The eighth-seeded Vandals stayed right with top-seeded Newton throughout the first half of Tuesday’s season-opener at the Cumberland Thanksgiving Tournament, but the Eagles managed to pull away in the third quarter for a 72-55 win.
Newton started the game with an alley-oop dunk after winning the opening tip and another dunk moments later to highlight an 8-0 game-opening run. But the Vandals hung tough after a rough first quarter and used a slew of aggressive drives to the basket to get back in the game, even taking a brief 25-24 lead on a Kohnor Depew transition bucket off an Eagles turnover with 1:25 to go in the half.
Newton scored the final four points of the half, however, taking a 28-25 lead into the locker room. The Eagles then used a 27-14 third quarter advantage to break the game open, taking advantage of six Vandals turnovers in the frame.
Junior Wade Brannon had 12 of his game-high 20 points in the fourth quarter, as the Vandals refused to let the heavily-favored Eagles blow the game wide open. Senior Tanner Robbins finished with 15 points and Depew had 10.
The Vandals (0-1) will return to play in the tournament at 4:30 p.m. on Friday.
Vandalia Scoring
Wade Brannon — 20 points
Tanner Robbins — 15 points
Kohner Depew — 10 points
Isaac Sachan — 4 points
Brady Elder — 3 points
Ian Whitehead — 2 points
Brenton McCarty — 2 points
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