Colonels take Jackets

The Whitley County Colonels defeated rival, Williamsburg at Mountjoy Gym Tuesday night, 67-55.
“It was butt ugly,” said Whitley County coach Mike Deaton. “I really don’t know where we were tonight.”
The Colonels (4-2) jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the first quarter behind two Jordan McCumbers baskets. Freshman Jamie Lebanion and sophomore Jacob Lowrie added a bucket as the Colonels moved out to a quick 8-2 lead.
The pressure defense by the Colonels kept the Jackets off their target in the early going as Williamsburg was able to put in only two baskets. Senior Michael McCray added two free throws.
Whitley County stretched the lead to 11-4 on a Zach Powers three pointer and led at the first stop, 15-6.
The second quarter saw the two teams parade to the free throw line. Williamsburg scored 11 of their 21 second quarter points from the line while Whitley County was 9 of 17 from the line.
The Colonels had taken a 23-10 lead when Ben Prewitt hit a pair of free throws.
But, it was Williamsburg outscoring the Colonels, 17-9 over the next five minutes to get back into the game.
“We made some dumb fouls that let them get to the foul line and stay in the game,” said Deaton.
Most of the points came at the free throw line in the late run, but Aaron Cunningham and freshman Steven Taylor sparked the Yellow Jackets.
Cunningham scored on a reverse layup to pull the Jackets within 28-21 before Calvin Capps hit a pair of free throws to stretch the lead back to nine points.
Over the next two minutes Taylor hit two shots from the corner and McCray added two free throws to pull the Jackets within three, 30-27.
Lebanion scored with ten seconds left to send the Colonels into the dressing room with a 32-27 lead.
Williamsburg got as close as three points early in the third quarter before the Colonels pushed the lead out to 12 points at the end of the period.
“I was really pleased with the kids efforts,” said Williamsburg coach Patrick Robinson. “They played hard we just got into foul trouble and it hurt us. I looked over once in the third quarter and saw four of my five starters on the bench in foul trouble.”
The Colonels pulled away in the fourth quarter as Michael Crawford, Ben Prewitt and McCumbers led Whitley County on a 8-3 run before Robinson called his final timeout with the Colonels ahead, 56-39.
The biggest lead for the Colonels in the second half was 19 points when Whitley County pushed the lead out to 63-45.
But a 10-4 finish by the Jackets closed the gap on the Colonels.
Both teams had a poor shooting night from beyond the arch. Whitley County was 1 of 11 while the Jackets failed to hit a basket in 10 attempts.
There were 45 points scored from the free throw line. Whitley County hit 22 of 36 from the line while Williamsburg hit 23 of 35.
“Everything was really very even from that stand point,” said Robinson.
“The teams are pretty evenly matched, honestly we just got in foul trouble,” said Robinson.
“Overall, I am pretty pleased with the effort of course. The bad part is that we have to turn around and play Lynn Camp Thursday,” Robinson said.
The Jackets will take part in the Bowman Classic where they will play the Wildcats Thursday, Pulaski County Friday and Jellico Saturday.
The Colonels will be back in action next week when they travel to Edmonson County for the Rafferty’s Classic. They will take on undefeated Grayson County Monday.
“We just need to get back in the gym and work more,” said Deaton.

Whitley Co. 67, Williamsburg 55
Whitley County 15 17 16 19- 67
Williamsburg 6 21 9 19- 55
Whitley County (67) – McCumbers 10, Powers 5, Roaden 6, Prewitt 9, Lebanion 8, Lowrie 11, Crawford 11, Harris 6, Capps 3.
Williamsburg (55) – McCray 14, Taylor 8, Cunningham 12, Teague 10, Pettit 1, Kilgore 2, Frazier 2, Conlin 5.