STREAK SNAPPED

The Corbin Redhounds saw its 16-game winning streak snapped at McCreary Central Tuesday night by the Raiders, 78-71.

Seniors Madison Johnson and Isaac Wilson combined for 52 points, but it wasn’t enough to offset the balanced attack of the Raiders. Senior Aaron Watts turned in a 29-point performance while three other Raiders scored in double figures.

Johnson matched Watts with 29 points and Wilson poured in 23 points. Senior Aaron Manns accounted for 11 points as well.

Corbin (20-3) led twice in the game and that came when Wilson hit a 3-pointer to break a 7-7 tie. However, Watts answered with back-to-back baskets, pushing the Raiders ahead, 12-10.

A three-point play by Travis Smith gave the Redhounds a 13-12 lead before Tyson Williams, a freshman, scored the next two baskets in the lane. Watts completed a 6-0 run and the Raiders led 18-13.

Johnson hit a pair of free throws to close out the first quarter with the McCreary Central on top, 18-15.

Corbin opened the second quarter with a free throw by Johnson, but the Raiders scored the seven points and took a 25-16 lead. Zack Roark, Jacob Dixon and Sean Privett all scored for the Raiders.

Corbin trimmed the lead to five on a basket by Wilson in the closing seconds, but Watts answered with the final basket for a 35-28 lead at the half.

McCreary Central took a 38-28 lead on a Dixon 3-pointer to open the third quarter but Corbin sliced the lead to three on a Brody Freeman free throw midway through the period. Corbin went on an 11-4 run to get back in the game.

The Raiders closed out the third quarter with a 3-point buzzer beater by Watts to lead 51-45.

The fourth quarter saw the Redhounds closed the gap to one (59-58) on a basket by Johnson. But, that was as close as the Redhounds would get as Watts scored a 3-point point basket off an offensive rebound. Dixon followed with a bucket and the lead was back to six (64-58) with 3:30 left in the game.

There was no quit in the Redhounds however as Corbin got the lead back down to three on several occasions, the last being 74-71 with 1:28 left.

McCreary Central hit 6 of 10 free throws in the final two minutes to hold off the Redhounds.

Corbin will host the DeSales Colts Friday night at 7:30 p.m.

McCreary Central 78, Corbin 71

Corbin              15  13  17  26- 71

McCreary            18  17  16  27- 78

   Corbin (71) – Johnson 29, Wilson 23, Manns 11, Taylor 4, Freeman 1, Smith 3

   McCreary Central (78) – Dixon 12, Williams 11, Wright 11, Perry 7, Watts 29, Privett 2, Roark 7.