The Brookhaven Academy Cougars and Lady Cougars faced a perennial contender in class 4A Presbyterian Christian School out of Hattiesburg on Saturday evening with the opportunity to use these games as an early season measuring stick.  In a defensive battle back and forth, the Cougars bested the Bobcats with a fourth quarter flurry by a score of 32-27.  In girl’s play, PCS’s free throw shooting proved to be enough to hold off the young Lady Cougars by a score of 44-34.

In varsity boys action, the BA Cougars used high pressure defense to contest every shot against a Bobcat squad that was very conscious of not getting into a running game with the fast-paced Cougars.   

In a low scoring affair, the Cats carried a 10-9 lead into the locker room at halftime and stretched the margin to five at one point in the 3rd quarter.  Not panicking, BA head coach Josh Watts called on his very experienced ball team to step it up in the fourth and the Cougars responded with some critical defensive stops and key baskets down the stretch for the win.  Dawson Flowers led a balanced BA scoring attack with nine points and three steals.  Cade Brown dropped in eight, while Tanner Thurman and Ethan Nations contributed six for the Cougars respectively.  Otto Duran led PCS with seven points.

In girl’s action, a senior-laden Lady Bobcat squad may have gotten more than they expected from a feisty Lady Cougar ball club.  After a late run, BA tied the game at 11 to end the first quarter and trailed by a single point as the teams went to the locker rooms to regroup at half.  Keeping the game close, the Lady Cougars trailed by three points with 1:06 to play and were forced to foul and test the Lady Cats at the free throw line.  Rising to the task, PCS converted on all their attempts from the charity stripe and escaped with the eventual 10-point win. 

“This game was a lot closer than the final score,” said a relieved PCS coach Matthew Lofton after the game.  “A bounce here or there and the outcome is a different story.” 

Jana Case led BA with 13 points and 11 rebounds.  Cameron Watson added six points in support.  Gabby Gallup led the Lady Bobcats with 12 points.

In junior high boys play, the BA boys faced their toughest task of the year and came up a bit short falling to the JH Bobcats by a score of 37-20.  Trey Fortenberry led BA with eight points.  In junior high girl’s play, PCS prevailed by a score of 37-18.  Madi Smith, Emma Hill and Madison Moak each had four points for the Lady Cougars.

The Brookhaven Academy Thanksgiving Invitational concludes today with Columbia Academy vs. the Bowling Green girls kicking off today play at 4 p.m. followed immediately by their boy’s teams. 

BA will then face Parklane Academy in both girls and boys action to wrap up the evening and the tournament.