FISHER LEADS BEARCATS AGAINST TWO RIVERS

With an 18-point third quarter, Colter Fisher took over the Bearcats 76-61 win over Two Rivers in the opening round of the Booneville Invitational Tuesday night.

The Bearcats (3-0) had led by 11 points in the first half before the Gators closed the gap to 36-33.

Out of the intermission London Lee hit a 3 for the Bearcats but the Gators answered and it was 39-35 a minute into the third quarter

A C.J. Johnson (shown) basket stretched the lead to six before Fisher converted the first of his three conventional three-point plays in the quarter and it was 44-35.

It was again a six point game when Fisher converted a second three point play opportunity and his third, just 42 seconds later made it a 55-43 lead.

From there the Bearcats poured it own with Fisher scoring four more points, Lee adding a basket and Jonah Nguyen hitting a pair of free throws to make it 65-46 going to the final quarter.

Fisher was finished with 27 points.

The lead would reach 24 on a 3 by Lee with 4:58 to play before Two Rivers was able to close the game down the stretch.

That 3 gave Lee an 18 point night, matching the 18 by Johnson.

The Bearcats opened a seven point lead about six minutes into the game but Two Rivers cut it back to three by the end of the first quarter.

It was 23-12 after Fisher scored with 6:40 left in the half and 26-15 after a Johnson three-point play 31 seconds later.

The Bearcats still led by double digits when Raiden Ferguson scored with 4:21 to play before the intermission and again reached 10 on a basket by Lee with 2:53 left in the half but Two Rivers scored 11 points over the final 2:33 of the half and got within three.

The Bearcats move on to the semifinal round to face Dover at 8:15 on Thursday night.