Dominating the boards, playing tenacious defense and taking the ball to the hole repeatedly provided the winning formula for the Logan County Lady Cougars Friday. Coach Finley Baird’s team ran its district record to 5-0 with a 51-39 victory at Russellville in the second Clash of the Cats of the season.
On this evening, the Lady Cougars didn’t shoot particularly well. They hit only 17 of 44 field goal (38.6 percent) attempts, including just 11 of 28 shots from two-point range. They also struggled at the line, getting just 11 of 21 (52.4 percent) free throws to fall.
Meanwhile, the Lady Panthers shot a good percentage, including over 50 percent from two-point range (15 of 29). Even with hitting only 1 of 6 three-point attempts, Coach Cameron Jackson’s team still hit 45.7 percent overall.
The problem for RHS and the plus for LCHS was how few shots the Lady Panthers managed. Logan County attempted 44 field goals and Russellville only 35. Additionally, the Lady Cougars—who were taking the ball to the goal—shot 21 free throws to the home team’s 13.
One of the primary reasons the winners got more shots and spent more time around their offensive goal than the Lady Panthers did was Logan center Kennedy Nichols’ domination of the middle, keeping RHS from getting to the rim and pulling down 16 rebounds. It was the second straight Clash of the Cats that Nichols had out-boarded Panther rebounder supreme Anastasia Dowlen, who had 12 grabs.
An even more telling statistic was overall rebounding. Logan controlled the boards 32-21. All of the other Lady Panthers besides Dowlen managed only a total of nine rebounds.
Lady Cougar outside-shooter-supreme Addie White had another big game. For the second time in a week she hit five 3-pointers and totaled 15 points. She also had 8 rebounds.
The Logan attack was beautifully balanced. Behind White were Paige Vanzant with 13 points, Nichols 9, Peyton Vanzant 8 and Gracie Christian 6.
Russellville’s Dowlen and Amiyah Collier—a sophomore and a freshman—each tied White for game scoring honors with 15. But the rest of the Lady Panthers scored only nine points combined.
The Lady Panthers mounted a comeback attempt early in the fourth quarter. Dowlen blocked Christian’s one-on-three shot on one end and then scored on the other to cut the lead to 39-30.
Logan countered with a 3-pointer by White and a goal by Paige Vanzant on a White assist. Those two them contributed on defense with Vanzant blocking a shot by Collier, and White picking off a Lady Panther pass.
Russellville needs to beat Todd Central again on Valentines Night to avoid having to play the Lady Cougars in the first round of the district tournament. Winning against Franklin-Simpson this Friday could be enough.