The Norris City-Omaha-Enfield Junior Cardinal basketball team welcomed the Carrier Mills Junior Wildcats to town Thursday evening to continue Little Greater Egyptian Conference play and wrap up their week of play. With anticipation building for this matchup due to the Wildcats being undefeated thus far on the season, NCOE wasted little time in taking control of the tempo of the game as they jumped out to the early 17-9 first quarter advantage. The Junior Cardinals picked up the intensity level even more in the second quarter as they managed to top their opponent 24-6 to take a commanding 26-point lead into the locker room at halftime.
Second half action would find NCOE once again picking up right where they left off as they outscored Carrier Mills for the third consecutive quarter (15-8) to stretch their lead to 33 points. This lopsided contest brought forth the continuous clock rule for the fourth quarter of play. This final stanza would witness Carrier Mills topping NCOE 9-2 to cut into the lead but the damage was already done and the Junior Cardinals were able to coast to the 58-32 victory.
Cord Tucker controlled the offense for the Junior Cardinals (6-1) as he scored 24 points to lead the team (21 of those points coming in the first half of play). Joel Hortin followed with 10 points while Preston Long added nine, Erik Healy five, Colby Prather five, Tate Riggs three, and Jaden Simmons two. Long dished out a team high nine assists followed by two a piece from Tucker, Hortin, and Healy while Riggs and C.Prather added one each.
Preston Long ripped down a team high 10 rebounds followed by Joel Hortin with six, Colby Prather three, Cord Tucker two, and one a piece for Erik Healy, Tate Riggs, and Lane Connaway. Long also topped the team with three steals while Hortin added two, Prather two, Tucker one, and Healy one.
Junior Varsity action was full of excitement as the Junior Cardinals would appear to be running away with the game but a burst of energy would erupt from the Carrier Mills squad to narrow the gap. This pattern would continue the whole game but the Jr.Cards did manage to weather a huge 15-6 Carrier Mills third quarter run to outscore their opponent 7-4 in the final quarter to claim the 34-29 victory and move to 2-2 on the season.
Hayden Mathis led the Jayvee squad with 10 points followed by Spencer Shipp with nine, Tate Riggs nine, Nolan Prather three, Lane Connaway two, and Zeke Baumgart two. Those credited with assists were N.Prather three, Riggs two, Connaway one, and Mathis one.
The rebounding column was also led by Hayden Mathis with 11 followed by Spencer Shipp with nine, Zeke Baumgart four, Tate Riggs two, Nolan Prather two, Lane Connaway two, and Dylan McPherson one. Riggs added two steals followed by one each from Shipp and Connaway.
NCOE will be back in action Monday, November 12 when they travel to Pope County and again on Thursday, November 15 as they venture to Crab Orchard.
