Shepherd battles Dayton as basketball season begins

Brayden White forces a shot in the paint.

Charles Ballard

Jamil Butler shoots around Dayton from the paint during the first quarter.

Charles Ballard

Brayden White drills a jumper during the second half against Dayton.

Charles Ballard

Benjamin Coyle gets air for a jump shot against Dayton.

Charles Ballard

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With the Lady Pirates hosting the annual Turkey Shootout, the Shepherd Pirates shifted their home game to nearby Goodrich High School for an early-season matchup against the Dayton Broncos.

Fresh out of a deep football run and still dealing with multiple injuries from district play, the Pirates are working to regain their rhythm on the hardwood.

As always, Shepherd’s toughness and senior leadership were on full display — and once fully healthy, this team is expected to find its stride quickly.

Despite the challenging start-of-season conditions, several Pirates put together strong performances:

• Brayden White led Shepherd with four field goals and an impressive 6-of-7 performance at the free-throw line.
• Jeremy Bennett contributed five points, including a three-pointer.
• Jamil Butler added four points
• Brayson Goodman went 3-of-6 from the line
• Ben Coyle posted five points
• Michael Weekes scored three points while going 1-for-5 at the line.

Shepherd’s scoring remained steady throughout the night, posting 11 in the first, 10 in the second, 14 in the third, and 11 in the final quarter for a total of 46 points.

Dayton countered with a fast-paced offensive surge, putting up 14, 12, 26, and 23 points for a 75-46 final.