“Same as it ever was!”
Those old song lyrics from The Tubes certainly have applied every time the Butler County Bears and Grayson County Cougars have gotten together this season. It is always an intense, nail-biting affair, and Tuesday’s 12th District semifinal in Whitesville was no exception.
The Cougars prevailed 47-43, but the game was not decided until the closing minutes of the fourth quarter. The Bears had the largest lead of the night, seven points in the first two minutes of the third quarter, but it lasted only a few minutes and the Cougars eventually came back to take a one-point lead at the end of the period.
In all during the game, the score was tied six times and the lead changed hands seven times before the Cougars grabbed a lead with a little over three minutes left to play, then held on until the end.
The two teams tied three times in the first quarter before the Bears took a 10-8 lead into the second period following Will Moore’s 10-foot runner with six seconds left in the period. The second period was much the same, with two more ties and four lead changes before the Bears ended the period still holding that slim, two-point lead, 22-20.
When Moore opened the second-half scoring with a pair of free throws and a three-pointer, Butler County held the largest lead of the night, 27-20 at the 6:28 mark. The Cougars responded by closing out the period by outscoring the Bears 13-5 to take that slim, one-point lead, 33-32 heading into the fourth quarter.
The score was tied one last time, 35-35, following 1-of-2 at the free throw line by the Bears’ Jaden Hurt with 5:20 left to play. Junior Logan Majors followed with a pull-up jumper at the 3:12 mark to put the Cougars back in front, 37-35, and this time they would not give the it back.
With the Bears trying to put the Cougars at the foul line in the closing moments, senior Bailey Logsdon came up big. He went to the line six times in the final 33 seconds and hit five of them to ice the win. Majors, who came alive in the second half with all of his 13 points on the night hit two clinching charity tosses with six seconds left.
It had to be bittersweet for Moore as the Butler County senior ended his career with a fine 23-point performance in a losing effort. He was the only Bear to score in double figures.
The Cougars were led in scoring by sophomore Nolan Shartzer, who finished with 15 points before fouling out with 6.9 seconds left. Shartzer also added five rebounds and an assist.
Logsdon finished with nine points and a team-high seven rebounds. Josh Embry scored eight, while Caleb Ray closed out the scoring with two points.
The Cougars will now face the Edmonson County Wildcats in Friday’s 12th District final. They pulled something of an upset as they beat the top-seeded Trinity Raiders 71-59 in the opener. That game is set to begin at 7 p.m. Both of those teams are assured of a spot in next week’s 3rd Region Tournament, which will be held in Owensboro’s Sports Center.
By Don Brown, Local Sports
Reach Don at donbrown@k105.com
Logan Majors scored all 13 of his points
in the second half, including clinching
free throws with six seconds remaining.
Nolan Shartzer led the Cougars with 15 points.
