For the first time in school history, the Grayson County High School Cougars basketball team has advanced to the Final Four of the Sweet 16.
In his ninth season at the helm of his alma mater, head coach Travis Johnston has led the program to heights previously unseen, as the Cougars beat the defending state champs, Great Crossing High School, 58-50 in a tight quarterfinal contest at Rupp Arena in front of thousands of orange-clad fans.
Not dissimilar to Wednesday’s first round victory over Taylor County – where the Cougars led 25-24 at halftime – the boys in orange struggled offensively in the first half, as the normally sharpshooting ballclub made only 9-24 shots (37.5 percent), as the two teams were tied at 24 at intermission.
Powering the War Hawks offense in the first half was 6-7 center Brady Orem, who scored 14 points on 6-9 shooting, as the Cougars had no answer for the sophomore.
What kept the Cougars in the game in the first half was a ball-hawking defensive effort. The Cougars scored eight points off eight Great Crossing turnovers, while the War Hawks only had two points off four Grayson County turns.
The Cougars, down 20-15 with 4:09 remaining in the second quarter, closed out the half on a 9-4 run following a Johnston 30-second timeout.
A Caden Gaither steal and layup to open the third quarter was followed by a 10-0 run by the War Hawks to make it 34-26 Great Crossing with 4:27 left in the quarter. Johnston, sensing trouble, called a 30-second timeout and essentially told his squad to relax.
“Listen fellas, there’s still 12 minutes left,” Johnston told his team in the huddle.
Listen the Cougars did, as an offensive rebound by Chase Baunach led to a Jagger Mardis 3, off an assist from Gaither, to pull Grayson County within 34-29.
Jack Logsdon then missed a 3-point attempt but hustled to grab his own rebound, as he converted a layup, bringing the Cougs to within three points at 34-31 with 2:14 left in the quarter.
Following a Great Crossing basket, Spencer Langdon made a layup, followed by a steal by Mardis that led to a Baunach basket on a goal tending call with 33 seconds remaining in the quarter.
Great Crossing then scored on a jumper in the paint at the buzzer, giving the War Hawks a 38-35 advantage heading to the decisive fourth quarter.
Sixteen seconds into the fourth quarter, Langdon hit a driving layup to bring the Cougars within a point before Baunach nailed a trey to give Grayson County at 40-39 lead one minute into the fourth.
Great Crossing answered with a two-point field goal, giving the lead back to the War Hawks, 41-40
Logsdon, though, tipped in a miss and was fouled for the and-one opportunity. The junior guard cashed in, giving the Cougars a 43-41 lead with 6:30 left in the game.
Not fading away, the War Hawks connected on a trey 11 seconds later, making it 44-43 Great Crossing with 6:18 remaining.
After the teams traded turnovers and following two missed free throws by Great Crossing, Logsdon began to impose his will as he grabbed a big defensive rebound before being fouled on a two-point try. Logsdon, who led the Cougars with 19 points, made both free throws to give the Cougars a 45-44 lead with 4:49 left in the contest.
Only 12 seconds later, the War Hawks scored at the other end, giving Great Crossing a 46-45 lead.
It would be Great Crossing’s final advantage of the game, as the Cougars finished the contest on a 13-4 flurry, beginning with a Logsdon trey to make it 48-46 Grayson County with 3:48 remaining.
Johnston, wanting to set his squad up for a strong finish, called a timeout with 2:28 left in the game.
Immediately out of the timeout, Gaither made a driving layup, putting the Cougars up four, 50-46 with 2:24 left in the game.
Two Great Crossing free throws tightened the taut contest, as Grayson County began to play stall ball.
The War Hawks, forced into fouling, sent Logsdon, who nailed 8-9 free throws in the game, to the line where the state’s best free throw shooter sank both tries as the Cougars took a 52-48 lead with only 1:14 remaining.
A War Hawks illegal screen with 54 second left sent Brody Armstrong to the charity stripe where he made 1-2.
Logsdon then snagged another defensive board and was fouled. He made one of two free throws, as Grayson County’s lead expanded to 54-48 with only 36 seconds to go.
Logsdon, continuing to make big plays, salted the game away with a steal before again being fouled. He made both free tosses and the Cougars had a 56-48 lead with only 28 seconds remaining.
Mardis finished Grayson County’s scoring with two free throws of his own, as the Cougars danced away with the 58-50 victory.
Orem was limited, primarily by the diminutive but determined Baunach, to only five second half points on 2-8 shooting.
“It’s awesome man, I can’t even put into words how great it is. It’s special, it’s special … I’m super-proud of the way they ended the game,” Johnston told play-by-play man Sam Gormley after the game.
Besides Logsdon’s 19 points, two other Cougars scored in double figures, as Mardis and Langdon both netted 10 points.
With 10 rebounds in the contest, Logsdon posted another double-double, after scoring 16 and grabbing 11 boards against Taylor County.
Grayson County, 26-6 on the season, won the points in the paint battle, despite Orem’s efforts, 28-18. The Cougars additionally forced 13 turnovers that the team turned into 15 points. The Cougars, after committing only five turnovers against Taylor County again valued the ball, committing only seven miscues.
Gaither, who scored eight points, led the squad with three steals and four assists.
The Cougars will take on St. Xavier (out of the 7th Region) on Saturday morning at 10:00 after the Tigers eeked out a 46-44 win over North Laurel.
St. X, 27-7 on the year, has been ranked in the top 3 in the state all season.
(Photo: Spencer Langdon drives the ball into the lane against Great Crossing, courtesy of the KHSAA)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
