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Cook Provides Offensive Spark For Blues
The Parry McCluer High School boys basketball team won both of its games last week, claiming a 62-46 home victory over James River last Tuesday before earning a 63-54 road win at Auburn on Friday.
With the nondistrict win over James River, the Fighting Blues (3-1) bounced back from their 72-54 home loss to Nelson County the previous Thursday and completed a sweep of the regular season series with the Knights. When PM and JR met in the season opener on Dec. 3 in Buchanan, the Blues won 53-28.
In the rematch, Quentin Rosser, Langston Cook, and Braedyn Houck opened the scoring for the Blues, helping PM gain an early 7-2 lead. With the score 11-8, Cook made a 3- pointer as the first quarter ended to extend PM’s lead to 14-8. JR’s Ryder Ward scored six of his team’s points in the first quarter.
It was much the same for the PM in the second quarter. When the Blues led 20-12, there were three minutes with no scores before Cook began to find his rhythm, on his way to a game-high 30 points. After starting the quarter with a layup and a field goal, Cook scored another 10 points, including a 3-pointer and a three-point play to help the Blues continue to pull away from the Knights. JR’s senior captain, Kody Park, hit two 3-pointers, and teammate Maddox Pichay added one as well. PM took a 31-18 lead into halftime.
PM senior forward Ellis Hill scored eight in a row to start the second half. Hill hit three 3-pointers in the quarter. With PM leading 41-22, the Knights went on an 8-0 run to get back in the game, cutting PM’s lead to 41-30. JR’s Jeremiah Mays made a layup and a 3-pointer deep to keep it close, and the Blues led 47-36 at the end of the quarter.
“We did a good job weathering the storm when it got tight in the third quarter,” said PM head coach Tyler Kerr. “We made plays when we needed to so we could separate that lead again.”
In the fourth quarter, the Blues reasserted their dominance early on. Rosser and Parker Snider scored to give the Blues a cushion. JR would only score nine points in the fourth quarter while Houck and Cook combined for seven points for PM in the closing minutes.
Kerr praised the Knights and their coach, Ethan Humphries, for their performance. “They don’t come any better than Humphries,” said Kerr. “I told our guys that in the pregame. It would not be like our first matchup, and they will make changes to make it a more difficult game.”
In addition to his 30 points, Cook grabbed eight rebounds and four steals and dished out three assists to lead the Blues. Kerr said the Blues worked as a team to contribute to Cook’s strong performance. “Langston was really hot in the first half, they started to put a triangle to slow him down, and we made some adjustments to get some better looks from that,” he said.
Hill added 13 points and four rebounds for PM, and Rosser and Peyton Montgomery each scored five points, with Montgomery making three steals. Houck chipped in four points, while Snider scored three points and had four rebounds and four steals.
PM 63, Auburn 54
In another nondistrict matchup, the Blues battled to a 63-54 road win over Auburn (2-1) in nondistrict action on Friday night.
Cook led the Blues with 23 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Houck scored 19 points and pulled down three rebounds for PM, and Brayden Holdren added 11 points and four rebounds. Snider and Montgomery each chipped in four points for the Blues.
Auburn was the Region 1C champion last winter, beating a George Wythe team that had ended the Blues’ season in the regional semifinals. The Eagles ended up losing in the Class 1 state finals to Lancaster.
“As always, Auburn is going to be considered one of your better teams in the region and state,” said Kerr. “It will be a good measuring stick of where we are. If you have any aspirations of making a state tournament, you’re likely going to run into Auburn.”
The Blues were scheduled to play their Pioneer District opener at home against Highland County last night and will visit nondistrict rival Nelson County on Thursday, starting with junior varsity action at 5:30 p.m. After Christmas, the Blues will visit Lexington to take on local rival Rockbridge County next Friday, Dec. 27, with the varsity boys’ game scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the RC gym. The day will start with the JV girls’ game at 1 p.m., followed by the JV boys’ game at 2:30 p.m. and the varsity girls’ game at 4 p.m.
