BEARCATS BURY CHARLESTON IN SECOND HALF OF HOMECOMING NIGHT WIN

The Booneville Bearcats celebrated homecoming night with a dominating second half on the way to a 61-40 win over Charleston.

The Bearcats led 25-20 at the intermission but was up 47-30 at the end of the third quarter.

Dakota Mattson started the second half onslaught with a 3. Mattson hit a second 3 67 seconds later and it was 31-22.

That started a 10-0 run that included Mattson's third 3 of the quarter and which Aiden Carter capped to make it 38-22 with 4:48 left in the quarter.

The lead remained in the teens the rest of the quarter, reaching 47-30 when Mattson dunked a rebound to give him 11 points in the quarter and 13 in the game.

Jace Washburn (shown) scored the first 5 Bearcat points of the final quarter and the lead was 20 at 52-32 with 5:41 remaining. Washburn scored 15 on the night.

With Noah Harrell scoring 11 straight for the Bearcats, they built a 7-point lead in the first quarter lead that was trimmed to 3 by the end of the quarter.

With Mattson, Wesley Fonseca, Harrel, and Washburn all participating, the lead was pushed out to a cushion of 12 points on a Washburn basket that made it 23-11 at the 5:09 mark of the second quarter.

Out of a time out Charleston chipped away, eventually getting within 3 again at 23-20 but another Fonseca basket made it 25-20 at the half.

Harrel had 13 points at the half and would lead all players with 17 to go along with 10 rebounds.

Lady Bearcats

Playing the nightcap – the Court of Royalty included four players – the Lady Bearcats were unable to overcome a 13-2 run to close the first half.

The Lady Bearcats led 4-2 after a conventional 3-point play by Tempi Terry and were up 6-4 after a Homecoming Queen Angie Brown basket with 3:28 left in the opening quarter.

Charleston led by nine after a quarter but the Lady Bearcats got back to within 20-15 on a basket by Baylee Parnell with 6:28 left in the half but that a Terry basket at the 2:34 mark would be the only home team scoring the rest of the half allowing Charleston to pull out to a 33-17 lead.

The deficit would grow to 19 by the 4:13 mark of the third quarter but the Lady Bearcats would not go away, cutting it to 12 at 50-38 on a free throw by Haylee Taylor with 5:31 to play.

After a couple opportunities to get within 10 or 9 were unsuccessful, Charleston pushed the lead back out 17 with 3:29 to go before settling for the 12-point win.

The Bearcats and Lady Bearcats are scheduled to play three times this week, all on the road, starting with Tuesday in Paris.