Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Justin McCool of Kemp battles an Athens player for possession during Dec. 31’s District 15-4A basketball game.

Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Kemp’s Josiah Young drives into the lane against Athens Dec. 31, scoring 18 points for the Yellowjackets.

Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Jose Morales of Kemp, who had five 3-pointers against Athens Dec. 31, shoots from outside the arc in the first half.

Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Kemp’s Peyton Stevenson, who had 19 New Year’s Eve points against Athens, drives to the hoop for a layup.

Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Kaysen Stevenson of Kemp passes the ball off to teammate Payton Stevenson (foreground) during Dec. 31’s game.

Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Daltyn Irvin of Kemp, as well as an Athens Hornet, look for the official’s call on possession after fighting for the ball.

KEMP–The Kemp Yellowjackets opened their District 15-4A slate Dec. 31 by hosting the Athens Hornets, hanging tough until late in the game before falling 91-73.
Jose Morales opened Kemp’s scoring with a layup 56 seconds into the contest. After Athens took a 6-2 advantage, Payten Stevenson drove into the lane for a basket to cut that to 6-4. Following that, Athens surged to an 11-4 lead, a scoring streak ended by a Josiah Young free throw with 4:17 remaining in the opening period.
Kemp cut Athens’ lead to 13-12 behind two Morales buckets wrapped around a Young hoop, then a Morales 3-pointer. Then, with 2:41 left in the first period, Young added another basket after grabbing a steal to put the Yellowjackets in front, 14-13. A bit later, Young hit a 3-pointer off the glass to give Kemp the lead again, at 17-15.
Payten Stevenson had a hoop to put Kemp ahead further at 19-15 as the first period was winding down. After Athens made a 3-pointer to get within 1 point, Morales made a basket underneath with 25 seconds left in that opening quarter to extend Kemp’s lead to 21-18. Athens answered with another 3-pointer with 6 seconds left before the second period to tie the contest after one period at 21-21.
In the second period, Morales swished another 3-pointer to put Kemp up 24-21. After Athens tied with a 3 of their own, Daltyn Irvin popped a 3-pointer to restore Kemp’s 3-point lead (at 27-24). Morales had another basket to extend that lead further, at 29-24, Kemp.
Athens’ offense then had 8 consecutive points to grab a 36-29 lead. That run ended with a Kaysen Stevenson free throw and then a hoop, all of which brought Kemp back to within 36-32. Morales added another 3-pointer with 1:36 left until halftime to reduce Athens’ lead to 38-35, tacking on yet another 3-pointer with 1:22 left in the second period to get Kemp closer at 40-38.
Morales’ acrobatic layup with 29 seconds left in the half made it 42-40, Athens. The Hornets added a free throw to take a 43-40 halftime lead.
In the second half, Irvin’s 3-pointer 19 seconds into the third period tied the game at 43-43. Athens then scored 10 unanswered points before Irvin made another 3-pointer to reduce Athens’ advantage to 54-46, leading to a Hornet timeout. After play resumed, Justin McCool of Kemp made a basket to continue chipping away at the Athens lead, putting Kemp within 54-48.
The Hornets then burst in front 68-48, a lead which was reduced to 68-53 on a McCool 3-pointer and Payten Stevenson basket toward the end of the third period. In the fourth period, Morales made another Kemp 3-pointer and Payten Stevenson tallied another Yellowjacket bucket to make it 68-60 in favor of Athens. The Hornets pulled away after that to secure their 18-point victory.
Morales led Kemp with 24 points, with Payten Stevenson the Yellowjackets’ next-highest scorer with 19 points. Young had 18 points for Kemp.