Cougars demolished by Narrows
By RODNEY YOUNG
Patriot Publishing
MAX MEADOWS – Playing in the second round of the First Community Bank Christmas Tournament in the winners bracket, the Pulaski County Cougars found the meaning of team play – players looking and playing for each other – against the Narrows Green Wave.
Narrows humiliated and embarrassed the Cougars, 72-29. Narrows did whatever they wanted to do. They hit open jumpers, drove the lane at will with little or no resistance. They out-rebounded, out-hustled, and out-wanted the game more than the Cougars.
Narrows hit 12 threes with Levi Smith hitting five of those as he finished with a game-high 25 points. Five different Green Wave players hit a three. Kolier Pruett had a triple-double with 12 points, 17 rebounds, and 11 assists. Green Wave (9-0) also got double-figure scoring from big man Carter Holmes and Elijah Knoetze both with 11 points apiece.
The Green Wave hit 30 field goals for the game.
Narrows head coach Patrick Bailey said, “We have three guys that can score 20 points or more a game. We have one of the best players in the state (Pruett) and he is very unselfish.” He then remarked, “We didn’t play that well the first night here, but we won and tonight we played much better.”
The Cougars (3-7) were led in scoring by Lane Nester with 14 points. Tootie O”Dell, Johnny Anderson and Marcus Reed all scored four points each.
Cougar head coach Anthony Akers said, “We got embarrassed and humiliated tonight. We didn’t shoot and didn’t defend or rebound. Narrows is as good as anyone we have faced so far.”
This game saw Narrows go up 17-7 after the opening quarter, and things went downhill from there for the Cougars. They found themselves behind 33-13 at intermission. They would then be outscored and outplayed by a score of 39-16 for the second half.
The Green Wave seemed as though they couldn’t miss and the Cougars couldn’t buy a basket.
Narrows just wanted the game more than the Cougar players. It felt like they went through the motions and all but quit.
There should be some soul searching going forward for Pulaski County after this listless and uninspiring play.
PC – 7 – 6 – 8 – 8 = 29
Narrows – 17 – 16 – 20 – 19 = 72
PC – Nester 14, Reed 4, O’Dell 4, Hash 4, Harlow 3, Narrows – Smith 25, Pruett 12, Holmes 11, Knoetze 11, McGlothlin 5, Hazelwood 6, Helvey 2
3 Pt. Goals – PC – 1 ( Harlow), Narrows -12 ( Smith 5, Holmes 3, Pruett 2, McGlothlin, Knoetze)
Total FG’s – PC – 12, Narrows – 30
FT’s – PC – 4-6, Narrows 0-2
Total Fouls – PC – 4, Narrows – 4
Other games on the second day of the First Community Bank Christmas Tournament that is being held at Fort Chiswell High School saw the Cardinals of East Wilkes (NC) defeat the Tazewell Bulldogs, 58-46. East Wilkes got 14 points from Owen Combs and 12 from Brady Hall. Tazewell was led by Carter Creasy with 17 points and Tre Blankenship tossed in 10.
Fort Chiswell defeated Grayson County 55-31. Brady Kelly and Broderick Gunter both tossed in 10 points and Kenton Sutphin had nine. Grayson’s Austin Dowdell had seven points, and Zach Weatherman finished with six.
The other game for the night saw the Carroll County Cavaliers manhandle the Radford Bobcats, 51-21. Carroll County (8-0) got 11 points apiece from Davis Reitzel and Bryce Smoot. Radford got five points apiece from Luke Woodard and Mekih Martin.
Carroll County head coach Anthony Barnes said afterwards, “This was a team win. It was an all-team defensive victory.”