Cougar gals play for 3rd in Hampton

Maddie Ratcliffe 1 scaled
Maddie Ratcliff scored 10 points to lead the Cougar girls. (Brian Bishop/PC Patriot)
 The Pulaski County girls basketball team had a poor second quarter, and had too big a hill to climb in the second half at the Boo Williams Tournament in Hampton, falling 50-41, and seeing the season record fall to 3-4.
    “We played outstanding in the second half,” said coach Brad Sutphin, “but we had a terrible first half, couldn’t get anything to fall. I’m proud of our effort. The girls fought hard trying to get back in it, but we were down too far. The competition is tough up here. It’s just like playing in March. Have a bad quarter and you go home. I think it was a learning experience, and our kids did play really hard trying to come back. But it’s a four quarter type thing, particularly at this level of competition. We’ll move on and see if we can’t finish third. This is a really good tournament,” said Sutphin.
     The Cougar girls were too far behind at the half against a strong Saint Anne’s Belfield school, a private school from the Charlottesville area. PCHS trailed 30-14 at the half after getting outscored 18-5 in the second quarter. The team will play in the third place game at 7:30 Saturday evening.
     Maddie Ratcliff scored 10 points to lead the Cougar girls, and Ally Fleenor finished with nine. Alaina Akers, Keslyn Secrist, and Hanna Walson all scored six, and Taryn Blankenship scored four.
Patriot Staff Report