Named to this year’s Brown County Holiday Tournament boys all-tournament team were (from the left): Abe Crall (Western Brown), Jet Jamison (Western Brown), Luke Haney (Eastern), Alex Bradshaw (Fayetteville-Perry) and Aiden Johnson (Georgetown). Photo by Wade Linville
Eastern boys finish runner-up
The Western Brown Broncos are the 2023 Brown County Holiday Tournament champions. Photo by Wade Linville
Western Brown’s Jet Jamison fires off a shot from three-point range during the 2023 Brown County Holiday Tournament championship game against Eastern on Dec. 29. Photo by Wade Linville
Eastern’s Kade Walkup sank five three-pointers in the 2023 Brown County Holiday Tournament championship game against Western Brown. Photo by Wade Linville
Eastern’s Luke Haney goes up for a score in the 2023 Brown County Holiday Tournament varsity boys championship game against Western Brown on Dec. 29. Photo by Wade Linville
Georgetown’s Ryland Hayslip penetrates to the hoop during the 2023 Brown County Holiday Tournament. Photo by Wade Linville
Western Brown’s Isaiah Smith goes up for a shot while Eastern’s Drew Edmisten attempts a block during the Brown County Holiday Tournament varsity boys championship game on Dec. 29. Photo by Wade Linville
Western Brown’s William Stewart goes up for a shot while Eastern’s Luke Haney attempts a block during the Brown County Holiday Tournament varsity boys championship game on Dec. 29. Photo by Wade Linville
Eastern’s Wyatt Haupt drives to the hoop while guarded by Western Brown’s Abe Crall during the Brown County Holiday Tournament championship game on Dec. 29. Photo by Wade Linville
For the second straight year, the Western Brown Broncos are Brown County Holiday Tournament champions.
After claiming a 57-39 victory over the Fayetteville-Perry Rockets in round one of the 2023 Brown County Holiday Tournament held at Georgetown High School on Dec. 28, the Broncos went on to capture a narrow 56-51 win over the Eastern Warriors in the championship game on Dec. 29.
There were three Broncos scoring in double figures to lead the way for Western Brown in the round one win over Fayetteville.
Sophomore forward Connor Gulley fired for 13 points to lead the Broncos in the win over the Rockets, sinking six-of-12 shots from the field, including one three-pointer.
Senior Bronco Abe Crall finished with 11 points to go along with eight rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks.
Western Brown’s senior guard Isaiah Smith hit five-of-10 attempts from the field to finish with 10 points against the Rockets. Smith also had five rebounds, five assists, and five steals.
Leading the Rockets in scoring against the Broncos was sophomore guard Ayden Wells with 12 points, sinking four-of-eight attempts from three-point range.
It was a close battle throughout in the varsity boys tourney championship game between the Broncos and the Eastern Warrriors.
The Broncos held an 11-10 lead at the end of the first period, but the Warriors rallied to outscore the Broncos 14-9 in the second quarter to hold a 24-20 lead at halftime break.
I was Smith scoring on a drive to the hoop to trim the Eastern lead to 24-22 early in the third quarter, and a pair of hit free throws by Western junior William Stewart tied the game at 24 apiece with 5:40 remaining in the frame.
Eastern junior Pryce Murphy buried a shot from the field to put the Warriors on top 26-24. Then it was an assist by Eastern senior Luke Haney and a bucket by junior Dylin Pierson the expanded the Eastern lead to four points.
A three-pointer by Eastern junior Kade Walkup left the Broncos trailing 31-24 midway through the third period.
Another three by Walkup put the Warriors up 34-24.
Western Brown’s Abe Crall broke the Warrior run in the third quarter by draining a three-pointer to cut the Eastern lead to 34-27.
A bucket by Murphy put the Warriors up 36-27, but it was a three-pointer by Smith that sliced the Eastern lead to 36-32.
At the end of the third quarter, it was the Warriors leading 39-32.
Eastern junior Landen Koehler kicked off scoring in the fourth quarter, rifling in a three-pointer to expand the Warriors’ lead to 42-34.
It was a bucket by Abe Crall that brought the Broncos to within six points. A three-pointer by Walkup, his fifth of the game, put the Warriors up 45-36.
With 6:23 to go in the fourth quarter, it was Western Brown’s junior guard Jet Jamison dialing from long distance and connecting to cut the Eastern lead to 45-39.
The Broncos rallied in the fourth quarter, chipping away at the Eastern lead until eventually it was a bucket by Abe Crall that put the Broncos on top 46-45.
A three-pointer by Jamison expanded the Western lead to 49-45. Then it was Abe Crall burying one-of-two attempts from the foul line to put the Broncos up by five.
The Warriors struggled with turnovers and missed shots late in the fourth quarter, but some missed free throws by the Broncos late in the fourth quarter allowed the Eastern boys to stick around.
It was Murphy grabbing an offensive rebound and sinking the put-back to leave the Warriors trailing by just three, 52-49, with just 33.6 seconds to go.
On the other end of the court, the Broncos managed to find just enough success from the charity stripe in the final seconds to seal the five-point victory and another Brown County Holiday Tournament title.
Jamison connected on four-of-six attempts from the foul line in the fourth quarter to help the Broncos put away the Warriors. Smith sank a perfect two-of-two attempts from the charity stripe in the fourth period, and Stewart one-of-two. Abe Crall managed to connect on three-of-seven attempts from the foul line in the fourth.
The Broncos outscored the Warriors 24-12 in the fourth quarter for the win.
Jamison led the way in scoring for the Broncos with 17 points, while Abe Crall finished with 14 points to go along with six rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
Walkup led the way in scoring for the Warriors with 16 points, draining five three-pointers and one-of-two attempts from the foul line.
Haney also shot for double figures against the Broncos, finishing with 10 points.
Although it was the second straight Brown County Holiday Tournament title for the Broncos, it was the first as head of the Western Brown varsity boys’ basketball program for coach AJ Frazier.
“I’m happy for them, I’m excited for them, and happy to be a part of it,” Frazier said of his Broncos’ following their holiday tourney wins.
Jamison’s exceptional play down the stretch played the significant role in the Broncos’ win over Eastern.
“I challenged him to have a big game today,” Frazier said of Jamison, one of the Broncos’ top scorers on the season.
The holiday tourney wins over Fayetteville and Eastern provided a needed boost of confidence for the now 3-4 Western Brown Broncos, who entered the holiday tourney with only one win.
“Just getting better, that’s the goal,” Frazier said of the Broncos’ goal heading into the new year.
“I want to see the boys continue to grow and get better.”
The Georgetown G-Men fell to Eastern 51-38 in round one of the Brown County Holiday Tournament on Dec. 28, but topped the Fayetteville-Perry Rockets 53-50 in overtime in the consolation match on Dec. 29 to finish in third place.
Named to this year’s Brown County Holiday Tournament boys all-tournament team were: Abe Crall (Western Brown), Jet Jamison (Western Brown), Luke Haney (Eastern), Alex Bradshaw (Fayetteville-Perry) and Aiden Johnson (Georgetown).
Brown County Holiday Tournament Boys Championship Game
EHS 10 14 15 12 – 51
WBHS 11 9 12 24 – 56
Western Brown (56): Jamison 5 4-7 17, A. Crall 5 3-7 14, Smith 3 2-4 9, Ernst 3 0-1 6, Stewart 1 3-4 6, Connor Gulley 2 0-0 4. Three-pointers: Jamison 3, A. Crall 1, Smith 1, Stewart 1. Team: 19 12-23 56.
Eastern (51): Walkup 5 1-2 16, Haney 3 4-7 10, Murphy 4 0-0 8, Haupt 2 2-4 7, Edmisten 2 0-0 5, Koehler 1 0-0 3, Pierson 1 0-0 2. Three-pointers: Walkup 5, Koehler 1, Haupt 1, Edmisten 1. Team: 18 7-13 51.
