ADEL — Pierce County split a Region 3-AA twinbill here Friday night against host Cook High in the lone matchup of the week.
The Lady Hornets (2-13 overall, 1-2 region) ended a 13game-losing streak with a 53-48 win January 9 in the opener over the Lady Bears (3-9, 1-1), who fell for the fourth time in five games.
The Bears (4-8, 1-1) halted a five-game skid rolling to a 72-24 win over the winless Hornets (012, 0-3), who have dropped back-to-back region tilts by a combined 100 points, in the nightcap.
Pierce County is off until Friday, January 16 when Appling County visits for a quadrupleheader. Varsity action tips at 7 p.m.
Tattnall County comes to town Saturday, January 17 with varsity play starting at 3 p.m.
Cook ..............................53 Lady Bears ....................48 Homestanding Cook overcame a one-point deficit entering the final period outscoring the Lady Bears by six points to notch the victory.
The Lady Hornets converted 6-of-14 free throws (13-of-32 game) in the final eight minutes to get the win. PCHS finished 6of-15 for the game.
Cook built a six-point advantage through the first period jumping out to a 13-7 lead. Each team scored 13 points in the second stanza with the Lady Hornets claiming a 26-20 halftime lead.
The Lady Bears controlled the third period outscoring Cook 169 to claim a 36-35 advantage. The home team outpointed PCHS 18-12 in the final period for the five-point decision.
Claire Murray (trey) paced Pierce County with a game-high 18 points. Ansley Hutcheson (trey) followed with a careerhigh 10 points.
Alayna Bell bagged four points with Layla Chandel and Madi McGatha (trey) each contributing four points.
Sahara Minott netted three points. Isabella Marx and Keirsten Jones bagged two points apiece.
Cook was led by the 17 points of Jordin Pitts, who made 9-of-21 free throw attempts. Shakeila Miller (trey) and Dekaitlen Yearby (two triples) added 13 points and 12 points, respectively.
Bears .............................72 Cook..............................24 Four Pierce County players reached double figures combining for 55 points to power the Bears to a season-high point total against the struggling Hornets.
Starters Jamil Strickland, Jikeyse McGauley and Nigel Bryant netted 43 points in three quarters of action. Strickland (three treys) poured in 10 of his game-high 19 points in the opening period. McGauley (trey) finished with 13 points with Nigel Brown (trey) recording 11 points.
D.J. Moody came off the bench to add 12 points in two quarters of action. Pierce County’s starters finished with a 50-11 scoring advantage over the Hornets’ starters.
PCHS drilled six three-pointers in the first half racing out to a 34-point halftime advantage. The Bears jetted to a 26-7 advantage in the first eight minutes. They outpointed Cook 22-7 in the second period for a commanding 48-14 halftime margin.
The scoring slowed over the final two quarters. The Bears outscored Cook 14-4 in the third stanza pushing he margin to 62-18. PCHS finished the “mercy rule” final period with a 10-6 scoring advantage.
Five other Bears entered the scoring column. Chezz Armstrong netted six points. De-Monte Clark and Shavez Warren bucketed four points and three points, respectively. Nasir Sealy and Tymere Monroe chipped in two points apiece.
Cook had a trio of players tied for team-high honors with four points each.
