Cougars’ bad second quarter leads to their defeat to Patrick Henry

By RODNEY YOUNG

Patriot Publishing

The Pulaski County Cougars came out hot to start the game, but it ended up not being enough or lasting long as they lost to the visiting Patrick Henry Patriots 69-50.

The Cougars were up 19-11 after the opening quarter, but the Patriots would go on a 12-0 run to start the second quarter and led 32-22 at intermission. The Patriots outscored the Cougars 21-3 as the Cougars  went cold from the field and committed seven turnovers in the quarter.

The Cougars would cut the deficit to five, 43-38 and then a few things went against them late in the third quarter.

Patrick Henry had the ball but it was knocked loose with Bryant Nottingham and a Patriot player scrambling for a loose ball. One of the officials would blow his whistle and a technical was called on Nottingham.  Justus Hash would come off the Cougar bench to seemingly protect one of his teammates, then another whistle would be blown and a technical was called on Hash for coming off the bench. That turned out to be his fifth foul. The Patriots would hit two of the four free throws and hit a bucket after receiving the ball after the technicals.

The Cougars would turn the ball over and Patrick Henry would hit another bucket, giving them six points in less than 15 seconds and they were up by 11, 49-38 to really put the game in the win column for Patrick Henry.

Pulaski County (4-6, 1-2) had fought to cut their deficit to five and within those 15 seconds were back down by 11. They would never get closer than eight for the rest of the game. Four Cougar players would foul out and they would then be outscored 19-9 in the final quarter.

 

Cougar head coach Anthony Akers remarked after the game, “Patrick Henry just had more overall grit and grind tonight than us.  We didn’t shoot but 25 percent from the field and committed too many turnovers.”

Patrick Henry placed four players into double figures and were led by Tavon Jumper’s 16 points. Landon Terry had 12, while Will Fowler and Dariyon Williams both scored 11 points each. Patrick Henry shot just under 50 percent from the field for the game.

The Cougars got a game-high 26 from Jalere Harlow and Braxton Merchant with 10. Merchant was in foul trouble for most of the game.

The JV Cougars lost a close one to the Patriots, 47-45. The young Cougars had fought their way back from 10 points down to take a 45-44 lead with 14 seconds left. Patrick Henry would get a go-ahead bucket and after a  Cougar miss  they would foul a Patriot player with four seconds to go. The Patriot player would hit one of two free throws, but the Cougars would miss a last second shot. Abijah Hendricks scored 15 points and Landon Matney knocked down 13 points.

Pulaski County will be back in action at Floyd County tonight and at Carroll County Friday. Both nights the JV games will tip at 5:30 and varsity to follow around 7 pm.

 

 Scoring– PC – Harlow 26, Merchant 10, Hash 6, Carrasco 5, Lewis 2, Golson 1, PH – Jumper 16, Fowler 11, Terry 12, Williams 11, Painter 7, Scere 6, Perdue 5, Loperena 1

 

3 Pt. Goals – PC – 5 ( Hash 2, Harlow 2, Carrasco), PH – 4 ( Terry 3, Fowler)

Total FG’s – PC – 15, PH – 24

 

FT’s – PC – 15-24, PH – 17-27

 

Total Fouls – PC – 26, PH – 21

Fouled Out- PC – Hash, Merchant, Sweet, Carrasco, PH – None

 

Technicals – PC – Hash, Nottingham