The Christian County boys’ basketball team picked up a win for the second day in a row on Friday, prevailing 78-69 over hosts Webster County (7-3) in the Baptist Health and Sports Rehab Holiday Classic. The Colonels now stand at 7-1 on the year.
The Colonels jumped out to a 10-4 lead midway through the opening quarter after a 3-pointer by senior forward JaQuon Long. They maintained control, and with :55 left senior Detorrion Ware, fresh off a 49-point night, drilled a 3 from close to the center circle to give the Colonels a 16-9 lead. The Colonels led 17-11 at the end of the first quarter.
With 4:15 left in the second quarter, Webster senior Chatman Ellis knocked down a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 1 at 25-24. Long responded with a 3 of his own, sparking an 8-0 run that ended with Ware scoring off an out-of-bounds play with under two minutes left. Another Ware basket with :48 left gave the Colonels a 9-point lead, their largest of the game so far, but the Trojans responded with 4 straight points to cut the lead to 35-30 at the half.
Ware led the Colonels in scoring at the half with 13, followed by Long with 8.
Halfway through the third quarter, the Colonels’ Long stepped to the line and hit one of two to stretch the lead to double-figures for the first time at 45-35. A Ware dunk gave them an 11-point lead with three minutes left in the quarter, before back-to-back buckets by junior guard Nate McGregor pushed the margin to 58-44. Heading into the fourth quarter the Colonels led 60-49.
With 7:03 left to play, a Fred Tandy score again established the Colonel lead at 14, which they maintained until a minute left to play. Down 77-63, the Trojans would close out the game on a 6-1 run, but the contest had already been decided, and the Colonels finished it 78-69.
Ware again led the Colonels in scoring with 24, with Long adding 16, and Tandy adding 12. Brody was the other Colonel in double-figures with 10. McGregor finished with 7, sophomore guard Damikeon Mathis had 6, and senior guard Jordan Johnson, returning after missing last game, scored 4.
The Colonels will look to complete the clean sweep of the Baptist Health and Sports Rehab Holiday Classic when the meet up with Todd County Central (6-3) on Saturday. The Rebels came from behind to win 74-67 over Western in the early game on Friday.