By RODNEY YOUNG
NRVSports.net
Some nights it doesn’t pay to be height challenged. That was the case for the Pulaski County Cougars as they faced 6-8, 6-6, 6-4 and 6-4 players for the Blue Demons of Christiansburg.
The Cougars were on the short end of the 72-66 final at Christiansburg High School.
Garrett Overbay (6-8) scored 22 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. Evan Custis came off the bench to knock down 12 points and hauled in six rebounds. Easton Murden contributed 11 and Brasen Hutchens contributed 10 points coming off the bench. Mason King (6-4) pulled down eight rebounds as the Blue Demons out-rebounded the shorter Cougars 44-14!
The Cougars were led in scoring by Jalere Harlow’s 20 points and Braxton Merchant’s 19. Silas Sweet chipped in with nine.
“We just got out rebounded tonight,” said Cougar head coach Anthony Akers. “They missed a shot and they just would get a rebound and a put back. Proud of our guys, we battled as best we could.”
Pulaski County (5-8,1-3) took an early 17-13 first quarter lead, but got outscored 18-11 in the second quarter with the Blue Demons taking a 31-28 intermission advantage. Christiansburg would score 19 points in the third period to the Cougars’ 16 to lead 50-44.
The Blue Demons would start the fourth quarter hot, as they scored the first nine points of the quarter to go up 59-44 with five and half minutes left in the game.
Pulaski County would battle back to cut the final deficit to six in the last few seconds. Both teams finished with 27 field goals apiece, but the 44-14 disadvantage on the boards did the Cougars in.
Christiansburg is the second ranked team in Class 3 Region D coming into the game.
The Cougar JV squad held on for a hard fought 56-53 win. They led 33-14 at halftime, but the second half was a struggle, however they held on for the win. The JV improved to 9-4 on their season as Braylen Anderson had 17 points, Ade Jackson 12, and Abijah Hendricks 11.
Pulaski County will be in the Cougar Den this Friday to take on the Salem Spartans. JV tips at 5:30 and varsity to follow.
Pul. Co. 17 11 16 22 – 66
C-burg 13 18 19 22- 72
Scoring– PC – Harlow 20, Merchant 19, Sweet 9,. Hash 7, Blevins 5, Nottingham 2, Bolden 2, Carrasco 2, C-burg – G. Oversbay 22, Custis 12, Murden 11, Hutchens 10, Bush 6, W. Oversbay 6, King 5
3-PT. Goals – Pul. Co. 6 ( Harlow 2, Sweet, Blevins, Hash, Merchant), C-burg 5 ( Custis 2, Hutchens 2,Bush)
Total FG’s – PC – 27, C-burg 27
FT’s – PC – 6-7, C-burg 13-18
Total Fouls – PC – 16, C-burg- 10
Fouled Out– PC – Merchant
Technicals -None
