CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) –The Cheatham County Cubs took a trip across the river to Montgomery Central High School for a matchup with the Indians on Tuesday, Dec. 3. The game was a back and forth defensive battled, which saw countless lead changes and a trip to overtime. Despite an 18-point effort from Christian Fox, the Indians fell in overtime to the Cubs by a score of 55-52.
Defense was the name of the game early on, with each team playing with a high level of physicality. When the halftime buzzer sounded, the Indians were trailing at 14-10, but the team didn’t panic.
“We came out very stagnant,” said Montgomery Central head coach Sam Young. “It’s hard to flip a switch when you don’t start out ready to go. We kind of dug our own hole and got stuck in that rut, but we fought out of it.”
The Indians turned it up offensively during the next half of action, as they more than doubled their first half point total before the third quarter was even over. As the game carried on, the lead changed hands multiple times down the stretch, however, Montgomery Central big man Mel Trice stepped up when the Indians needed him most.
With MCHS down by two, Trice put the team on his back when he finished through contact with time expiring for a two-point basket that tied the game at 44 all.
After the play, the game headed to overtime where both teams were able to hit timely shots, but Cheatham County’s John Bumpus converted an and-one layup to take a three-point lead with 15 seconds remaining in the game. Central was unable to respond this time and fell by a score of 55-52.
“We didn’t do a lot of the small things,” Young said. “We just weren’t who we have been these past few games. I’m proud of the bounce back that we had. We got down and just kept fighting. Just didn’t make enough plays.”