CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The West Creek Coyotes traveled to Clarksville Academy for a matchup with the Cougars. A back-and-forth, energetic battle with a lively crowd went into overtime. Every possession counted, but the Coyotes were able to score when it mattered, winning 69-66 in overtime.
Both defenses were physical and dominant early, with both teams held under their normal scoring averages. The Coyotes were able to get a couple buckets from forward Kamden Hines, and took a 3 point lead at halftime.
Coyote head coach Matthew Hardaway’s message to his team was to just dig deep, as he knew the game was going to come down to the wire.
“We had to dig deep,” said Hardaway. “We adjusted, and then adjusted to their adjustments. You gotta want it and continue to trust your craft and your teammates; we knew we had to do that down the stretch.”
The Cougars and the Coyotes went back and forth in the second half, trading blows and scores back and forth, behind a lively crowd that got louder as the game drew closer to its end. With .6 seconds left, the game was tied at 56, and Marcell Reed went to the line after being fouled on a three-pointer. He missed the shots from the charity stripe, so they headed to overtime.
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“Both teams had tough and gritty performances,” said Cougar head coach Damarius Smith. “We had to be able to take a punch and swing right back. We shot ourselves in the foot a lot down the stretch, but I’m thankful we’re getting experience in these tough games. We just have to make sure we learn from it.”
In overtime, it came down to who had the ball last, and luckily for the Coyotes, it was guard Kameron Bowers, who hit clutch shots in the extra period.
For Hardaway, it’s a big win, but there’s always room to grow.
“Right now it’s about seeing about what we can fix and do better,” said Hardaway. “We’re going to continue to put in the work. Once we start fixing the small things and really honing in on this thing, we’re gonna be all right.”
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