Third time is a charm for AGWSR

Published by admin on Tue, 02/25/2020 - 9:50am

Luke Starr of AGWSR puts up an uncontested shot against BCLUW in the Class 1A District game at Sheffield. The Cougars advanced to play the fifth-ranked Warhawks. (Dick Fridley/Mid-America Publishing)

By:

Dick Fridley

Sheffield Press Editor

SHEFFIELD — The third time was a charm for the AGWSR boys’ basketball team last Thursday, as the Cougars came away with a 65-57 win over the BCLUW Comets in a Class 1A district quarterfinal contest.

AGWSR ran its record to 9-13 with its second win of the campaign in three meetings with BCLUW. The Cougars advanced to the Tuesday, Feb. 25 district semifinal against fifth-ranked West Fork — a 93-34 winner over Clarksville in last Thursday’s second game.

BCLUW finished its season at 9-13.

The Cougars were in front for the majority of this game, before having to withstand a late rally by the Comets.

Jesse Moore scored the first bucket of the game for the Comets, before AGWSR rattled off back-to-back three-pointers from Luke Starr and Titan Opperman and a field goal by Jaden Penning to take the lead for good at 8-2.

The Cougars built the lead to double digits late in the period, before Eric Knott’s trifecta sent BCLUW into the second period down by seven, 16-9.

Treye Teske scored for BCLUW midway in the second period to cut the margin to just two points at 20-18.

AGWSR closed the frame with an 11-1 outburst, capped off by two Tanner Weichers free throws, to built a 31-19 halftime edge.

The Cougars moved in front by 15 points on two different occasions in the third quarter, the last time at 41-26 on Weichers’ bucket with 3:44 on the clock.

BCLUW began to chip away at the margin, and would climb to within 47-38 going into the fourth period.

Two Ben Macy free throws with 1:58 left in the game kept the Cougar margin in double digits at 61-49.

BCLUW ran off an 8-1 outburst, capped off by a Teske three-ball in the final minute to get to within 62-57.

The Cougars hit 3-of-6 free throws down the stretch to nail down the decision.

Starr finished 11-of-20 from the field on the way to scoring a game-high 28 points for the winners. Weichers and Penning both reached double digits with 11 points apiece, while Opperman added nine.

Three Comets reached double figures, as Mason Yantis had 16 points, Teske 14 and Moore 10.