REGIONAL LOSS ENDS BEARCAT SEASON

The Booneville Bearcat basketball season came to a close with a 76-58 loss to Lincoln in the opening round of the Class 3A Region 1 tournament Wednesday night in Elkins.

The game between the Bearcats, who were playing in a regional for the fifth straight year, and eighth time in nine years, and Wolves extended several minutes into the succeeding girls game due to the number of stoppages for free throws.

The Bearcats and Wolves combined to attempt 68 free throws with Lincoln converting 25 of 45 at the line and the Bearcats managing 10 of 23 opportunities for single points.

Lincoln, the regular season champion of District 3A-1 – a district tournament was incomplete due to weather – made 6-of-10 in the opening quarter alone to help build a double-digit lead at 16-6.

The Bearcats, who did not attempt a first quarter free throw, but had 11 chances in the second quarter, would trial by as many as 21 points before halftime but a conventional 3-point play by Aiden Carter and a buzzer beating 3 by Noah Harrel cut it to 33-17.

Jace Washburn started the second half scoring with a couple of free throws and he converted an and-one opportunity with 5:33 left in the quarter, both times cutting the deficit to 14, the final time at 38-24.

However, Lincoln would respond with 8 straight points and the Bearcats would get no closer.

Harrel’s halftime buzzer beating 3 gave him just 5 points at the break. He would finish with 25. Washburn scored 11 in his final game.

Macolen Tillery, another senior, scored 8 points and Carter, also a senior, had that kept the Bearcats in it in the first half.

Also playing their final game as a Bearcat were Dakota Mattson, who had six rebounds and two assists, and Wesley Fonseca, who accounted for seven rebounds.

The Bearcats also say goodbye to five-year manager Adisyn Hill.