The Logan County Cougars used a sports science project Thursday night to demonstrate the correct formula for winning basketball. Coach John Tinsley’s team mixed great rebounding with shooting accuracy from close range, long range and the free throw line to beat a good Greenwood team 75-66.
In the process, the Cougars withstood a barrage of 3-point shooting by new Coach Will McCoy’s Gators. GHS put up three dozen 3-pointers in the game, hitting 13 of them. The Gators pulled to within five points late in the game on a pair of 3-pointers by Ben Carroll and then another by Marc Grant with 24.6 seconds remaining.
But Logan withstood all those challenges, primarily by hitting free throws. For the game the Cougars went 16 of 22 at the line for 72.7 percent. Much more impressively, they hit them in the clutch, going 12 of 14 in the fourth quarter. Jose Nazario went 4 for 5 at the line in the last 30 second of the game with Dalton Thompson and Jay Hardison each hitting both of their foul shots during that time period.
Anthony ‘Rooster’ Woodard and Thompson each added a field goal in the last 75 seconds. The Cougars sizzled from 2-point range, hitting 22 of 34 of them for 64.7 percent, almost as lofty a percentage as their accuracy from the foul line.
Even from 3-point range, the winners hit almost 50 percent at 5 of 12. That’s fewer shots but a higher percentage than the 7 of 18 they are averaging per game on the season.
Despite that, a 3-pointer hit by the Cougars’ long-range specialist—Hardison—started a 12-2 run in the third quarter that sent Logan ahead for keeps. Hardison has hit 83 of 185 bombs on the season for 44.9 percent. That includes the 8 he had hit the previous Saturday against Todd Central.
Rebounding also played a huge role. Logan pulled down 35 rebounds and the Gators just 16. Woodard, who also had several key assists, led with 10 boards with five other Cougars totaling from 4 to 6 each.
Balance continued with six Cougars scoring in double figures from 10 to 14 points. Thompson scored 14, Woodard 12, Dylan Basham and Nazario 11 each, and Nathaniel Vick and Hardison 10 each. Point guard Brady Griggs played an outstanding floor game.
Carroll scored 24 and Parker Williams 11 for the Gators. Cade Stinnett and Grant added 9 each. The Cougars held Noah Stansbury—son of WKU Head Coach Rick Stansbury—to 6 points, less than half his season record.
Logan won its 18th straight game to improve its record to 22-3. The Gators fell to 15-12.