BEARCATS FALL ON LATE 3

The Booneville Bearcats led for every second of the game at Danville Tuesday but the problem was the 3 that was launched before the last one expired was good and Danville pulled out a 50-49 win.

The game was tied at 47-47 with 18.5 seconds to play when, out of a time out C.J. Johnson took an inbound pass and flipped it to Colter Fisher.

Fisher (shown) dribbled as the clock ticked down, then drove to his right and hit a shot from the baseline to make it 49-47 resulting in a Danville time out, during which the clock was reset from 1.3 to 2.4 seconds.

After another time out with the ball at half court there was 1.1 seconds on the clock. A 3 after the inbound with the horn sounding gave Danville it’s only lead, 50-49.

The Bearcats (12-8, 8-5 Conference) started the game with 3s by Noah Harrel and Raiden Ferguson to lead 6-0, then got another from Harrel to make it 9-2 – the Bearcats hit 15 3s in the first meeting.

The Bearcat lead was a first half best 15-6 after another Harrel basket but Danville was back cut it to 15-10 by the end of the quarter.

It was a 20-19 game with 4:43 left in the first half and Danville got the ball back with a chance to take the lead only to have Ferguson take a charge.

Danville was again within one possession with 1:10 left in the half but Ferguson hit a 3 to make it 27-22 at the intermission.

Danville scored first in the second half but the Bearcats ran off nine straight and seemed to be in control.

Ferguson accounted for seven of the points and would finish with a co-leading 13.

The Little Johns promptly cut it to two again and were down just 38-34 when Ferguson took another charge with 30.2 seconds left in the third quarter.

A pair of Fisher baskets had the Bearcats up 42-34 with 7:06 to play prompting a Danville time out, the first of the game.

Including hitting three of eight free throw tries, the Little Johns then scored the next eight points of the game at 42-42 with 3:26 to play.

Fisher, who matched Ferguson with 13 points, responded with a go-ahead basket on the next possession.

Scoreless since the opening quarter, Harrel got a 3 to fall from the top of the key and it was 47-42 with 2:28 to play. Harrel finished with 11 points.

A couple more free throws – Danville shot 14 in the second half to three by the Bearcats – and a 3 tied it at 47-47 with 33 seconds to go setting up what looked to be the winning basket by Fisher.

The Bearcats will next play at Cossatot River Friday to close the regular season. A win or a Cedarville loss at Paris clinches the three seed for the Bearcats as both are 8-5 in conference play but the Bearcats swept the season series.