WIDENER' S19 POINTS PROPELS BEARCATS TO WIN; LADY BEARCATS OPEN WITH WIN

Nick Widener hit five of six free throws with 1:47 to play in the third quarter of Tuesday’s season opening 36-28 win by the Booneville Bearcats.

Widener was fouled on a shot attempt following a steal in a 23-22 game but rather than a pair of free throws stood at the line for six shots due to two technical fouls.

Widener missed the first attempt but hit five straight to make it 28-22.

The sophomore started the fourth quarter scoring with a 3 that made it 31-22, establishing the Bearcats largest lead of the night.

Widener hopped off the court after landing awkwardly on the 3 but worked through the setback and returned to hit a pair of free throws with 48.4 seconds to play that would make the lead 36-28.

Before that WYC had cut the lead to 32-28 but Reed Brackney and Wesley Fonseca both hit free throws to make it a six-point advantage.

The Wolverines led most of the first half against the Bearcat lineup that had only seven players available.

A Wesley Fonseca basket gave the Bearcats a brief 5-4 advantage but WYC scored the next four and would go to build an 11-7 lead through one quarter and one of 19-10 with 3:29 to play in the half.

Widener hit a 3, Bryce Eaves scored while being fouled and Wesley Fonseca scored again to cut it to 19-18 1:27 before the half.

Wesley Fonseca, who scored 9 in the game, scored again 34 seconds before the break to draw the Bearcats into a tie at 20.

For over six minutes of the third quarter the only points were a Dakota Fonseca (shown) free throw and a basket that had WYC in front 22-21.

A Widener 3 put the Bearcats back in front before the Widener free throws stretched the lead to six through three quarters.

Lady Bearcats 56 Western Yell 43

Anna Ferguson and Angie Brown combined for 19 first half points. Tempi Terry and Baylee Parnell combined for 20 in the second half and the Lady Bearcats opened the season with a 56-46 win over Western Yell County Tuesday.

Ironically it was Terry and Parnell with the first 3 points of the game for the Lady Bearcats, which cut an early Western Yell lead to 4-3 and a basket by Haylee Taylor after a Ferguson steal that gave the Lady Bearcats the lead.

Back-to-back 3s by Anna Ferguson and Taylor and baskets by Anna and sister Emma Ferguson made it a 15-0 run and the Lady Bearcats would continue to lead the rest of the way.

The lead reached 13 at 23-10 on a pair of Anna Ferguson free throws with 4:01 to play in the half but the Lady Wolverines would almost half that by the 1:08 mark of the second quarter at 26-19.

But, Anna Ferguson and Brown, who accounted for all 12 second quarter points, hit four more free throws and it was 30-21 at the half.

The Lady Bearcats led the rest of the way though WYC was twice within 25 seconds able to cut it to seven at 37-30 and 39-32 at the 1:21 mark of the third quarter.

Terry and Parnell scored the next 10 for the Lady Bearcats and the lead was 15 at 47-32 with 7:05 remaining. The Lady Wolverines were no closer than 10 the rest of the way.

The Lady Bearcats will play again Thursday against Atkins in what will be the third of a three game set also involving junior high teams. A scheduled game between the senior high boys teams from the schools has been cancelled.