Basketball fans at Pulaski County High School were treated to a full night of action on Friday as the Cougar Den hosted a JV and Varsity doubleheader between the Pulaski County Lady Cougars and the Blacksburg Bruins. The evening resulted in a split for the two programs, with Blacksburg taking a nail-biter in the JV opener and Pulaski County pulling away for a decisive victory in the varsity finale.
“I thought our JV squad did a great job tonight,” Lady Cougar Head Coach Scott Ratcliff said. “They’re growing up every game. Their effort tonight was outstanding. We still made some mistakes, but the effort is there. Our varsity squad put things together pretty good too. The loss we took to Blacksburg earlier in the season got a little under their skin. We’re young in some spots, but they’re putting some things together. It was a good win for us.”
The night began with a heart-pounding JV contest that saw the Bruins narrowly defeat the Lady Cougars, 39-38. Blacksburg established an early lead, heading into the locker room up 22-16 and extending that lead to ten points by the end of the third quarter.
The Cougars mounted a furious comeback in the final frame, outscoring the Bruins 15-6, but the rally fell just one point short as the buzzer sounded.
Scoring Leaders:
Jovi Perdue (PC): A game-high 17 points.
Charizma Jones (PC): 11 points, including a three-pointer.
Nettie Stewart (BB): 10 points, featuring two three-pointers.
August Hall (BB): 8 points, including two three-pointers.
Blacksburg’s early perimeter shooting proved vital, as they connected on four three-pointers in the first half. Pulaski County struggled to capitalize at the line, finishing just 2-of-10 (20%) on free throws.
In the varsity nightcap, the Lady Cougars used a dominant second-half performance to secure a 56-40 victory. The opening half was a defensive struggle, with Pulaski County holding a narrow 21-14 lead at the break.
The ebb and flow of the game tilted heavily in favor of the home team in the third and fourth quarters. Pulaski County exploded for 35 second-half points, effectively neutralizing Blacksburg’s offense despite a 15-point individual effort from the Bruins' Kensi Jones.
Top Performers:
Chacha Calfee (PC): 13 points, including 7-of-8 from the free-throw line.
Dayonna Lewis (PC): 13 points and one three-pointer.
Kensi Jones (BB): 15 points and 5-of-8 from the charity stripe.
Ella Day (BB): 13 points.
The Lady Cougars’ efficiency at the line was a major factor, finishing at 81% (17-of-21) compared to Blacksburg's 68% (13-of-19). Pulaski also found success from deep, recording four three-pointers from Calfee, Dayonna Lewis, Raiven Hughes, and Palyn Sweet.