Bears keep fighting–Set to face Goliath
Senior Curtis Clay Murphy, shown here with the dunk against the Raiders, will need guns blazing for Grayson County. PHOTO | Greg Moore
By Greg Moore
Banner Sports Editor
The BCHS Bears have missed a few opportunities in the season of astounding growth which only presented one win. The cards have been stacked against them, much like their opening round game of the 12th District Tournament. However, like so many other heroic efforts, the Bears have a chance to be memorable in their own right.
Grayson County of course is the Goliath. The Cougars (20-6 overall, 13-0 region, 6-0 district) are coming off an impressive road win at Daviess County, who has been ranked as one of the top teams in the state all year and the reigning 3rd Region Champion. If they somehow come in too sure of themselves, it opens the door for the Bears, who have never given up on the season.
Coach Barnett and his men will try to slow the game down against the deep and talented neighbors from up north of us. It will be a very difficult task, but the Bears have demonstrated that ability. Only late in the contest, do they want it to come down to a shoot-out when adrenaline could be taking control.
The Bears shoot it well enough from deep as a team, but their defense and rebounding will need to be on best regards for the miraculous upset. When you hit nearly 40% from beyond the arc as the Bears have all season, you still have that puncher’s chance as if it was a boxing match. Their defensive effort and not allowing multiple opportunities is paramount throughout the game.
Of course, turnovers will play another emphasis. At times, such as this last week, there have been too many committed by the Bears. In what was a 15-point lead halfway through the third quarter, it wound up being a 57-58 heartbreaking loss to Madisonville-North Hopkins. The Maroons went full court and the game slowly crept away.
The Bears played two more home games after Monday’s loss to M-NH. In both those games, Butler County made runs to get within a few possessions against McLean and Hart Counties. Unfortunately, the visitors would pull back ahead with a run of their own. Getting down early as they did in these could prove detrimental against Grayson.
