Apollo and Daviess County fell in its respective matchups on Tuesday, while Owensboro Catholic went 1-1 in its holiday tournament on the road.
Apollo vs. Rockcastle County
A strong first quarter made the difference in a double-digit loss for Apollo, falling to Rockcastle County 75-58.
Seniors Daniel Mullins and Drew Hopkins set the Eagles defense on fire from deep in the first quarter, as they hit three and two three’s in the quarter respectively.
With their marksmanship from deep, the Rockets were able to grab a 25-11 lead going into the second.
Despite junior Zjhan Tutt’s best efforts in the second—scoring nine of the team’s 14 points—Rockcastle County matched Apollo offensively and took a 39-20 lead at halftime.
The Rockets offense remained consistent in the third quarter, using a balanced attack to take a 58-36 lead.
The Eagles offense had gained traction throughout the second half, but they couldn’t halt Rockcastle County and fell 75-58.
Daviess County vs. Christian County
A late fourth quarter push from the Panthers wasn’t enough to finish a comeback victory, as first half struggles plagued them as Christian County earned a 52-46 win.
The Colonels kickstarted the game with a bang, as Jordan Miles (8), Trezz Vaughn (6) and Derell Bateman (4) combined for all 18 points in the first quarter.
On the defensive end they were also able to limit Daviess County to single digits, taking an 18-5 lead into the second quarter.
Neither team was able to get much offense going in the second quarter, as they both scored eight points each and Christian County remained in charge with a 26-13 lead.
The game remained a back and forth battle in the third quarter with each team trading buckets, as the Colonels were outscored for the first time all game at 12-11. Despite this, the Panthers still trailed 40-25 going into the fourth.
While at risk of suffering a blowout loss, Daviess County wasn’t going down without a fight.
A number of Panthers got in on the action offensively, as they scored 21 points in the fourth.
While they were able to close the gap, Christian County scored 12 points in the quarter, which was just enough for them to hold onto for a 52-46 win.
The Colonels offense shot an efficient 44% from the field, while Daviess County could only connect with a 33% mark on the night.
Sophomore Gage Phelps led the Panthers with 12 points, while junior Cole Burch finished with a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds.
The loss to Christian County has Daviess County sitting at 4-5 overall on the season.
With a quick turnaround, the Panthers will look to move back to .500 when they take on University Heights at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
Owensboro Catholic vs. Springfield (Tennessee)
Outscoring all Springfield in the first three quarters of play, the Aces offense propelled them to a 70-46 victory.
Owensboro Catholic got half of its points from deep in the first quarter, while outscoring its opponent 24-13.
Junior Parker Gray helped keep the Aces out in front in the second quarter, scoring 11 of the team’s 15.
His play partnered with a defensive effort from the team that limited Springfield to 12 points, gave Owensboro Catholic a 39-25 lead going into halftime.
The Aces offense continued to be red hot in the third quarter, outscoring them 22-10 to take a 61-35 lead into the fourth.
Springfield was able to win the fourth quarter, but it was too little too late as Owensboro Catholic’s consistent offense gave them a 70-46 win.
Gray led the way with 20 points in the first game of the day, while junior Ji Webb poured in 15 points.
Junior Brian Griffith made his season debut on Tuesday, tallying 15 points as well. Meanwhile, freshman Tutt Carrico also finished in double figures with 10 points.
Owensboro Catholic vs. Oakland (Tennessee)
Despite the Aces best efforts for a late comeback, Owensboro Catholic’s second quarter struggles led to a 65-58 loss to Oakland.
Led by Gray and Webb in the first quarter, Owensboro Catholic got out to a narrow 16-15 lead going into the second.
Oakland looked to flip a switch and gain control of the game in the second quarter, limiting the Aces to six points.
With their offense remaining consistent this allowed Oakland to take a 28-22 lead over Owensboro Catholic going into halftime.
The Aces offense was clicking on all cylinders in the third, with Griffith scoring 10 points in the quarter to lead the way.
Griffith accounted for the vast majority of Owensboro Catholic’s 21 points, but 16 points from Oakland kept them out in front 44-43.
Led by AJ Ballard and Casey Williams who combined for 16 of the team’s 21 points in the fourth, Oakland’s offense helped them hold onto the lead and secure a 65-58 win.
Griffith led the Aces with 22 points on the night, while Webb followed closely behind with 15 points.
The 1-1 performance by Owensboro Catholic at the Mullen Megular Cat Classic puts them at 5-7 overall.
The Aces will now have a few days off before they return to the hardwood, as they will look to grab a road win against Trinity (Whitesville) at 7 p.m. in a 3rd Region battle.
