Jarlere Harlow scored 17 points to lead the Cougars against Radford. (Brian Bishop/The Patriot)
By RODNEY YOUNG
NRVSports.net
Playing for the championship in the First Community Bank /Fort Chiswell Christmas Tournament the Cougars came up short losing to Radford 64-63 in overtime.
Regulation ended at 56-all, but Radford would outscore the Cougars in the overtime period eight to seven to pick up the win.
The Bobcats got 17 points from sophomore Pace Prioleau with 15 of those coming after intermission. Jaden Hendricks scored 13 after being shut out in the first half. Colten Garner -Rollins finished with 13 as he scored seven of those in the second half and extra period.
Pulaski County (4-5) was led by Jalere Harlow as he tossed in 17 points. Braxton Merchant scored 16 and Boone Blevins tallied 10.
Radford led 9-8 after the first quarter as both teams seemed tight playing for the trophy. Pulaski County would then outscore Radford 21-14 in the second period to go into intermission up 29-23.
The third quarter saw the two teams battle to a 14-13 quarter with the Cougars up 42-37 going into the final quarter.
Braxton Merchant scores on a layup. He scored 16 points in the game against Radford. (Brian Bishop/The Patriot)
Harlow would carry the Cougars in the fourth quarter scoring nine of their 14. Harlow’s layup tied the game at 56 with 35 seconds on the clock. The two teams wouldn’t score after that to send the contest into the extra period.
Radford would get a bucket from Rollins and Pulaski County answered with a Bryant Nottingham layup to tie the game at 58.
Once again Radford would score, this time Hendricks hit a three from just to the right of the top of the key for a 61-58 score.
Cougars would answer with another Nottingham layup to make it 61-60 with 1:35 on the clock.
Radford would be fouled and Rollins hit one of two from the charity strip to make the score 62-60. The Cougars would miss a shot and Radford would again go to the foul line, this time Prioleau hit one of two to put Radford up 63-60.
Nottingham would get fouled with him hitting the second of two foul shots making it 63-61 Radford.
The Cougars would then foul Brandon Wray and he hit one of two foul shots to go up 64-61. Harlow would hit a driving layup to make the score 64-63, with five seconds to go.
Radford would inbound the ball and the Cougars would foul, but the clock was down to 1.1 left in the game. Radford would intentionally miss the free throw and the Cougars’ Silas Sweet grabbed the rebound. His full court heave was way short, however, with the horn sounding.
Cougar head coach Anthony Akers in a dejected locker room said, “I think we grew up, some here in this tournament. I’m very proud of the guys and we played great the last three days or three games. We had our chances tonight.”
The Cougar JV won the JV Championship as they outlasted Radford 44-40. The game was back and forth, but the Cougars would hit 10 of 14 free throws in the fourth quarter.
Landon Matney led the Cougars with 14 points as he hit five of six free throws in the last 45 seconds. Chris Trueheart scored 12 and Braylen Anderson chipped in with seven , all of those scored in the second half. The JV Cougars’ record improved to 7-2 and the team won a pretty winners trophy.
In the other varsity action, in the seventh place game Galax defeated Bland County, 60-47. Galax was paced by Tommy Jones with 19 and Riley Simon’s 16 points. Bland got a game-high 26 from Gavin Lance.
The fifth place contrast saw East Wilkes (NC) hold off Carroll County, 92-87. Praden Hatley had 25 points and Holden Spicer 23 for the win. Carroll County got a double-double from Isaiah Easter, 34 points and 10 rebounds. Blake Reed tossed in 17 for the losing Cavaliers.
The third place game had Fort Chiswell sneaking by the Narrows Green Wave 61-60. Kenton Sutphin and Owen Jackson both scored 20 points each. Narrows got a game-high 24 from Sam McGlothlin and Hayden Ferrell tallied 11.
Pul. Co. 8 21 13 14 7-63
Radford 9 14 14 19 8-64
Scoring- PC – Harlow 17, Merchant 16, Blevins 10, Hash 8, Nottingham 7, Bolden 3, Sweet 2, Radford – Prioleau 17, Hendricks 13, Rollins 13, Taylor 6, Farmer 6, Wray 4, Brown 4 Kimbrough 1
Total FG’s – PC – 24, Radford 25
FT’s – PC – 9 of 18, Radford 10-22
Total Fouls – PC – 19, Radford – 20
Fouled Out- None
Technicals – PC – Bolden
