By Rodney Young
Patriot Publishing
Playing at home in the Cougar Den for the first time in three weeks, the Pulaski County Cougars were beaten by the Bruins of Blacksburg, 63-54.
Jalere Harlow tied the game at 50 with 3:20 left in the game. The Cougars did what they have been doing for most of the season, as they went seven straight possessions with four turnovers and three missed shots. The only points they scored from the 5:20 mark until 18 seconds left in the game were Harlow’s two free throws. It’s a broken record by now how they are losing.
The Bruins had scored 10 unanswered points to go up 60-50.
Pulaski County finally scored twice in the last 18 seconds to make the final 63-54. This was at least the ninth game they basically have lost in the last three or four minutes of a game.
Cougar head coach Anthony Akers in the locker room remarked, “I got out-coached and I take full responsibility for this.”
Blacksburg has now won four games on their season (4-10) and two of them are against the Cougars. They were led in scoring by Will Ferrell with a game-high 27 points. Josh Byun knocked down five threes and finished with 22 – 14 of those after intermission. Mitchell Linkous chipped in with seven all coming in the second half.
The Cougars saw their record fall to 4-13 and 1-7 in district play. They have lost four consecutive games all in district play. Justus Hash led the losing Cougars with 16 points, Jalere Harlow had 14 and senior Chase Lawrence scored eight.
If the loss wasn’t bad enough, it looks like the Cougars have lost senior Tootie O’Dell to a knee injury that occurred in the second quarter. The Cougars were up six late in the quarter when the injury happened.
The schedule doesn’t get any easier as they travel to Hidden Valley and then host Patrick Henry next week.
The Cougar JV lost their fourth straight as the Bruins beat them, 49-46. They had beaten the young Bruins at Blacksburg earlier by 21 points.
Pul. Co. – 12 20 12 10 – 54
B-burg – 18 10 16 19 – 63
Scoring- PC – Hash 16, Harlow 14, Lawrence 8, Hollins 5, O’Neal 4, Carrasco 5, O’Dell 2, B-burg – Ferrell 27, Byun 22, Linkous 7, Distler 4, Joyce 3
3- PT. Goals – PC – 4 (Hash 2, Hollins, Carrasco), B-burg- 9 (Byun 5, Ferrell 3, Joyce)
Total Fouls – PC – 23, B-burg – 21
FT’s – PC – 4-6, B-burg – 12-19
Fouls – PC – 15, B-burg – 10
Fouled Out- PC – Sweet
Technicals -None
