The Clear Creek Bobcats’ season was perfect until the last three games.
The seventh-grade Cats entered the final game of the regular season with a 11-0 record before falling to the Union County Panthers.
CCMS met Union again two games later in the Mountain League championship. After the Panthers grabbed an early lead, Clear Creek pulled ahead at the half and entering the fourth quarter.
However, UCMS rallied over the game’s final seven minutes and secured its 47-41 victory from the free-throw line.
“It was a great battle between to very good teams,” coach Chad Miller said. “It went down to the last few seconds, but unfortunately Union was able to take the victory. I’m proud of how hard the players fought throughout the entire game. They never gave up and showed true character. The players on the court kept working, the players on the bench kept cheering and supporting, and the team stuck together through it all.
“It was a tough loss, but we will learn from it and continue to grow and get better for next year. If we can eliminate some of our turnovers, improve our free throw percentage, and capitalize on our opportunities, we should be in a great position to win the tournament next year.”
Bobcats Talyn Curtis, Boston Teague, Haden West and J.D. Taylor all helped get their offense going in the first quarter. Taylor hit his first of three shots from beyond the three-point arc.
Union drained a pair of threes and made good use of Clear Creek turnovers, which they turned into transition points and free-throw attempts.
The Panthers scored at the buzzer to take a 16-10 lead.
But in the second, Union went ice cold and only scored two points. Taylor drained two more threes, as Curtis added four points inside, and Jackson McVey was there for two more. Keegan Bryant scored after he grabbed an offensive rebound and CCMS stormed ahead, 24-18.
Turnovers persisted for both teams in the third quarter. Taylor, Curtis and Cooper Farmer each made a shot for CCMS. Union got its offense in gear, and Panther Darrien Patterson secured an offensive rebound and made a circus shot at the buzzer to cut the Cats’ lead to 30-29.
UCMS came through with clutch points in the fourth. Houston Henry scored seven of his 12 points in the final quarter and Hayden Hughes tallied six of his 10 in the game’s final seven minutes.
Teague scored five points in the fourth. Bryant added two after an offensive board for Clear Creeks’ final lead of the night with 3:36 to play, 36-33. Union answered with a three and added two more baskets for a 40-36 edge.
Over the game’s remaining 1:45, the Panthers converted 5/7 free throws to seal their championship.
Taylor led the Cats with 13 points, Curtis added nine and Teague had eight. Bryant finished with four points and McVey and West both scored two.
Rebound leaders were McVey and Curtis with nine apiece.
In the semifinals against Fannin, Clear Creek won, 43-19.
CCMS fell behind 6-4 after a quarter and led 19-10 by the half. The Cats extended their lead to 29-12 and added 14 more points in the fourth for a 24-point win.
Teague led all scorers with 13 points, Curtis netted nine, both McVey and Bryant scored six, Taylor had five and Riley Davis finished with four.
Including the tournament, CCMS posed a 12-2 overall record.
“We were very fortunate this season to have such a talented group of players together on one team,” said Miller. “They work extremely hard, are very coachable, have a great attitude and play unselfishly together. I am very proud of how far they have come this season.
“We still have a lot to work on for next year, but they have a bright future. If this group will continue to work together and improve, I know we will see great things from them in the future.”