CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Maplewood Panthers traveled to Kirkwood High School for a matchup with the Cobras in the inaugural Wyatt Johnson-Hyundai Cobras Christmas Classic on Friday. A two-point game at half turned into a rout, and junior guard Bryce Garnett led the way with 22 points in the Cobras’ 74-58 win.

In a starting lineup with three freshmen due to injuries and sickness, Garnett set the pace, scoring 11 points in the first quarter. He cooled off in the second quarter, but junior forward Arnett Hines, the only other non-freshman in the lineup, took care of the scoring, with eight in the second to keep the Cobras’ offense rolling. They held a slim 31-29 lead as both teams headed to the locker room.

Kirkwood started the third quarter on a 13-0 run to start to pull away in the contest. The freshman guard duo of Aree Hines and Travis Rivers accounted for 12 of that 13, and finished the game with 15 and 17 points, respectively.

“I was proud of our bench guys; it shines a light on the guys that may not get as much shine,” said Kirkwood head coach John Stigall. “We had guys step up tonight that know what our program is about, and it was good to see them come in and play well. We didn’t do anything fancy on defense in the second half, just stayed solid, and let them take shots we were comfortable with them taking, and when we did that consistently, the score showed.”

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Kirkwood continued to pull away, using a mix of timely scoring and physical stops, and made their free throws down the stretch. It’s another win in the column for the Cobras, who are now 9-2 on the year. More importantly, it showcases that even with injuries, this team is deep, and despite having no seniors, it’s led by experienced players.

“This was a game that was a big win not only for us but our program as a whole,” said Stigall. “Our junior class has been with us since the school opened, and those guys lead and set the example. We want to make sure that the standard is the standard, no matter who is out there on the floor.”

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