Brookhaven Academy successfully defended its Holiday Invitational crown Saturday night. The Cougars got 13 points from Peyton Hood and 12 from Gage Posey in a hard-fought, 46-38 win over the Bowling Green Buccaneers in John R. Gray Gymnasium.

     The BA Lady Cougars captured their Saturday consolation game with a 42-34 win over the Adams County Christian School Lady Rebels, paced by Madison Warren’s 22 points.

     In the girls championship, defending champion Bowling Green defeated Central Private 54-23.     

     The Cougars (13-4) got 8 rebounds and 3 assists from Posey. Will Hickman sacked 10 points. Matthew Evans made 3 steals and 2 assists. 

     “Both teams were playing extremely hard and physical,” said BA coach Dale Watts. “(Mac)McElveen did a great job for them but our guys hung in there. We did our best job in the third quarter when we went up 30-20.

     “The main thing is our guys played extremely hard,” Watts added. “Our late-night practice did some good.”

     McElveen’s 17 points paced the Bucs. They reduced their deficit to 38-36 before BA regrouped and secured the win.

     The Lady Cougars (5-12) took a 20-14 halftime lead over the ACCS Lady Rebels.

     BA coach Bruce Allsup said he was pleased with his team’s performance. “I thought we played extremely hard defensively. We gave ACCS trouble with our pressure defense and that was the difference in the game.”

     Allsup said when BA post player Anna Carolla went down with an ankle injury in the second quarter, “We had some other girls step up and do a good job.”

     Warren made 10 of 14 free throws in the game.

     ACCS was led by Tory Laird’s 12 points.

     BA hosts Parklane Friday and visits Simpson Academy at Mendenhall on Saturday.