The Norris City-Omaha-Enfield Freshmen Fighting Cardinal basketball team ventured to McLeansboro Monday night to play their first round game of the Hamilton County Freshmen Tournament against the Fairfield Mules. Although the two teams had met once earlier in the season, NCOE was hoping for a better result.
Unfortunately for the Fighting Cardinals, the first quarter did not prove to be very friendly for them on the offensive end as they were only able to muster seven points and fell behind 15-7 to their opponent. The second quarter was even more unkind for NCOE when they were only able to record two points against a very aggressive Fairfield team to find themselves trailing by twenty-three at the halftime break.
The second half of action was much better for NCOE on the defensive end as they held the Mules to only thirteen points in both the third and fourth quarters combined. However, the inability to score kept NCOE on short end of the 45-19 final. This loss dropped the Fighting Cardinals into the losers bracket where they will play the Carmi White County Bulldogs on Wednesday evening.
Brandon Skaggs led the way for the Fighting Cardinals with five points. Others scoring for NCOE were Colton O’Neal four, Jadon Johnson three, Austin Brinkley three, Houston Money two, and Jaden Barton
two.
