By BRIAN WOODSON
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
ROCKY GAP, Va. — Not a bad way to start the season.
Kalub Lambert led three Bland County in double figures with 15 points, and the Bears began the season with success, holding off Tazewell 73-61 on Friday night at Bland County High School.
Bland County (1-0) also received 13 points from Tyler Faulkner and 12 by Jonah Miller. The eight-player Bears made nine 3s, including three each by Lambert and Faulkner.
“We did have some contributions from all of them,” Bland County head coach Rich Hankins said. “I think for this team to be successful, that is how we have to play, we have to get contributions here and contributions there from all eight of them...
“I am extremely proud of my kids for coming out, we have been dealing with a little bit of adversity just having eight kids in practice. It is kind of hard to throw in the zone offense with eight kids.”
Tazewell (0-3), which was playing its third game in four nights, was in it to the end, which was a positive sign for first-year head coach J’me Harris, after a pair of lopsided defeats.
“That is what we are trying to preach to them, we have to compete all night long,” Harris said. “I was proud of the effort tonight, they gave everything they had.”
Tazewell was able to erase a 32-26 halftime deficit, tying the score at 32-32 with 5:40 on the clock in the third, but the Bears answered, going on a 9-0 run, led by Miller, who had seven of his points in that period.
All eight players scored at least four points for the Bears, with Zach Gwyn adding nine points, with Mason Christian and Zane Cunningham canning seven apiece.
“That is what I told these kids is the mark of a really good basketball team is once one team answers, Hankins said. “You have to go to have an answer for them and that is exactly what we did tonight.”
Bland County was able to build a lead of as much as 13, with the Bulldogs unable to catch up to the Bears. Tazewell’s leading scorer, Juwan Jordan, had 11 points, but was hampered by four fouls, three on charge calls.
“Especially knowing the kids that took those charges,” said Hankins, with a smile. “They were a surprise to say the least, but my team is going to grow, they are going to get better. They are very athletic and they come and practice hard every day and that is what it is going to take.
Nick Elkins led Tazewell with 16 points, T.J. Kitts added 13 and 6-foot-5 Dakota Crouse added 10.
“Every time we got close to them they were able to hit the shots that counted and they just kept us at bay,” Harris said. “It is always hard on the road to play from behind.
“That is what we did most of the second half, that is a sign of an experienced team. They have six seniors on that team and they were experienced tonight.”

at Bland County High School
TAZEWELL (0-3)
Nick Elkins 4 1 5-6 16, Juwan Jordan 5 0-4 11, Griffith 2 0-0 4, T.J. Kitts 5 1-2 13, Dakota Crouse 5 0-0 10, H.Mullins 0 0-0 0, Tucker 1 0-0 2, Murray 1 0-0 3, Samaniego 1 0-0 2, D.Mullins 0 0-0 0, Necessary 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 6-12 61.
BLAND COUNTY (1-0)
Tyler Faulkner 4 2-2 13, Christian 2 3-7 7, Kalub Lambert 3 6-8 15, Jonah Miller 5 2-3 12, Emerson 2 0-0 4, Cunningham 2 2-4 7, Gwyn 3 1-2 9, Delp 3 0-0 6. Totals 24 16-26 73.
Tazewell...........................8 18 15 20 — 61
Bland County................11 21 13 28 — 73
3-point goals: TZ 5 (Kitts 2, Elkins 1, Jordan 1, Murray 1); BC 9 (Faulkner 3, Lambert 3, Gwyn 2, Cunningham 1). Total fouls: TZ 24; BC 17. Fouled out: none.