BOWLING GREEN - The Cougar basketball team continued its summer schedule Monday with a pair of games in the Warren East Summer Shootout.

In the first game played at Warren East Middle School, the Cougars beat the Eagles of Fairview High School, from the Ashland area, 49-32. In the second game, played at Warren East High School, the Cougars were outscored 8-0 in the closing moments by Bowling Green and the Purples prevailed 42-35.

Coming into Monday's games, Grayson County had already played six games. They won three and lost three in games last Friday and Saturday in Glasgow. They posted wins against Clinton County, Cumberland County and Bowling Green, while chalking up narrow losses to Allen County-Scottsville, Glasgow and Barren County.

In Monday's game against Bowling Green, the short bench played a big part in the loss. The Cougars had just six players available. Incoming senior Sean Embry has decided not to play basketball this season, while sophomore Aaron Deviney is committed to the football squad's summer workouts.

FAIRVIEW

The Eagles were making a long trip from the Ashland area to play a series of games on three days. Another team from the 16th Region's 64th District, Raceland, also made the journey.

Behind the strong inside play of incoming senior center Daniel Armstrong, the Eagles jumped out to leads of 8-2 and 10-4, but the Cougars fought back to trail by just a point, 11-10 at the end of the first period. Armstrong had six of his team-high 16 points in the first quarter.

Two free throws by sophomore Travis Johnston at the start of the second period gave the Cougars their first lead of the game at 12-11. Grayson County led by as many as four points in the period, but at the half, the two teams were knotted up at 17-17.

Armstrong hit one of two free throws at the start of the third period before the two teams traded baskets five straight times to alternate holding leads. Trailing by one, Jordan Mudd hit a layup to put the Cougars in front 23-22 and they never trailed again.

Bennett Skaggs followed by burying a three-pointer as he was being fouled. His free throw put the Cougars up 27-22. Bryant Clemons' layup at the 2:36 mark ended a 14-2 Cougar run that gave them an 11-point lead, 35-24. They led 37-26 heading into the fourth quarter.

A three by Tyler Saltsman and a Johnston layup starting the fourth quarter ran the lead to 16 points at 42-26. They later scored the final five points of the period for a 17-point winning margin.

Johnston led all scorers with 17 points, while Skaggs joined him in double figures with 11. Saltsman had seven points, while Mudd and Wes Smith had six apiece. Clemons finished with two to complete the Cougar scoring.

BOWLING GREEN

The Cougars had edged the Purples on Saturday in Glasgow, but their short bench caught up with them this time.

Three-pointers by Saltsman and Johnston helped the Cougars lead by as many as five points in the first period, but the Purples closed to within a point, 10-9 heading into the second quarter.

A Smith rebound basket with 1:08 left in the first half gave the Cougars their largest lead of the game, seven points at 20-13. They led by five, 20-15 at the half.

The Purples used a swarming, full-court press to cause four Cougar turnovers at the start of the third period and they took their first lead of the game 25-23 at the 5:30 mark. The Purples led by as many as four points in the period, but Grayson County outscored them 6-1 closing out the period and led by one, 29-28 heading into the final period of play.

A Johnston layup at the 7:10 mark of the fourth quarter gave the Cougars a three-point lead, but it was all Bowling Green after that. The Purples outscored the Cougars 14-4 the rest of the way, including the last eight straight to hand the Cougars the defeat.

Johnston again led all scorers, finishing with 11 points. Mudd, Saltsman and Smith all scored six points, while Skaggs had four and Clemons had two.

News-Gazette Sports Reporter

dbrown@gcnewsgazette.com