The Cougars snapped a six-game losing streak Friday night in the Cougar Den as they defeated the visiting Butler County Bears in overtime, 47-45.
The Cougars started slowly and trailed by eight points, 12-4 at the end of the first period. When Leevi McMillin scored on a lay-in at the 4:12 mark of the second period, the Bears held a 14-point lead, 20-6. But the Cougars closed out the first half on an 11-1 run and trailed by just four points at the half, 21-17.
A three-pointer by Miles Hornbeck with five seconds left in the period pulled the Cougars to within three points of the lead, 30-27. Butler County led by four, 31-27 heading into the fourth quarter.
Nolan Shartzer opened the scoring in the fourth quarter with an old-fashioned three-point play to pull the Cougars to within a point, 31-30. After Jagger Henderson hit a free throw with 6:57 left, Shartzer tied the score 32-32 with a lay-in at 6:07.
Butler County got a rebound basket from Brody Hunt at 4:25, then got a short jumper from McMillin with 3:00 left to lead by four points, 36-32.
But Shartzer responded with back-to-back baskets to knot things once more 36-36.
The Bears’ Parker Rice hit a 10-footer with 1:44 remaining to put the Bears up 38-36, but Shartzer followed with a 15-footer at 1:15 to tie it at 38-38.
Both teams then had turnovers. Butler County had two chances to score but missed both shots and Shartzer grabbed the rebound with 8.6 seconds left and the Cougars called a timeout. The Cougars then got off two shots before the final buzzer, but neither one fell and the game headed to overtime.
There were three lead changes and a tie in the first two and a half minutes and when Henderson scored on a lay-up with 56 seconds left, the Bears led by three points, 45-42. Shartzer then scored back-to-back baskets once again to put the Cougars in front 46-45. The Bears then missed a shot, with the ball being awarded out of bounds to the Cougars with 6.9 seconds left to play.
Jaxon Higdon was fouled with 5.5 seconds left and went to the line for the double bonus. Higdon missed the first, but made the second to give the Cougars a two-point lead, 47-45. The Bears then missed a desperation heave at the buzzer, and the Cougars began celebrating.
Rice led the Bears with 21 points, while McMillin added 13.
Shartzer led all scorers in the game with 26 points and he made it a double-double night with 11 rebounds. Higdon finished with nine points, while Brayden Childress had five. Hornbeck finished with three points while Chase Johnson had two. Chandler McCrady and River Blanton both had a point to complete the Cougar scoring.
By Don Brown, Local Sports
Reach Don at donbrown@k105.com
