BEARCATS GET PAST TWO RIVERS, 46-43

The Booneville Bearcats snapped a three game losing streak with a gutty 46-43 win at Two Rivers Tuesday night.

The Bearcats never trailed but could never feel like a lead was safe either.

Colter Fisher and Jace Washburn both scored twice from the floor in the first 2:11 of the game and the Bearcats led 8-0.

On his way to 17 points, Washburn (shown) scored again after the Gators managed their first points and a 3 by Noah Harrel gave the Bearcats a double digit lead at 13-2.

Still, by the end of the quarter the Gators, after being called to the bench for a time out for the third time, had cut the lead to 13-9.

Scoring the next six points of the game Raiden Ferguson and Washburn pushed the lead back to double digits at 19-9 but Two Rivers scored seven straight again and was within a single possession at 19-16 with 2:36 left in the first half.

It stayed close the rest of the half with a pair of Dakota Mattson free throws 0.2 before the intermission making it 24-20.

With 3:57 to go in the third quarter Ferguson hit a 3 on an assist from Johnson, who had earlier hit a 3 in the quarter, and the lead was back to double digits at 34-24.

Again, Two Rivers was able to cut that in half by the end of the quarter, twice getting within five and trailing the Bearcats 37-32 going to the final quarter.

Fisher scored on another of Johnson’s five assists to start the final quarter but Two Rivers answered with a 3 to cut the lead to 39-35.

A Washburn basket on a feed from Ferguson made it 41-35 but Two Rivers was within 41-39 with 4:27 to play.

Fisher, who finished with 12 points and nine rebounds, scored the next three Bearcat points and it was 44-41 with 2:34 remaining.

When Washburn scored with 1:26 to go it was 46-41 but Two Rivers scored with a minute to go to again make it a one possession game.

A missed one-and-one opportunity with 7.5 seconds to play gave Two Rivers an opportunity for a last shot to tie it, but after a time out with 4.0 seconds to go a long 3 attempt was well short.

The Bearcats will next play at home Friday against Danville. Printed schedules call for that game to be in Danville but are incorrect. The February 7 game will be in Danville and not at home.