Strong second-half play gave the Henry County High School boys' basketball team a chance to take two 3-pointers late in the game with a chance to go in front of Dickson County in the semifinals of the Region 7-4A Tournament on Wednesday in Springfield.
The Patriots couldn't make either of those shots and the Cougars survived to capture a 47-43 victory over Henry County. It was Dickson County's third win over the Patriots this season, and ended HCHS' season.
Henry County finished the year with a 23-6 record overall. The Patriots placed second in District 14-4A during the regular season and captured the district tournament championship for the first time since the 1997-98 season.
COUGARS 47, PATRIOTS 43
The game was a tight, defensive-minded battle from the opening tip. Every dribble, pass and shot was tightly contested. Dickson County's Zander Holt battled to score three baskets in the first period and helped the Cougars go in front by a 13-8 margin. Carson Curd made two 3-point shots for the Patriots in the first period.
Both teams struggled to find points in the second quarter. Dickson County managed a 10-9 scoring edge to hold a 23-17 halftime lead. The Cougars got four free throws from D.J. Ham in the second quarter. Jamari Foster scored four points for the Patriots and Curd sank another 3-point shot.
Henry County made the game closer in the third period with a 15-13 scoring edge cutting Dickson County's lead to 36-32 going into the fourth period. Tristan Grgic provided seven points for the Patriots in the third period. Zander Holt also scored seven for the Cougars.
Each team hit for 11 points in the fourth quarter to give Dickson County the 47-43 victory. Aden Jackson hit a 3-pointer and scored another basket for the Patriots while Curd added four points. Both Ham and Peyton Collins scored four points for the Cougars in the last frame.
Curd led the Patriots in scoring with 17 points, including one basket when he threw an inbounds pass off a Cougars' player's back before scoring. Grgic tossed in nine points with Foster adding eight points and Jackson scoring seven. Luke Stephens put in two points.
Dickson County's ability to hold Stephens to just a basket and blank Patriot guard Colby Stallings played a big part in the Cougars' win. Stephens has averaged nearly 13 points a game this season while Stallings scores from eight to 10 points each game.
The Cougars' leading scorer was Zander Holt with 16 points. Ham added 10 points while Kevin Davis chipped in seven points and C.J. Holt scored six points. Collins finished with four points while both Evan Pevahouse and Gavin Franklin scored two points.
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