Cougars take consolation prize in holiday tourney
By Greg Hoffman

The Carroll Cougars split a pair of games in the Clinton Central Holiday Tourney, dropping a 60-55 decision last Wednesday night to the host Bulldogs, then coming back Thursday night to take the consolation match-up, beating Clinton Prairie 68-41. The Cougars finish the 2006 part of the season, 3-5.

Unlike the Western ball game, the Cougars came out ready to play. After two lead changes, a basket by Adam Tussinger gave Carroll a 5-4 advantage. From there, the Cougars outscored Central 15 to 8 the rest of the way to go up 20-12 after one. Jason Hazel had 8 points and Tussinger 6 for the Cougars. From the field, the Cougars made of 8 of 16 (50%), while holding the Bulldogs to 5 of 16 (31%).

In the second quarter, the Bulldogs quickly ran off 10 unanswered points to take a brief 22-20 lead. Carroll’s Riley Eller and Jacob Craig took over and held the Cougars with an 11-2 run to regain the lead. At the half, Carroll led 31-24. Eller had 7 points and Craig, 4 points, in the run.

The Cougars pushed their lead out to 8 points at 42-34 with 2 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, but the Bulldogs were tenacious, pulling to within 2 points at 45-43 at the end of three.

Clinton Central quickly tied the game at 45 and after 2 more ties and three lead changes, the Bulldogs took the lead for good at 54-53 with 2 minutes left in the game.

The Cougars went cold in the final period, They were 0 of 5 from behind the arch and 4 of 10 (40%) from the field. Central went to its inside game in the fourth quarter, hitting 6 of 9 shots from the field and making enough free throws to keep the Cougars at bay. The Cougars were outscored 36-24 in the second half.

Eller led Carroll in scoring with 18 points. Craig and Tussinger had 12 points each, while Hazel added 8. Tussinger had a team high 7 rebounds and Craig handed out 5 assists. The Cougars were 23 of 48 (48%), but a poor 4 of 15 (27%) on trey attempts.

Thursday night in the consolation game, it was all Carroll. The Cougars were up 12-0 before the Gophers scored, and led 18-4 at the first stop. Prairie was able to pull to within 10 points at 28-18 by half-time, but this would prove to be as close as they would get. The Cougars outscored the Gophers 40-23 in the second half.

Tussinger had a game-high 19 points (15 of which came in the second half). Carson Spesard had his first double-double in his young career with a career high 12 points and 13 rebounds. Craig helped out with 10 points (all in the third quarter) and Eller, who had an off shooting night, handed out a game-high 9 assists. Off the bench, Cory Mahan contributed with 6 points and 7 rebounds.

The bad thing about Thursday’s game with Prairie is the Cougars have to turn right around and travel to Clinton Prairie Friday night to face the Gophers in a Hoosier Heartland Conference match-up. Carroll leads this series 43-26. Saturday night the Cougars are on the road again, traveling to Eastern. Carroll leads this series 20-17.