Yoemen take second in Chamber Classic
Last week, the Cameron Yoemen and Lady Yoe basketball teams hosted the 23rd annual Christmas Classic. Teams from all over Central Texas came down to compete in the tournament and it lasted all day from Dec. 28-30.
The Yoemen kicked off their tournament play with a dominating win over the Normangee Panthers 100-37. With this win, Cameron moved into the championship bracket and their next opponent was the Robinson Rockets. The Yoemen defeated the Rockets 79-62.
Cameron got off to a quick 10-6 start, which was followed by a monster dunk by Pharrell Hemphill (4) for a 12-6 lead. Cameron kept up the offense with a three pointer by Nolan Brashear (2) for a 17-11 score. The first quarter ended with the Yoemen up on Robinson 21-15.
Cameron would get another slam-dunk by Hemphill for a double digit 25-15 lead. Cameron continued the scoring run, extending the lead to 32-15. The Yoemen went into halftime ahead with a score of 38-24.
Cameron continued to widen their lead at 43-28, followed by a three pointer by Javoun Goldsby (11) making the score 46-28. Cameron continued to dominate offensively with another three pointer by Hemphill for a 55-34 lead. The third quarter ended with Cameron winning 61-52.
Cameron kept up the offense in the fourth quarter with a putback layup by Phaibian Bynaum (5) for a 65-49 lead. Robinson then started to go on a scoring run of their own and made the score 68-59. The Yoemen did not get phased by the scoring burst by Robinson and increased the lead to 72-59 and went on to win 79-62 in convincing. Defeating Robinson put the Yoemen in the semi-finals against the Jarrell Cougars.
Cameron won against the Cougars 71-66. The game started close and the Yoemen stayed sharp with a three-pointer by Javoun Goldsby (11) for a 10-9 deficit and later J.W. Hollas (3) hit another three pointer to tie the score at 14. Then they took lead on Jarrell 16-14 with a layup by Kason Goolsby (1). The first quarter ended with Cameron leading 18-16. Jarrell marched back and took lead 25-20. Cameron continued to fight with a layup by Trayjen Wilcox (13) for a 34-32 deficit. The Yoemen went into halftime trailing the Cougars 36-35.
At the start of the third quarter, Cameron took back the lead 38-36 on a three pointer by Pharrell Hemphill (4). That was followed with a three pointer by Phaibian Bynaum (5) to extend the lead to 41-36. The Yoemen stayed hot from the three-point line with a three point make by Goldsby for a 48-36 lead.
Jarrell clawed back to make the score 49-45, but the Yoemen stayed unphased and extended the lead along with a layup by Cody Webb (30) off an assist by Wilcox for a score of 53-45. The third quarter ended with the Yoemen ahead of Jarrell 53-48. The Cougars rallied back again and retook the lead 54-53. The game stayed even until a layup by Hemphill gave Cameron a 66-63 lead. The Yoemen went onto win the battle 71-66.
This victory advanced the Yoemen to the tournament finals against the La Vega Pirates. Cameron was defeated by La Vega 85-82 in an overtime heartbreaker. Cameron scored on a layup by Phaibian Bynaum (5) for a 5-4 lead. The game stayed tight when Cameron drained a three pointer by Javoun Goldsby (11) for a 14-9 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Nolan Brashear (2) scored on a layup to grow the lead 18-11. La Vega roared back and retook the lead 26-25. The Yoemen came right back and drilled a three pointer by Pharrell Hemphill (4) for a 30-28 lead. The battle for the lead continued and the Pirates put Cameron in a 36-34 deficit on a three pointer. Halftime ended with the score tied at 36.
Early in the second half, Cameron scored on a three pointer by Brashear to make it a 44-41 deficit. The Yoemen tried to stay in the game with a layup by Hemphill to close the gap 55-49 La Vega. This was followed up with a layup by Bynaum to make the score 55-52. The third quarter ended with La Vega ahead 59-54.
The Yoemen battled back and once again regained the lead 63-59 on a floater and a three pointer by Goldsby. La Vega came back and made it a 71-69 game. The score would be tied at 76 on a clutch layup by Hemphill to force overtime.
During the overtime period, J.W. Hollas (3) drove into the lane and nailed a floater for an 80-79 lead, but it wouldn’t be enough as they would lose to La Vega 85-82 in a fiercely contested game.
The Yoemen also defeated Rogers 99-57 on Tuesday night. Hollas had 26 points, Bynaum had 17, Hemphill had 13, Goldsby had 13, and Drake had eight.