The Pulaski Co. Cougar boys basketball team after just two practices together defeated the visiting Abingdon Falcons 53-52. The Cougars playing with mostly a whole new team from last year got nine points from A J McCloud and Luke Russell tossed in eight in the four quarter scrimmage. Dillon Porter had seven, Gage Mannon six, Jairus Miller and Noah O’Dell had five points each. The Cougars jumped out to a 19-13 lead after the opening eight minutes. They still were up 34-29 at halftime but Abingdon tied the game up at 41 after three quarters.

The fourth quarter saw Porter score five and Mannon four. Senior Benjamin Poe hit two big free throws to help hold off the Falcons. ” I saw some good things today. We’ve had only two practices, ” said Cougar head coach Andrew Hart. ” We have lots of work to do but the things we didn’t do well today are fixable.”

The two teams played two 10 minute quarters after their four-quarter scrimmage. The Cougar would outscore the Falcons 30-18 in those two quarters. Hayden Gray scored eight points as he hit two three’s. Freshman Josh Bourne tossed in six as he hit a couple of three’s. Chris Hay also had six on two-three pointers.

The Cougars regular season gets started Thursday, November 29th. They will travel to Hillsville to take on Carroll Co. Cavaliers. The junior varsity will tip at 5:30 and varsity around 7:00 pm.

Pul. Co. 19 15 7 12-53

Abingdon 13 16 12 11-52

Pul Co. – McCloud 9, Russell 8, Porter 7, Mannon 6, Miller 5, O”Dell 5, Gray 3, Hay 3 Bourne 3, Poe 4