Redbirds turn back Van Buren for Yellow Sucker three-peat

ELLSINORE — The East Carter Redbirds have won the Yellow Sucker Trophy three years in a row, but they had to earn it this year.

The Redbirds defeated the Van Buren Bulldogs 68-62 Friday in the Yellow Sucker Game, the annual matchup of the two Carter County boys basketball teams.

“This rivalry is a heckuva game — it’s really awesome,” said East Carter head coach Jordan Penn. “Luckily, we did enough in the third and fourth quarter to give us a lead, which left room for us to handle some mistakes we had towards the end. I’m proud of the kids’ effort, this is always a battle. (Van Buren) coach (Jacob) Black had his team ready to go and we were just fortunate enough to come out in the end.”

The game was a highly contested match-up between the two rivals, with both teams fighting for every point. The first half of the game was tightly played, with both teams staying close throughout the quarters. However, the Redbirds managed to take a 28-22 lead heading into halftime.

In the third quarter, the Bulldogs tried to mount a comeback, but the Redbirds defense held strong and managed to extend their lead, taking a 44-37 advantage to the final period.

The fourth quarter was a nail-biter, with the Bulldogs cutting the lead to just seven points with only a minute remaining in the game. But the Redbirds managed to stay on top, thanks in part to a clutch two-pointer by Kasen McCarty.

The Yellow Sucker Game is one of the most intense rivalries in high school basketball, and the win was a huge confidence boost for the Redbirds as they head into the later part of the season.

The Van Buren Pep Club was loud and encouraging the entire game. East Carter’s student section was just electric as the final buzzer went off, celebrating the hard-fought victory over their rivals.

“A game like this can only help us,” Van Buren head coach Jacob Black said. “I’m very proud of the boys and like where we are in our process. We had a chance and hope we get another shot at them in February on our home floor.”

The Redbirds were led by senior guard, Micah Thompson, who had an outstanding performance with 16 points, four rebounds, and two assists.

“It was a big defensive game for us” said East Carter’s guard Micah Thompson. “It’s probably the most exciting game in our season, the fans are awesome and we really enjoy them being here.”

The Bulldogs were paced by junior forward Holden Hills who had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.