In a physical, back-and-forth battle that kept the Pulaski County High School faithful on the edge of their seats, the Cougars utilized a dominant second-quarter surge and a career night from Braxton Merchant to secure a 53-50 victory over the visiting Cave Spring Knights on Wednesday night.
The atmosphere in the Cougar Den was electric, but the game began as a defensive struggle. Both teams found points hard to come by in the opening frame. Cave Spring’s Shawn Turner and Pulaski’s Jalere Harlow traded early buckets, but the Knights' defense held the Cougars to just 14 points, while Pulaski's stout rim protection limited Cave Spring to a mere six points in the first quarter.
The Turning Point
The momentum swung violently in the second quarter. Pulaski County found their rhythm, exploding for 17 points behind the sharpshooting of Braxton Merchant and the interior presence of Silas Sweet. However, Cave Spring refused to fade. Led by Ashton Cornett, who began finding his range, the Knights put up 15 points of their own. By halftime, Pulaski held a 10-point cushion, 31-21, but the tide was starting to turn.
The Knights Charge Back
Cave Spring emerged from the locker room with renewed intensity. The third quarter belonged to the Knights, as they stifled the Cougars' offense, holding them to just 12 points. Meanwhile, Collin Saunders and Bubba Holbrook began to assert themselves, chipping away at the lead. By the start of the fourth quarter, the Pulaski lead had shrunk to just four points at 43-39.
The final period was a true "slugfest." Every possession felt monumental as the Knights' Shawn Turner continued his scoring barrage, finishing with 14 points. Cave Spring actually outscored Pulaski 11-10 in the final frame, but the Cougars' poise at the free-throw line and a crucial late bucket by Boone Blevins proved to be the difference. The final blow came when the Cougar sent the ball inbounds with 4.7 seconds remaining in the game. The ball was thrown inbounds to a wide open Sammy Carrasco, who calmly drilled a three-pointer from just outside the line. The officials set the clock back to 2.2 seconds for Cave Spring to inbound the ball and hope for a miracle, but it wasn’t their night. Cougars win 53-50.
Top Performers
The story of the night for Pulaski County was Braxton Merchant. Merchant was relentless, pouring in a game-high 20 points, including five field goals and a perfect 3-for-3 performance from behind the arc. He was supported by Jalere Harlow, who contributed 12 points and served as the floor general through the Knights' late-game press.
Cave Spring saw a balanced scoring attack in the losing effort. Shawn Turner led the way with 14, while Collin Saunders and Bubba Holbrook each added 12 points. Ashton Cornett also reached double figures with 10.
Ultimately, the Cougars’ ability to weather the second-half storm and protect their home court moved them into the win column in what was a classic River Ridge District style matchup.
Box Score Highlights:
Individual Scoring
Pulaski County Cougars
Braxton Merchant: 20 pts (5 FGs, 3 Three-pointers), Jalere Harlow: 12 pts (3 FGs, 2 Three-pointers), Silas Sweet: 6 pts, Boone Blevins: 4 pts, Justus Hash: 3 pts, Sammy Carrasco: 3 pts, Kaleb Sartin: 3 pts, Bryant Nottingham: 2 pts
Cave Spring Knights
Shawn Turner: 14 pts (4 FGs, 2 Three-pointers), Collin Saunders: 12 pts (4 FGs, 1 Three-pointer), Bubba Holbrook: 12 pts (2 FGs, 2 Three-pointers), Ashton Cornett: 10 pts (5 FGs), Sam Urgo: 2 pts
Key Game Stats
Three-Pointers Made: Pulaski 7, Cave Spring 5
Free Throws: Pulaski 2/4, Cave Spring 3/9
Largest Lead: Pulaski County (10 points at Halftime)