The NCOE 5th/6th Grade Junior Cardinal basketball teams took on the Carrier Mills Wildcats Thursday evening. The sixth grade contest would witness the Jr. Cards getting off to a slow start as the Wildcats jumped out to the 12-0 first quarter lead. Second quarter action was much better for NCOE as they managed to put nine points on the board but their opponent would top that by one as the Jr. Cards found themselves trailing by 13-points as halftime rolled around.
Second half action was very balanced and the Junior Cardinals would even manage to outscore the Wildcats 15-13 in the final two quarters of the game but the unfortunate first quarter was just too much to overcome as NCOE dropped their second game of the season 35-24.
Lane Connaway led the way for NCOE with a team high eight points. Others scoring for the Junior Cards were Nolan Prather six, Brockton Washburn three, Tate Riggs three, Spencer Shipp two, and Carmeron Pollard two.
The 5th Grade team would too suffer from a very slow start as they would finish the first quarter of play facing a 15-point deficit (17-2) to a very quick and talented Carrier Mills squad. Both teams would play even in the second quarter as each added four points to their total to keep the Jr. Cards trailing by 15 at halftime.
Following intermission, NCOE would once again hit the court and struggle on the offensive end as their opponent would outscore them 10-2. Although the Junior Cardinals managed to play Carrier Mills even in the final frame, they were unable to erase the Wildcats fast start as they fell by the final score of 33-10.
Bryer Sauls would lead the scoring column for the 5th Grade squad with six points while Kade Bond and Natalie Farris would each add two points a piece.
