Basketball Recap: Jonathan Black's Big Game Can't Quite Lead Bessemer City over Highland Tech

Bessemer City was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their third straight defeat. They took a 68-58 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Highland Tech Rams. The result was an unpleasant reminder to the Yellow Jackets of the 66-46 loss they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in February of 2024.

Bessemer City lost despite a true team effort on offense, the best among them being Jonathan Black, who went 6 of 11 on his way to 19 points. Another player making a difference was Tristen Gordon, who posted eight points and ten assists.

Yellow Jackets

Previous 3 Games

01/17/25 @ Highland Tech	58-68
01/14/25 vs Burns	84-93
01/07/25 vs Shelby	58-72

Even though they lost, Bessemer City smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in nine consecutive games.

Highland Tech's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Elijah Sherrill led the charge by dropping a double-double on 26 points and 12 boards. The match was Sherrill's 20th in a row with at least ten points. Cooper McCraw was another key player, going 9 for 11 en route to 23 points and seven rebounds.

Bessemer City's defeat dropped their record down to 10-7. As for Highland Tech, their victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 8-8.

Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Bessemer City will face off against Shelby at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Shelby knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with 55 points or more in their past five contests -- so hopefully Bessemer City likes a good challenge. As for Highland Tech, they will take on R-S Central at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.