Although it turned out not to be the blowout that fans were envisioning, the Logan County Cougars did what was needed to hold off pesky Todd Central Friday at home.
Coach John Tinsley’s team ran its impressive record to 14-2 overall and 3-0 in the 13th district with a 73-60 win.
Todd Central jumped out to an 8-2 lead early behind consecutive 3-pointers by juniors Deonte Tolliver and Austin Rager. But Logan scored 16 of the next 18 points to lead 18-10 after a quarter. They took the lead for keeps on an Anthony Woodard shot, a 3-pointer by Tommy Krohn, a bucket by Nathaniel Vick on a Woodard assist and a Kelby Epley rebound bucket over big Rebel center John Calvary.
Todd made it close again when Calvary scored five straight points to cut the Cougar margin to two, but Woodard and Third Bell hit 3-pointers with Epley and Woodard adding 2-pointers. When Brady Griggs hit a free throw with 3 seconds left, Logan led 36-25 at the half.
Early in the third quarter, the Rebels trailed by nine when Woodard hit two straight shots, Epley put a rebound in, and Krohn scored on a Woodard assist to balloon the lead to 46-29.
Coach Frank Johnson’s Rebels came back again. When senior guard Clayte Weathers hit a 3-pointer, the lead was cut in half at 46-38. Krohn scored, but Dominique Morrow hit a 3-pointer and Preston Moore a two to cut the margin to five. Griggs scored at the buzzer again to make the score 50-43 after three.
Weathers’ goal made the margin four and the Cougar win in jeopardy. Woodard sank a 3-pointer on a Bell assist, Bell hit a free throw, and Woodard a drive over Calvary to make the lead 12, but Weathers got Todd got back in it on another 3-pointer by Weathers.
Calvary put together a 3-point play and drew a questionable fifth foul on Vick in the process to reduce the margin to single digits again, but Krohn hit a shot and Epley sealed the win with a couple of late free throws.
The Cougars hit 11 foul shots in the fourth quarter.
Woodard finished with 23 points, Krohn 16, Epley 15, Bell 9 and Vick 7. Todd’s Calvary was the game’s top scorer with 29.
The two schools will play again Thursday, Jan. 31, at Elkton, since their first meeting was postponed earlier this year because of the death of an LCHS student.