Russellville’s varsity basketball teams hit the court after Christmas looking to gain some momentum as area play fast approaches. The RHS boys and girls will have to wait until Jan. 14 to play in the area when they visit West Point.

Winter weather caused the games between the Golden Tigers and Lawrence County scheduled for Jan. 7 at RHS to be postponed until Jan. 17.

BOYS

Russellville traveled to Jasper Jan. 3 and fell to the 6A Vikings by a 69-57 score. RHS trailed 35-38 at the half and 55-43 after three quarters of play.

Head coach Patrick Odom got scoring from seven Golden Tigers in the contest. Eli Gipson led the team with 21, and Boots McCulloch also scored in double figures with 11. Nathan Brockway, Amir Williams, Malachi Duncan, Ashton Boyd and Conner Warhurst also scored for Russellville.

The following evening featured the third meeting of the season between Russellville and the 4A Central-Florence Wildcats. This time, RHS got the home win by a 79-73 final to complete the season sweep.

The Golden Tigers led by seven at the half and 58-54 after three quarters.

Gipson was again tops in the scoring column with 20 points. Brockway added 17, Williams 15 and McCulloch 13. Duncan had seven, Warhurst added five, and Tilmon Baker scored two.

Russellville’s record on the season fell to 8-7 Jan. 8 with a 79-56 home loss to the 7A Florence Falcons. RHS started the game fast and jumped out to a 12-2 first-quarter lead before the Falcons got things going and drew to within a point to end the opening period.

A 29-10 second quarter gave FHS a 40-22 advantage at the half, and the Falcons grew their lead to 66-38 after three periods of competition.

Williams scored from inside and outside to lead Russellville with 17 points. He was followed by Duncan with nine. McCulloch scored eight, as did Gipson. Brockway added six, and Warhurst had four. Boyd and Bralynn Vincent rounded out the RHS scoring with two points each.

GIRLS

Russellville’s girls went to Jasper to face the Vikings after participating in the West Morgan Tournament, where they went 1-1, Dec. 27-30.

RHS fell to Jasper by a 41-32 final score after trailing 22-10 at the half and 29-20 after three quarters.

Avery Watts and Jacey Moore led Russellville with seven points apiece. Ella Copeland scored five, Jenna Whitfield added four, and Anna Beth Oliver had three. Leah Rushing and Jayna Poss added two points each.

Head coach Jermaine Groce’s Lady Golden Tigers got back into the win column with a 60-52 home victory over Central-Florence. RHS led 14-6 at the end of the first quarter and 25-21 at the half.

With the win, the Russellville girls improved their record on the season to 6-7.

Eight Golden Tigers scored in the game, with Jenna Whitfield leading the way with 15 points. Ella Copeland and Jacey Moore also scored in double figures with 11 each, while Poss added nine. Maddy Green and Rushing scored four apiece, and the duo of Watts and Oliver added three points each.

Florence came to Russellville and defeated the Golden Tigers by a 58-52 score. RHS led 10-8 at the end of the first quarter and held a 27-25 advantage at the half; however, a 19-9 fourth period by Florence erased the Russellville lead.

Whitfield had 14 points, and Copeland added 12. Moore scored nine, Oliver added seven, Watts had six, Poss scored three, and Rushing added one.