Cavaliers thrash Cougars in opener

By RODNEY YOUNG

Patriot Publishing

HILLSVILLE – The opening season for the Pulaski County boys basketball team turned into a long night as the home-standing Carroll County Cavaliers thumped the visiting Cougars, 66-48.

Carroll County jumped out to a 15-9 advantage after the first quarter and never looked back. They would then outscore the Cougars 19-7 to take a commanding 34-16 lead into intermission.

The start of the third quarter was no better for Pulaski County and their new head coach, Anthony Akers.

The Cavaliers were hitting on all  cylinders as they would score 22 points in the quarter to the Cougars’ nine. Their biggest lead was 31, 56-25 going into the final stanza.

Both teams would then use their entire bench with Pulaski County scoring 23 points – almost as many points in the fourth quarter as they had for the first three. Carroll only scored 10 to make the final score somewhat better.

“It wasn’t the outcome I was looking and hoping for,” said Cougar head coach Akers. “We didn’t shoot the ball well, we didn’t handle the ball well, either.”

“Unforced turnovers are very detrimental. We got out-rebounded and missed shots and they hit shots,” Akers added.

Carroll County hit eight three’s and it seemed they hit more than that.

Carroll County head coach Anthony Barnes said, “We want to pressure the ball and push the ball. I thought we set the tempo in the second quarter against Pulaski County.”

The Cavaliers were led in scoring by Davis Reitzel with 21 points. He hit two three’s and six other field goals. He controlled the boards and was three for three from the charity stripe. Guard Bryce Smoot tallied 12, while Jason Richardson and Isiah Easter both chipped in with eight points each.  Brayden Smoot came off the bench to score seven.

The Cougars placed two players in double figures. Senior Marcus Reed had 11 points and sophomore Justus Hash had 10, as he scored eight of those in the fourth quarter after the game was no longer in doubt.  Senior Lane Nester was held to just nine points and Isaiah “Tootie” O’Dell finished with seven.

Pulaski Co. – 9 – 7 – 9 – 23 = 48

Carroll Co.  – 15 – 19- 22 – 10 = 66

Pulaski Co.: 15 FGs – 6- 11 FTs, 3 Pt. Goals – 4 -( Hash 2, Lawrence, Nester)

Carroll Co.: 18 FGs- 6- 7 FTs , 3 Pt. Goals – 8 – ( Reitzel 2, Richardson 2, Bryce Smoot 2, Talley, Brayden Smoot )

Total Fouls – PC – 9, CC – 16

Fouled Out – None

Technicals – PC – O’Dell

JV – Pulaski Co. 46, Carroll Co. 25 – PC – Boone Blevins 11, Silas Sweet 6; Carroll Co. – Dane Leonard 11, Blake Reed 8