PINEVILLE — The Bell County Bobcats survived a back-and-forth battle and outlasted Wayne County 73-70 in overtime, using clutch free-throw shooting and timely scoring to seal the win.
Bell County jumped out to an early advantage, leading 17-10 after the first quarter and extending the margin to 32-23 by halftime. The Bobcats remained in control through three quarters, holding a 45-38 lead at the end of the third, but Wayne County rallied late to force overtime with the game tied at 57 apiece at the end of regulation.
In the extra period, Bell County was steady at the free-throw line, converting 8-of-10 attempts to pull away. Ethan Buell led the way, scoring six of his game-high 28 points in overtime. Jaxon Thomas added four of his nine points during the extra session, while Blake Burnett finished with 25 points. Braxton Ferguson chipped in seven points in the victory.
“We got off to a great start then hit a wall in the third quarter,” Bell County coach Brad Sizemore said. “Wayne County has an excellent team and I knew they were not going to go away.
“The sign of a good team is to not play your best game and still find a way to win, I’m proud of all our guys toughness and how they stuck together down the stretch,” he added. “We need to have three good practices and get ready for a loaded tournament in Kingsport next week.”
