CHRISTIANSBURG — Pulaski County’s season-long shooting struggles reached a breaking point Tuesday night as the Cougars fell 73-53 to Christiansburg in the Class 3 Region D playoffs, ending their 2025-26 campaign.
The Blue Demons (16-7) used a dominant first half and a late 11-2 run to secure their third victory of the season over Pulaski County. For the Cougars (7-16), the loss marked their seventh consecutive defeat and a difficult conclusion for a senior-heavy roster.
The Cougars' offense was ice-cold from the jump, managing just six points in the opening quarter. The struggles deepened in the second period as Pulaski County shot a combined 6-of-31 (19%) from the floor in the first half. Missing several point-blank layups, the Cougars headed into the locker room trailing 29-14.
Pulaski County found its rhythm in the third quarter, led by a game-high 26 points from Jalere Harlow. A spirited second-half surge saw the Cougars trim a double-digit deficit down to just seven points, 47-40, with six minutes remaining in regulation.
Christiansburg responded immediately. The Blue Demons ignited an 11-2 run to push the lead back to 58-42, effectively ending the comeback hopes.
Walker Overbay led the Christiansburg charge with 19 points, including five 3-pointers. Garrett Overbay added 13 points, while Evan Custis provided 11 points off the bench. In total, nine different Blue Demons contributed to the scoring column.
In addition to Harlow’s 26, Braxton Merchant scored 11 for the Cougars, and Hash added eight. Despite the second-half improvement, Pulaski County finished the night shooting just 30% from the field.
The game marked the final appearance for seven Pulaski County seniors. The team struggled to regain its momentum following a two-week layoff due to inclement weather mid-season, with shooting inconsistencies defining their final stretch of games.
Box Score
Pulaski County: 6 | 8 | 21 | 18 — 53
Christiansburg: 15 | 14 | 18 | 26 — 73
Scoring Leaders PC: Harlow 26, Merchant 11, Hash 8, Carrasco 4, Nottingham 2, Sartin 2.
C-burg: W. Overbay 19, G. Overbay 13, Custis 11, Murden 8, King 8, Bush 8, Hutchens 2, Haile 2, Hill 2.
3-Point Goals: PC 5 (Harlow 3, Hash 2); C-burg 8 (W. Overbay 5, Custis 2, Bush 1).
Free Throws: PC 4-9; C-burg 13-22.