After a slow start to the season, the Logan County Cougars are on a roll, capped by capturing the championship of the St. Mary Christmas Classic at Paducah this week.
The Cougars beat Carlisle County 51-42 in the championship game Friday. That followed wins over host St. Mary 53-48 in the tournament opener and Dawson Springs by an overwhelming 70-31 in the semifinals.
Statistics for the tournament games have not yet been posted. Senior Kade Wall was named Player of the Game in the finals.
Most of the teams in the tournament were from the western part of the state. Cougar coach Josh Frick spent several years coaching in the area and was highly successful there before coming to LCHS last year.
While several key players from the football team who had gone two games into the postseason were adjusting to playing an indoor sport, Logan lost its first three games and five of the first six. But they have now won their last four games to even their record at 5-5.
The first win came against Whitesville Trinity on Dec. 2 by 87-50. Sharpshooting senior Colby Collins led the way with 28 points, highlighted by going 7 of 11 from 3-point range. He was 10 of 15 overall for 67 percent.
Junior Samson Hightower was perfect from the field, going 5 for 5, all but one of them coming from long range. Senior Jack Delaney went 3 for 3 from the foul line. Junior Nicholas Blann hit all four of his field goal attempts.
Collins finished with 28 points, Hightower 14, Delaney 12, Blann 8 and Davin Yates 7. The Cougars connected on 55.6 percent of their 3-pont attempts (15 of 27) and 53.2 percent overall (33 of 62).
Not many offensive rebounds were available, but Hunter Holloway led the Cougars with 9 boards while Yates had 6 and Delaney 5.
In a 73-60 victory at Cumberland County last Friday, Hightower scored 21, Wall 13, Tyler Johnson 11 and Hunter Holloway 10. Holloway hit 3 of 4 three-point attempts and 5 of 8 overall. Holloway hit all five of his shots, Wall went 3 of 4 and Johnson 3 of 5. The team shot 52.8 percent overall.
The Cougars will try to keep the winning going next week when they are the host team for the H&H Holiday Hoopfest. Frick’s team will open play Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. against John Hardin High School. The tournament runs through Friday.