Turnovers and cold shooting spelled doom for Clay County as the Tigers fell 46-30 to Bell County in the opening round of the 13th Region Tournament.
It marks the second straight season Clay County has been eliminated in its first regional game.
The contest was often difficult to watch offensively as neither team could establish a consistent rhythm. Bell County’s defensive pressure kept the Tigers out of sync for most of the night.
In fact, Clay County went nearly three full quarters without making a two-point field goal. The Tigers’ first basket inside the arc did not come until Adon Grubb put back a missed shot with 18 seconds remaining in the third quarter, snapping a long scoring drought that stretched back to the 7:28 mark of the second period.
Clay showed some fight in the fourth quarter, outscoring Bell 6-3 in the opening three minutes to close the gap to 34-23. The two teams traded baskets, and Clay got within 10 at 36-26 on a free throw by Grubb.
The Tigers stepped up their defensive intensity, forcing the Bobcats into two straight turnovers. With 3:49 remaining in the game, Clay had a chance to get the game into single digits.
A quick foul by Bell sent Grubb back to the line, where he made both and cut the lead to 36-28.
Clay’s Brody Hooker made a steal, and Grubb was sent back to the foul line for two more shots with 2:38 remaining. He made both to cut the lead to six at 36-30.
Bells’ Braxton Ferguson drained a deep three-pointer at 2:02 to make it 39-30.
A missed three-pointer by Jacob Rogers led to a Bobcat basket by Cayden Huff to push the lead back to double-digits at 41-30. The Tigers could never get any closer.
Bell County took control in the second half by tightening its defense, controlling the offensive glass, and forcing costly turnovers from Clay County.
The opening half resembled two heavyweight fighters trading blows. Both teams came out tight but played with intensity and aggressiveness as they battled for early momentum.
The three-point shot kept Clay County within striking distance early. The Tigers connected on four of their first 12 attempts from beyond the arc, accounting for nearly all of their scoring in the first half as they failed to make a two-point field goal before the break.
Bell County jumped out to an early 5-0 lead, fueled by two baskets from Ethan Buell.
Clay County answered with a three-pointer from Wagers, followed moments later by another from Maxton Gray to cut the deficit to 7-6. Freshman Skylyr Sizemore then added a three-pointer of his own as the teams battled to a 9-9 tie at the end of the first quarter.
Bell County began to clamp down defensively in the second period. The Tigers managed only four points in the quarter, coming on a three-pointer by Gray and a free throw from Wagers.
Freshman Braxton Ferguson provided a spark for the Bobcats in the second quarter, scoring four of Bell County’s 12 points in the period to help push his team ahead 20-13 at halftime.
Clay County struggled mightily from the floor in the first half, converting just four of 19 field-goal attempts.
The Tigers were outrebounded 31-22, with Grubb recording 10. He was also the leading scorer with 12. Aiden Wagers nine, Maxton Gray six, and Skylyr Sizemore three.
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