PINEVILLE — To say that the Bell County boys basketball team got off to a hot start in its home opener against Red Bird on Thursday night would qualify as the understatement of the year.
Coach Brad Sizemore’s Bobcats scored 39 unanswered points during the first eight minutes of the contest and coasted to a lopsided 98-23 victory over the Cardinals.
Senior Cameron Hall jump-started the explosive Bell County offensive attack with 20 first-quarter points, while an aggressive defensive effort by the Bobcats kept Red Bird off the scoreboard.
Sophomore Ethan Buell scored 12 of his 17 points for the Bobcats during the second quarter, and Bell County had four other players with at least six points en route to a 70-9 lead by halftime.
With his starters on the bench to open the second half, as well as a running scoreboard clock, Sizemore watched the reserves score the first 16 points of the third quarter and the Bobcats stretched their lead to 89-17 entering the final stanza.
Hall is the lone senior on this year’s youth-laden roster, and Sizemore was able to play all 17 uniformed players against Red Bird.
Junior Ashton Lewis led Red Bird (0-3) with nine points.
Bell County (2-0) is back in action Friday at home against Tri-Cities Christian Academy.
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Red Bird (23) — Ashton Lewis 9, Daughson Whitehead 5, Landon Belcher 6, Isaac Mundala 2, Dorian Ngulungu 1.
Bell County (98) — Cameron Hall 21, Ethan Buell 17, Kaleb Cornett 13, Cayden Huff 8, Dalton Black 8, Jaxson Thomas 7, Braxton Ferguson 6, Kenton Brock 5, Luke Thomas 3, Carson Wilder 3, Eli Knuckles 3, Isaiah Gambrel 2, Jacob Grubbs 2, Camron Beckett 0, Jacob Warren 0.

Red Bird. 0 9 8 6 — 23
Bell County 39 31 19 9 — 98