Senath-Hornersville outlasts Delta C-7 for chaotic road win

A double digit comeback, a team without a head coach, a pivotal defensive adjustment and four Lion players scoring double digits all culminated in Senath-Hornersville’s 81-57 victory over Delta C-7 Thursday night.

“Our kids found a way,” Senath-Hornersville head coach Kurt Penn said. “I think the last eight games we’ve found ourselves in a double digit deficit early in the first quarter, but they just don’t quit. That’s been our case all year and we just don’t give up.”

Powered by the offensive strength of freshman Carlos Wallace, Delta C-7 (8-7) started strong and started fast.

Wallace opened the game with a 3-pointer, and before the first quarter was over he’d add two more, a 2-point jumper and a free throw. Junior Bryce Manley added three layups that led the Chargers to lead 23-16.

More importantly, Delta C-7 head coach Josh Mathis was ejected from the game with more than four minutes remaining in the first quarter following an argument with a referee. Student assistant coach Kyran Luster was left to lead the team for the remainder of the night.

“If I would've been out there, it may have gone a different way and that’s my fault,” Mathis said. “They played with them for three and a half quarters. They hung in and scrapped with them without me out there, so that loss is on me.”

After regrouping, Senath-Hornersville (13-6) started the process of clawing their way back into the game.

Trailing by ten points halfway through the second quarter, the Lions went on a 14-point run that gave them their first lead of the game. Senior Jaxon Layne put in a layup and two free throws to follow that cut the Lions’ deficit to two points. On the next play, Pookie Garza executed a steal and layup that tied the matchup 32-32.

Garza’s 3-point buzzer beater awarded Senath-Hornersville a 39-34 advantage at halftime.

“Little by little they started fixing things,” Penn said. “Then in the second half we stopped it completely and we took off. They never give up no matter how we’re playing – we find a way to battle and give ourselves a chance for a win.”

The third quarter resulted in a long back and forth between the Lions and Chargers, ultimately with Senath-Hornersville outscoring Delta C-7 20-16. Lion junior Amador Luna broke out in the third to score ten of those 20 points on his own.

The big difference in the third quarter for the Lions? That would be shutting down the shots coming from Delta C-7’s largest weapon, Carlos Wallace.

Penn readjusted, moving junior Mason Williams to guard Wallace. Penn said “(Williams) frustrated him, got in his face and that really led us to stops.”

“We knew if we could contain him in the second half then we could give ourselves a good chance to win,” Penn said. “We came out with a lack of focus, but in the second half we really put an emphasis on stopping him.”

Delta C-7 freshman Carlos Wallace moves the ball down court while guarded by Senath-Hornersville senior Jaxon Layne Thursday night in Deering.Christian Johnson, Delta Dunklin Democrat

Everything started to click for the Lions in the fourth quarter. Just as hoped for, the Lions took a balanced approach with all five players scoring, each between two and six points apiece.

Sophomore Rico Gonzalez pulled in a steal and pushed through the middle for a layup breaking the Lions’ 20-point lead. A final free throw by Pookie Garza crossed Senath-Hornersville over the 80-point mark and led to an 81-57 win.

Amador Luna led the Lions in scoring with 20 points, followed by Pookie Garza with 18, Jaxon Layne with 17, Mason Williams with 11, Spencer Goff with six, Rico Gonzalez with five and Angel Ledezma with four.

The high-scorer of the night was Carlos Wallace with 29 points. Bryce Manley contributed 14 points for the Chargers, followed by Jacob Miller with five, Garrett Lewis with four, Jaden Ward with three and Trenton Young with two.

Delta C-7 had most recently picked up a staggering 69-30 win over Gideon on the Chargers’ homecoming night last Friday. Senath-Hornersville had won two close games this week already to Hayti and Campbell.

Senath-Hornersville will play Campbell again Saturday, this time in the first round of the Bootheel Conference Tournament beginning at 12:45 p.m. Delta C-7 takes on Southland on the road Friday night at 6 p.m. and travels to Armorel Monday.