GILMER – There are many different reasons a BHS basketball fan could argue for the downfall and upset loss to Gilmer, this past week.

Bottom line….you have to make shots when you are three feet from the basket, and the Bullard Panthers just could not buy a basket, in a 50-45 loss to the athletic Buckeyes.

The Buckeyes had a big third quarter, and Bullard never could catch up as the Buckeyes took their second league win, and the Panthers first setback.

Gilmer outscored Bullard 13-7 in the third period, to build a Buckeye lead they would not relinquish.

Daniel McLaren led Gilmer in scoring with 15 points, while Stump Godfrey added eight points in the win.

Josiah Rosebury led the Panthers with a game-high 17 points, scoring 13 in the first half, as Bullard led 28-26.

“We just had one of those nights shooting the ball, that it just wasn’t falling for us,” said first year head coach, Robert Sampson after the game. “We had more than our share of blown lay ups, easy follow baskets after offensive rebounds, and out 3-point shooting was way off the norm for us.

“It’s an eye-opener for sure, but I told the guys to learn from it,” Sampson said.

“Regardless of missed shots, we were out- rebounded in the game, we let them get about as many breakaway baskets as our defense usually causes, so it was not any one particular thing, we just got our bad game behind us.”

Do not by any means forget Gilmer is a very athletic team, as Tristen Holt was a rejecting, neglecting, nightmare in the paint, with numerous blocked shots, a few unnoticed goal-tends, but all seven of Holt’s points came on second shots in the paint.

The Bullard JV and coach John Lambreth continue to have a great season, chalking up a 21-4 season mark and a 3-1 district ledger, with a 49-37 win over the Buckeyes. Cale Pinion scored 18 points, while teammates Kirk Bryant and Conner Gurley, added 11 points apiece.

Playing the entire roster as always, head coach Heath Fults got 13 points from Chandler Clarke, and Cody Goode added 11 points in the freshmen, 37-32 win. The win evens the frosh league ledger, at 2-2.

The Panthers travel to play at Chapel Hill on Friday night, which should prove to be a barn-burner considering the first-round Panther win, highlighted with four technical fouls on Bullard.

District 17-3A Boys Basketball
Boys Varsity
Gilmer 50, Bullard 45
Bullard 16 12 7 10 - 45
Gilmer 19 9 13 11 - 50
BULLARD – Daniel Howard, 5; Lance Anding, 3; Koby Greene, 4; Josiah Rosebury, 17; Marquez Franklin, 3; Scott Starwalt, 2.

GILMER – Caleb Denton, 3; Daniel McLaren, 15; Tristen Holt, 7; Wesley Johnson, 3; Kavin Patton, 2; Tevin Godfrey, 6; Braylon Webb, 6; Stump Godfrey, 8.

THREE POINT GOALS – B: Rosebury. G: Denton, T. Holt, Johnson. RECORDS – Bullard 19-9; 3-1. Gilmer

NEXT UP – Bullard at Chapel Hill, Fri., 7:30 p.m.

Junior Varsity Game
Bullard 49, Gilmer 37
Bullard 13 9 14 13 - 49
Gilmer 13 8 10 6 - 37

BULLARD – Kirk Bryant, 11; Jonathan Bell, 2; Trey Lawson, 2; Conner Gurley, 11; Taft Rose, 5; Cale Pinion, 18.

GILMER - Pollard, 11; T. Webb, 7; H. Morgan, 2; J. McMillan, 4; J. Goodrich, 9; M. Reid, 4. THREE POINT GOALS – B: Bryant. G: Webb. RECORDS – Bullard 21-4; 4-0.

NEXT UP – Bullard at Chapel Hill, Fri., 5 p.m.

Freshmen Game
Bullard 37, Gilmer 32
Bullard 16 9 7 5 - 37
Gilmer 4 6 3 19 - 32

BULLARD – Chandler Clarke, 13; Colton Mebane, 5; Jamie Mc- Clenny, 2; Cody Goode, 11; Corbin Howard, 2; Scott Lowrie, 4.

GILMER – Cheatham, 2; Bradshaw, 8; Morris, 2; Barnes, 1; Edwards, 8; Smith, 4; Goodrich, 7. THREE POINT GOALS – B: Mebane. G: none. RECORDS – Bullard 12-8; 2-2.