CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Clarksville Academy and Clarksville High met for an inner-city showdown on Wednesday. The Cougars came out firing on all cylinders and never looked back after gaining a significant lead. They finished the night with a 67-37 victory.
Clarksville Academy’s size, speed and athleticism were too much to handle. The Cougars’ full-court press played to their advantage early on and allowed the team to create offensive production through their defense.
Clarksville Academy forward Eddie Ricks III led the game with 19 points. The Morehead State commit had the gym rocking with a variety of dunks. Ricks scored the majority of his points in the first half. When the halftime buzzer sounded, the 6-foot-7 forward had 15 points and the game was already out of reach.
Three other players finished with double digits for the Cougars: Jacques Wyatt, DJ Merriweather and Trae Rideau.
Coaches corner
Clarksville Academy Head Coach Matt Hoppe said the team has extra motivation when facing another Clarksville-area team.
“These kids know each other well,” said Hoppe. “They all play pick-up against each other during the off-season, so it adds an extra incentive because Clarksville is a basketball city. When you get these games that are in the city, people want to come watch them, and we want to play them. It’s what’s good about high school basketball.”
Hoppe and the Cougars currently sit at 3-1 on the season, while their counterparts in Clarksville High fall to 0-3 on the year.
Clarksville High scoring leaders: Kellen Howard- 11 points; Jamar Carnell – 8 points; Trey Youngs – 8 points; Miles Hedrick – 6 points.
Clarksville Academy scoring leaders: Eddie Ricks III – 19 points; Jacques Wyatt – 12 points; DJ Merriweather – 11 points; Trae Rideau – 10 points.
Lady Wildcats win in close game
The girls’ teams had back-and-forth battle, and the game wasn’t decided until the last second of play. The Lady Wildcats pulled out the home victory 48-45.
Clarksville High scoring leaders
Clarksville High junior guard Imari Berry led the game with 20 points. The Lady Cougars found ways to limit Berry early on, but the dynamic playmaker made her presence felt in the second half.
Berry is rated as the 32nd overall recruit out of the class of 2024 by ESPN, and she showcased why during the final two quarters. She scored 13 of her 20 points during the third and fourth quarter, which included 11 of the team’s 15 points in the third.
Another difference maker showed up for the Lady Wildcats: Sophomore guard Malon Smith scored 12 points off of the bench, and one could argue that she closed out the game for CHS. She scored 6 out of the team’s 10 point in the final quarter.
Coaches corner
“Our kids reacted well tonight,” said Clarksville High Head Coach Brian Rush. “We found out before the game that starter Ella Moore wasn’t going to be able to play tonight, so we inserted Emma Young into the starting lineup. I thought she did a good job doing that without the preparation. The girls did a great job as our gameplan changed throughout the game because of that.
“As a team, we pride ourselves on defense. During the fourth quarter with six minutes to go, I told our team that we need a stop, a score and another stop. That’s something we preach in practice, so they know exactly what we’re looking for in those scenarios.”
With the victory, Clarksville High girls’ basketball moved their overall record to 3-0 to begin the year. Meanwhile, Clarksville Academy falls to 1-3 on the season, but are on the come up after a hard-fought battle on Wednesday night.
Clarksville High scoring leaders: Imari Berry – 20 points; Malon Smith – 12 points; Brystal Calhoun – 8 points; Ella Muiznieks – 4 points.
Clarksville Academy scoring leaders: Cetera Warren – 10 points; McKenna Phillips – 9 points; Shinae Johnson – 7 points; Savannah Prather – 7 points.