The Norris City-Omaha-Enfield Junior Cardinal basketball team traveled to Carmi Saturday morning to take on the White County neighbor, the Carmi-White County Bullpups.
The sixth grade contest would start out very balanced with neither team being able to get their offense up and running, but the Bullpups managed to muster two more points than NCOE to claim the 4-2 lead following the first quarter of play. Second quarter action would find the Bullpups heating up on both ends of the court as they erupted for 12 points while holding the Jr. Cards to nary a point. This 12-0 run enabled the Bullpups to claim the 16-2 halftime lead.
Following intermission, the Bullpups hit the court running again and would once again outscore the Jr. Cards to extend their advantage and leave NCOE trailing by 26 points as they headed into the final frame of action. This fourth and final frame would find the Bullpups still not letting off the accelerator, as they went on to defeat NCOE by the final score of 51-10.
Brier Sauls and Max Riggs each scored five points to round out the Junior Cardinal scoring.
Fifth grade action did not start out much friendlier for the Junior Cardinals, as they were unable to score anything other than one free throw in the first quarter of play and find themselves trailing 8-1. This, however, did not deter the Jr. Cards as they battled back on both ends of the court in the second quarter to outscore the Bullpups 9-4 and only trail by two points, 12-10, as halftime arrived.
Momentum remained on the side of the Jr. Cards when play resumed in the third quarter as they kept attacking the basket and managed to score their highest total thus far in 14 points, while holding the Bullpups to just five points. This allowed NCOE to claim their first lead of the game as the quarter ended at 24-19. The Bullpups tried to rally back but the NCOE defense was just too much as they went on to pull off the come from behind 36-24 victory.
Max Riggs paced the Junior Cardinals (1-1) with 21 points followed by Wyatt Wells with 11 points, Javen Garrett two points, and Caden Sexton two points.
