By LARRY HYPES
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
TAZEWELL, Va. — At the end of exam week, Tazewell came up with a pair of Ds (defense and desire) to pass a major test Thursday night.
Trailing 43-31 at halftime, the Bulldogs (5-1) rallied for a dramatic 78-76 non-district win over Graham at the Dog House.
Four Tazewell standouts — Jalen Jordan (20), John Walker (16), Noah Walker (19), and Ryan Hankins (13) powered the offense but it was inside defense and clutch rebounding late in the game that fueled the attack.
“I’d go to battle with these guys any night because they never quit,” noted Tazewell coach Lee Walker, whose club lost starting guard Blake Hash to a back and neck injury with 5:21 to play in the third stanza.
Hash was taken to Tazewell Community Hospital for observation.
For the G-Men, who fell behind 18-10 only to race past Tazewell to grab a 12-point halftime margin, the second half was a crushing disappointment.
After the lengthy delay following Hash’s injury, the G-Men (3-2) cooled off on offense and Tazewell’s defense ratcheted up the pressure in the closing moments.
Jordan, who had a pair of steals and six quick points in a crucial late fourth quarter burst, said, “When Blake went down, we still had a shooter (John) and he stepped up.
“We had to get it done after we played so flat early. I guess we lost the lead and started feeling sorry for ourselves but we battled back and played hard down the stretch.”
Colby Hill led the G-Men with 16 points and both Corey Coppola and Gray Baker added 13 but no other Graham player was in double digits. Spencer Sheets and Gabe Hurt played some outstanding defense for the G-Men, especially in the first half.
Both Walkers and Jordan scored to push Tazewell to a 7-0 lead with 5:15 gone in the opening quarter before Baker’s steal and score gave the G-Men their first points. John Walker answered quickly with the first of his four treys for the Bulldogs.
“I was ‘feeling it’ a couple of times tonight,” admitted Walker, “but I was real happy to get some rebounds and few steals to help us win. Shooting alone won’t do it — we needed it all tonight and everybody stepped up.”
Zach Proffitt and Hill led a late Graham surge in the first period and then Tony Hood’s lay-up gave GHS a 29-28 lead with 3:30 to go in the half as Tazewell was unable to stop the Graham quickness. A steal, free throw, and then bucket by Gabe Hurt kept the G-Men rolling before the break.
After Hash’s injury, Mikal Moore came for Tazewell, and Colin Hancock, combined with the play of Christian Lewis, sparked the turnaround behind the “big four” out front.
Trailing 47-36 with 6:02 left in the third quarter, Lewis scored, Walker hit another three-pointer, and Jordan seemed to be everywhere on defense as Tazewell battled back. Noah Walker’s free throw cut the lead to 3, at 55-52, heading into the fourth period.
Proffitt’s free throw pushed Graham in front 56-55 but on the next drive, Noah Walker soared down the lane, floated a shot off the glass for the Bulldogs and Tazewell never trailed again.
Lamont Edwards hit a trey from the corner for the G-Men and Corey Coppola made a pair of late lay-ups to keep the game nail-biting close but Ryan Hankins made two late buckets that kept Tazewell ahead before Jordan’s free throw with :34 left proved to be the game-winning point.
“Credit Tazewell,” said a disappointed Graham coach Glynn Carlock. “They won because they wanted it more. We got out-scrapped out there tonight.”
Noah Walker hauled in 13 rebounds and blocked 8 shots in a dazzling display. John Walker added 5 assists, while Jordan had 6 steals and 6 assists, and Hankins grabbed 10 rebounds.
Graham plays on Dec. 27 at Fort Chiswell in a tournament game against Radford. Tazewell plays at Bland tonight in non-district action.

At Tazewell Middle School
GRAHAM(3-2)
Tony Hood 2, Spencer Sheets 6, Gray Baker 13, Gabe Hurt 5, Brad Yost 2, Colby Hill 16, Lamont Edwards 6, Andrew Day 8 Zach Proffitt 5, Corey Coppola 13. Totals 24 4 16-22 76.
TAZEWELL (5-1)
Christian Lewis 4, Blake Hash 2, Mikal Moore 1, Colin Hancock 3, John Walker 16, Jalen Jordan 20, Ryan Hankins 13, Noah Walker 19. Totals 25 5 13-28 78.
Graham..............................15 28 12 21 — 76
Tazewell..............................19 12 21 26 — 78
Three-points goals – G 4 (Hill 2, Baker 1, Edwards 1; TZ 5 (J.Walker 4, Hancock 1. Fouled out—none.