JUNIOR BEARCATS FINISH TOURNAMENT RUNNER-UP

Going into the District 3A-4 tournament finals Saturday the Booneville Junior High Bearcats had faced Charleston twice and split those games.

One was decided by eight points, the other, the conference game, by three with the Bearcats winning which had ultimately decided the top seed for the district tournament which was held at Bearcat Gymnasium.

Saturday’s tournament title game would have the teams separated by no more than six at any point before Charleston pulled out a 38-33 win.

The Bearcats (16-5) actually had a five point lead early, 5-0 on a Dakota Mattson 3 and a Jace Washburn basket.

Charleston scored the next seven points before an Aiden Carter basket tied it at 7-7 after a quarter.

Both Mattson and Carter (shown) would go on to score 10 points in the game.

It was 12-7 Bearcats after a 3 by Noah Harrel and a Demari Poole basket but Charleston had gotten to within 16-15 by halftime.

Charleston scored the first four points of the second half before the Bearcats scored five straight on a Cody Sum free throw and baskets by Washburn and Carter to go back in front, 21-19.

A 3 put the Tigers in the lead and they eventually built it to 28-23 by the end of the third quarter.

Charleston still led by five with 2:43 left before Mattson hit a 3 and with every score from that point on the Bearcats had cut it to a one possession game, but were unable to completely close the gap.