Cougars down rival Wildcats twice; 48-16 & 54-39

Grayson County Middle School’s boys basketball teams earned a pair of big wins Thursday evening over old-time rival Edmonson County.

The seventh-graders blew out the visiting Wildcats 48-16, with the clock running continuously the entire fourth quarter. The eighth-graders had a better game on their hands, but they took control toward the end of the first period and went on to a 54-39 win. The seventh-graders are now 6-1 for the season, while the eighth-graders are 5-2.

SEVENTH-GRADE GAME

The seventh-graders put their stamp on this game early on, scoring the game’s first 14 points. Nolan Hornback scored eight of his game-high 14 points in the first quarter and the Cougars led 22-8 heading into the second period.

Things didn’t improve for the visitors in the ensuing periods as the Cougar defense held them to just three points in the second period and increased the lead to 36-11 at the half. Then, in the third quarter, the Cougar defense held them scoreless.

When Camden Brothers scored on a lay-in with 59 seconds left in the third period, the Cougars had increased their lead to 35 points, when the mercy rule takes effect.

In addition to his 14 points, Hornbeck grabbed five rebounds. River Blanton was the other Cougar to reach double-figure scoring, finishing with 10 points. Blanton also had a pair of rebounds and three steals. Lucas Pierce, later named Player of the Game, scored eight points, all in the second half, and he led the team on the glass with six rebounds.

Brayden Childress scored six points and he led the team with six assists and added three steals. Brothers and Dillon Horn both scored four points, and Jerron Smith had two to complete the scoring.

EIGHTH GRADE GAME

This was a close contest in the early going. Trace Taylor’s three-pointer at the 3:43 mark of the first period, gave the Wildcats their first lead of the night, 9-8. They led by two points, 12-10 before Keegan Sharp hit a lay-in with 44 seconds left to tie things 12-12 heading into the second quarter.

Sharp’s score was the beginning of an 11-point run that put the Cougars in charge, 21-12 with 2:43 remaining in the first half. The Wildcats closed out the half with a 7-4 run that closed the gap to just six points, 25-19.

The Wildcats inched closer at the start of the third quarter, pulling to within four points of the lead, 29-25 with 4:03 remaining. However, the Cougars answered with seven straight, capped off by a Jaylen Smith three-pointer to go back up by 11 points, 36-25. They led by 12, 39-27 heading into the final period of play.

Zeb Bratcher’s lay-in 3:49 left to play gave the Cougars a 14-point advantage, 43-29, and they went on to win by 15. Hunter Tomes led the Cougars with 14 points and five rebounds.

Bratcher joined Tomes in double figures with 13 and he added four rebounds, an assist and four steals. Sharp had eight points, three rebounds, three assists and five steals. Chandler McCrady scored seven points and pulled down three rebounds. Owen Bratcher and Jonathan Henning both scored four points, while Smith and Hunter Meredith had three apiece to close out the scoring.