Rick Patrick
rick@greenepublishing.com
In one of the most exciting games of the season, the Madison County High School (MCHS) Cowboys varsity basketball team outlasted the Godby High School Cougars, 57-49, on Thursday, Jan. 19, in the MCHS gymnasium.
The action began with the junior varsity teams taking the court. The Cougars went up with an early 17-7 lead at the end of the first period. The Cougars continued to press their advantage, and by half time, had built up a 37-11 lead.
During the second half, the game clock began to continuously run and, by the end of the game, the Cougars had a 57-19 win. Then it was time for the varsity teams to compete. The opening quarter was surprisingly low-scoring, with both defensive units making it difficult for either team to score. At the end of the first period, the score was 3-2, in favor of the Cowboys.
The tide turned slightly in the favor of the Cougars during the second period, despite the Cowboys being in a double-bonus situation for the final two minutes of the half. This made foul shots extra important for the Cowboys. The Cowboys took advantage of the situation and hit 58.1 percent of their free throws during the contest.
The first half ended with a 24-20, Cougar lead, thanks to a buzzer-beating three- point shot. The Cowboys were able to begin to establish dominance during the third period, outscoring the Cougars 18-5, to take a 38-29 lead into the final quarter. Both teams managed to score points during the fourth quarter, but with time running out, the Cougars were forced to commit fouls in order to stop the clock, thus allowing the home team to chalk up even more free throws.
When the final buzzer sounded, the Cowboys had defeated the much larger-sized Cougars, 57-49. Orient Livingston led the Cowboys in scoring, with 22 points, including hitting nine of 12 from the foul line. Jonathan Akins also scored in double digits, with 17 points.
The Cowboys will be back on their home court on Friday, Jan. 27, to take on the Tigers of Jefferson County High School. Tip-off is at 6 p.m. for the junior varsity game, followed by the varsity match. Then on Saturday afternoon, the Cowboys and Cowgirls will honor the seniors with Senior Night. That is when the Cowboys and Cowgirls will face the Trojans and Lady Trojans of Hamilton County High School. The action gets underway at 4 p.m