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By Amanda Perkins (For OarksSportsZone.com)
The top seeded Thayer Bobcats won the Cabool Holiday Tournament, 56-50, over the second seeded Alton Comets Wednesday night.
Jordan Andrews earned the tournament MVP title with his 27-point finish for the Bobcats.
“We are Oregon County rivals,” said Andrews of his competitors, “so we all know each other, and it’s good for bragging rights and good to beat them.”
Landry Pitts put the Bobcats on the board first with a shot from downtown, and Andrews followed up with his own. Cason Kinder also connected from behind the arc for Alton, and the Comets closed the frame trailing by three.
Andrews went off in the second quarter, scoring 15 of Thayer’s 19 points. Cainan Heck tied the game with a three for Alton early in the frame, and Chanler Sisco added his own deep shot to stay within one point of the Bobcats. But Andrews’ offensive drive left Thayer with a 9-point lead going into the locker room.
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Thayer head coach Matt Pitts said he wanted his team to maintain their intensity level going into the second half. “We had a good second quarter and wanted to try to come out and expand the lead a bit and guard, and I thought we did that in the third quarter,” he said.
The Bobcats put up 14 points in the third while holding the Comets to just four, a three-pointer and a free throw.
Heck and Kinder helped the Comets battle in the fourth, adding 11 and 6 points respectively to the team’s 26-point effort in the frame. Thayer added 13 points but their third quarter defense helped them hold on for the win.
“I felt like we got better,” said Alton head coach Norm Hollis of his team’s tournament performance. “We’ve had some kids out and have been getting them back, so I felt like this week helped us. We got beaten by a really good team tonight. That’s a quality squad, really well coached, and they play hard.”
Coach Pitts said the tournament win should help his team’s momentum, but they will continue putting in the work. “We’ve got a lot of things to get better on, and you’ve got to continue to get better when you’re winning; sometimes that’s hard.”
All-Tournament Team: Garrett Davault, Norwood; Bryce Corley, Licking; Cainan Heck, Alton; Gaige Pitts, Thayer; Chanler Sisco, Alton; Jayce Haven, Thayer; Brandon Dewolf, Alton; and Jordan Andrews, Thayer (MVP).
Scoring for Thayer: Gaige Pitts, 2; Keaton Nicholson, 2; Lane Grimes, 6; Landry Pitts, 7; Jayce Haven, 12; Jordan Andrews, 27.
Scoring for Alton: Christian Orr, 2; Rylan Steele, 3; Brandon Dewolf, 4; Jed Montgomery, 4; Cason Kinder, 9; Chanler Sisco, 10; Cainan Heck, 18.
