The Logan County Cougars played much better Friday than they did when the two teams met just nine days earlier, but Russellville still recorded another
win. With four players scoring 18 or more points, the Panthers won 92-84 in a Clash of the Cats.
The Cougars led 23-15 after a quarter, fell behind, and tied it at 32-32 on a 3-pointer by Twin Lancaster assisted by Drake Downey, but trailed 44-39
at the half. Russellville built a nine-point lead but Logan cut it to three twice, but RHS led 69-60 after three quarters.
Panthers D.J. Quarles hit a strong underhand hook shot with a Cougar hanging on to him and hit the free throw to build the lead to 10. The margin
reached 11 at 75-64 when Quarles successfully drove the baseline for a goal.
Kevin Temple, who was the star of Russellville’s win when the teams met in the finals of the FSNB/Roy’s Holiday Classic, started this game strong but
injured an ankle on one of the many controversial block/charge situations in the game. He missed most of the second quarter but played in the second
half. On another one of those collisions with 6:14 remaining in the game, Temple was called for blocking when he and Troy Graham collided. As he
over-reacted on the call, he was assessed a technical foul, his third and fourth personals. Graham hit three of four free throws as a result, and his
brother Torin hit another on the ensuing possession, cutting the lead to six.
Torin Graham’s 3-pointer reduced the margin to four, but Russellville’s Da’Vonte Bryant immediately took the ball to the goal on a 3-point play.
Repeatedly late in the game when the Panthers were in danger of losing the lead, either Bryant or Davis Pardue responded with a big goal.
The Cougars got a basket from Downey, who made a huge difference in the Cougar attack in his first extended action following a number of what could
have been season-missing injuries. Victor Hampton answered for RHS on a Bryant assist, but Torin Graham cut the lead to five. Logan had a chance to cut
the lead to three, but Lancaster missed a dunk. Bryant scored on the other end.
The verdict was decided when Bryant hit a pair of free throws, made a steal on the inbounds play, and hit a goal to put the Panthers up 92-81 with four
seconds left.
Bryant hit 7 of 7 free throws on the way to 26 points, as the Panthers went 25 of 30 at athe line. Pardue was 4 of 5 from 3-point range and had 20
points, the same total as Quarles, who went 10 for 12 at the line. Temple (5 of 7 from 2-point range and 2 of 5 from outside the arc) added 18.
Lancaster led Logan, which has an 11-3 record, with 28 points. Ever-improving sophomore Torin Graham hit all three of his 2-point shots and 4 of 8 from
long range for 22 points, and older brother Troy had 12. The teams’ top scorers also led them in rebounding with Lancaster getting 9 and Bryant 8.
Lancaster, who hit 11 of 15 shots, also blocked 3 shots. Quarles had 4 assists with Bryant, Hampton and Temple adding 3 each. Both Grahams had 4
assists for the Cougars and Aratan Martin 3.
Russellville, which ran its district record to 2-0, was no match for a Grayson County team that played with precision the following afternoon in the
State Farm Classic at Bowling Green High, losing 84-58. Zach Hines had 9 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists as one of the few Panther bright spots in
that game.
The loss in the tournament doesn’t count on district standings. The Cougars-officially 2-1 in district play-will entertain Butler County Tuesday and
Todd Central Friday. Russellville (10-6) goes to Greenwood Tuesday and Franklin-Simpson Friday.
LCHS (84)
Twin Lancaster 28, Torin Graham 22, Troy Graham 12, Drake Downey 9, Aratan Martin 8, Tyler Davenport 5, Landon Stratton, Jon Richardson
RHS (92)
Da’Vonte Bryant 26, Davis Pardue 20, D.J. Quarles 20, Kevin Temple 18, Victor Hampton 6, Darian Calloway, Zach Hines, Jordan Kennedy, Travez Hampton