The Cottage School JV Cougars rang in the new year with a crucial AAC road victory at Cumberland on Wednesday evening. Coming off of a long winter break, the Cougars struggled through foul trouble and fatigue, but ultimately pulled away for a comfortable win.
The Cougars started the game in a full court press, and the Cumberland Cyclones were completely caught off guard. The Cougars forced a few early turnovers and poor Cyclone shots and were able to capitalize with layups on the other end. Seth Goldberg, Dalton Lantz, and Conner Hogue played excellent defense, helping the Cougars open up an early 13-5 lead.
In the second quarter, the Cougars’ focus and energy lagged, and the Cyclones were able to fight their way back into the game. The Cougars were outworked on the boards, and an abundance of offensive rebounds allowed Cumberland to close the gap to 19-15 by halftime.
The third quarter remained tight as well, but the Cougars’ depth began to wear the Cyclones down. The Cougars continued their pressure, forcing several turnovers. Ben Gardner, Alex Yager, Bryce Dickerson, and Nick Rice all played tenacious defense. Alex Hogg and Kyle Kimble contributed key baskets on the offensive end, and Will Conroy was dominant in the paint. After three quarters, the Cougars led 31-21.
The Cougars’ victory was sealed early on in the fourth quarter, as big shots from Kyle Kimble, Seth Goldberg, and Ryan Tuckwood increased the lead to nearly 20. In the end, the Cougars enjoyed a well-deserved win in their first action of the year. Toby Nwokedi and Nick Daugherty rebounded the ball well, and Andrew Marriott and Matthew Miramontes provided energy off the bench. Matthew Placide, Nate Dunbar, Colton Parks, and Javier Cremer also contributed crucial minutes. The Cougars are hoping to continue their momentum on Friday afternoon vs Howard.
