alex has really improved throughout each team that we’ve played,” Stephens said. “He did what he was supposed to do as one of our bigs.”

Stephens said Brantley’s Wesley Person finished the night with 27 points, and two other guards scored in double figures.

“They’re a good team, not to take anything away from us,” he said. “We played them well.”

The Lady Eagles trailed 32-12 at halftime and by as much as 46-16 in the second half.

PHS girls coach Jerry Davis said he wasn’t surprised to see how well of a team BHS has on the court.

“We played pretty good at times, but not consistently,” Davis said. “We got through the pressure for the most part. They shot the ball pretty well.

“It’s going to take a mighty good basketball team to beat them,” he said. “It wouldn’t shock me to see them (Brantley’s Lady Bulldogs) win (the state championship) twice in a row.”

Davis said he is proud of the girls.

“They played hard and there was not quit to them,” he said. “By far, the best team won the ball game.”

The boys finished the season 9-19, while the girls finished 16-10.