Golden Falcons extend win streak to 5

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on December 12, 2015 11:15 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

PIKEVILLE -- Shut down defensively for three-plus quarters, Rosewood senior forward Zack Barnes finally swished a 3-pointer without a hand in his face.

The Eagles trailed 38-29.

But that single-digit deficit quickly grew over the next 90 seconds.

Starting with Tyrique Ford's conventional three-point play, Charles B. Aycock reeled off eight consecutive points in "and-one" situations, and pulled away for a 59-42 victory Friday evening.

The Golden Falcons (5-4 overall) swept the regular-season series and extended their win streak to five.

"We just got caught a little slow rotating I guess," Rosewood head coach Daniel Mitchell said. "Trying to double the ball and take it out of players' hands, and to give up (those and-ones) was definitely a big stretch in the game because I thought up to that point we had worked to get ourselves back in the game."

Aycock held an 18-point lead three minutes into the third quarter before Rosewood (0-5) started the chip away at the deficit. The Eagles got two baskets apiece from Chance Howard and Nick Neal, which whittled the Golden Falcons' lead to 31-21.

Cam Kornegay's old-fashioned three-point play pushed the lead back to 34-31. Zack Barnes capped the quarter with an uncontested layup.

Barnes' 3-pointer off of Chance Howard's' offensive rebound and assist kept the Eagles within striking distance early in the final period.

"Coming out in the second half, I thought we got a little bit comfortable and lax ... we didn't have the same intensity that we had in the first half," said CBA head coach David Elmore, whose team held Rosewood to nine first-half points and no field goals in the opening quarter.

"We're fortunate because we did enough throughout the game to overcome that. I would like to have seen us keep that intensity throughout the whole game."

After Barnes' 3, Ford got loose underneath the basket for his "and-one" possession. Keyshawn Cobb contributed two "and-one" possessions during that span, and ended the night with a game-high 19 points.

CBA shot 6 of 7 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter.

"That's huge," Elmore said of the "and-one" situations. "That's something Coach (Randy) Pate and I preach to them is do it on defense with as much intensity and a 100-percent effort that you've got, and then come out on offense, be patient, work the clock to get those layups.

"Then you have those 'and-one' opportunities."

Chandler Matthews contributed 10 points, four rebounds and three assists. Ty Ford knocked down 10 points and played an active fourth quarter that included three rebounds, two assists and a steal.

Cam Kornegay supplied nine rebounds, five assists and three steals.

Barnes led the Eagles with 17 points.