Cougars lose heartbreaker to Salem Spartans
By RODNEY YOUNG
Patriot Publishing
It was so close but yet so far for the Cougars. Down 44-30 to Salem at intermission to one of the top Class 4 teams in the state, the Cougars would outscore them 22-4 in the third but would eventually lose in the final seconds, 62-60.
Pulaski County would battle and outplay the Spartans in the third quarter to take a 52-48 lead going into the fourth quarter. They had scored 22 points in the third and held the Spartans to just two field goals. The Cougars went into a 2-3 zone to start the quarter and it slowed the Spartans down as they had trouble hitting jumpers.
Salem had hit seven three’s in the first half, but the Cougar zone seemed to confuse them.
Pulaski County in the third quarter comeback, saw Jalere Harlow score 13 of his 20 points. Braxton Merchant had a game-high 22 points and eight rebounds, as he scored four points in the quarter.
The bad stretch of the night ended up being the last 4:45 of the game. The Cougars were up 58-56 and they would hit just one bucket for the rest of the game. In the last 4:45 they missed five shots and committed five turnovers .
Salem would score just six points in the 4:45, as they would re-take the lead on a bucket by Gabe Martin with 1:35 left in the contest, 61-60.
Jay Hamm would hit one of two free throws with 32 seconds on the clock for a two-point lead 62-60. They would try to hold the ball, but the Cougars would steal it and call a timeout with 9.7 seconds on the clock.
Pulaski County would then drive and a Boone Blevins pass would get deflected, and Harlow would touch the ball as it went out of bounds.
“We played very, very hard,” said Cougars head coach Anthony Akers in a quiete PCHS locker room. “Proud of the guys and our comeback was something else. We made some mistakes there in the last minute or last few seconds. This one really hurts, it stings.”
Salem placed four players in double figures. Martin and Camden Boles both had 14 points. Tanner Overstreet had 12 and Braylon Smith chipped in with 10, as they improved to 13-2.
The Cougars saw their record fall to 5-9, and 1-4 in the district. Five of their losses are by six points or less. They have lost six games by single digits and two of those losses were in overtime. It seems the Cougars have a black cloud over them or are snake bitten when it comes to close games.
The Cougar JV won an exciting game over the young Spartans, 47- 45. Ade Jackson would hit the go ahead three-pointer with just six seconds left for the win. Jackson finished with 12 points as did Braylen Anderson. Abijah Hendricks had a game-high 15 for the Cougars. The Cougars are now 10-4 on the season.
Pulaski County will be back in the Cougar Den Wednesday night as they host the Knights of Cave Spring. JV tips at 5:30 and varsity to follow.
Pul. Co. 14 16 22 8 – 60
Salem 17 27 4 14- 62
Scoring – PC – Merchant 22, Harlow 20, Blevins 6, Hash 6, Nottingham 4, Sweet 2, Salem – Martin 14, Boles 14, Overstreet 12, Smith 10. Hamm 7, Sparks 5
3-PT. Goals – PC – 8 ( Harlow 3, Blevins 2, Hash 2, Merchant), Salem -7 ( Hamm 2, Martin 2, Overstreet 2, Smith)
Total FG’s – PC – 23, Salem 23
FT’s – PC – 6-7, Salem 9-16
Total Fouls– PC – 20, Salem – 12
Fouled Out– PC – Nottingham
Technicals– PC – Harlow, Salem – Martin