Bears claw back for wins
By Anne Marie Kyzer Staff Writer

STAFF - ANNE MARIE KYZER DeVonda Lewis snatches the ball away from Greenbrier defenders Friday.

The Bears were back on their game last weekend.

The Burke County High School basketball team (5-2) chalked up wins over Greenbrier High School and neighboring rival Jefferson County High School.

They sent the Wolfpack packing 72-57 Friday night with four Bears scoring in double digits.

Senior DeVonda Lewis led Burke County's offense with 22 points, hitting three 3-pointers along the way. Junior Bobby Burum shot for 17 and was 5-6 from the free-throw line. Senior Maurice Doyle put up 10 points and converted 2 free throws.

Senior Marquel Tarber came off the bench to fill in at small forward and scored a career high 13 points Friday night.

Head coach Purvis Dukes called his performance solid both from the field and on the defensive end of the floor.

"We have challenged him in particular and what the fans saw Friday night is what we have seen from him every day in practice," Dukes said. "He just had to learn to transfer it to game night."

On Saturday night, Burke County won a battle with the Jefferson County Warriors 59-45.

Lewis, Burum and Doyle each scored 11, with Burum sinking two from the three-point line and Doyle dunking the ball twice.

Rodney Moye put up 8 and came through at the foul line 2- 2.

"We challenged the kids all week to take care of the small details and to come out and be mentally sharp," Dukes said. "We placed them in situations in which they had to think and perform under tough game situations and they responded well."

Dukes said Saturday night's game, which was moved to Burke County Middle School after heavy rains caused a leak in the BCHS gym roof during the girls game, forced the players to refocus.

"This was a challenge to them mentally because of the last minute change to the middle school," Dukes said, noting that the middle school court is smaller. "Things happen for a reason and maybe we needed an uncontrollable circumstance to get over the mental hump."

The Bears will travel to Madison for a tournament Dec. 27-29, playing their first game at 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 27 at Morgan County High School against Chattanooga Christian High School. After Christmas break, the Bears will face Hephzibah High School Friday, Jan. 4 at home.