Bucs shock Cougars in thriller

Southern Sports & Travel

All the settings were in place for the Simpson Cougars to get a big win in front of a boisterous home crowd last night in Mendenhall but the Bowling Green Buccaneers shocked fourth ranked Simpson and eliminated the Cougars from the playoffs with a 54-53 nail-biter in round two of the Class AA South State Tournament.

Bowling Green withstood a torrid 3-point shooting performance from Simpson in the first half and overcame a seven point halftime deficit to improve to 21-11 and qualify for next week’s Class AA State Tournament in Grenada. Bowling Green sophomore Patrick Roublow poured in 20 points and junior Grant Ball nailed three second half 3-pointers to spur the Buccaneers to the upset win.

The tone seemed to have been set early as both squads got off to a strong start. The first quarter produced three ties and four lead changes.

Bowling Green would tie the contest for the third time in the quarter at 12-12 on a Grant Ball 3-pointer from the wing at the 2:39 mark but Simpson was heating up from the perimeter.

Simpson junior Walt Prince nailed his third and fourth 3-pointer of the first quarter in the final two minutes to give the Cougars an 18-14 lead after one quarter of play.

Simpson would stretch their lead to 23-16 on a Josh Hankins steal and lay-in at the 5:44 mark of the second quarter but each time the Cougars threatened to pull away Bowling Green responded.

(Above) Bowling Green's Mac McElveen (#14) drains a 3-pointer late in the third quarter

The Buccaneers quickly pulled back to within three points as Patrick Roublow served up an assist to Grant Ball and Roublow converted on a transition basket at the 4:47 mark to narrow the deficit to 23-20.

A Josh Hankins 3-pointer from the top of the key two minutes later would give Simpson a four point lead at 28-24 and after Bowling Green’s Jerrel Mark answered to make it a two point contest at 28-26 Simpson would finish with five straight points to go into halftime with their biggest lead at 33-26.

Simpson grabbed their biggest lead at 36-28 at the 6:51 mark of the third quarter following a Tyler King basket but the momentum was about to change.

Bowling Green exploded with an 11-0 run that included 3-pointers from Mac McElveen and Austin Knight to take a 39-36 lead with 2:26 remaining in the third quarter and left the Simpson crowd stunned.

The Cougars halted the Bowling Green run as Garrett Taylor’s offensive rebound and put back, plus one, knotted the game at 39-39 just inside of three minutes remaining in the quarter.

In a wild finish to the quarter Bowling Green’s Grant Ball drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key only to have Simpson’s Joshua Broadhead answer with one from the wing at the 2:08 mark to tie the game at 42-42.

Bowling Green responded with a Mac McElveen fast break assist to Patrick Roublow, plus one, to move the Buccaneers back on top at 45-42.

(Above)  Simpson's Josh Hankins (#23) scored 16 pts on the night

Simpson would capitalize on a Bowling Green turnover as Josh Hankins canned two free throws to finish out the scoring in the quarter with Bowling Green holding a slim 45-44 lead.

Simpson would retake the lead at 46-45 two minutes into the final quarter on a Josh Hankins transition basket but Grant Ball hit his third 3-pointer of the game to send Bowling Green back in the lead at 48-46 with 5:32 remaining in regulation.

Simpson ran off five straight points and took their last lead of the night at 51-48 with 2:39 left as Walt Prince drained his fifth 3-pointer of the game from the top of the key.

Simpson’s lead evaporated quickly as Grant Ball registered his fourth 3-pointer and third of the half from the deep corner to knot the game at 51-51 with 2:25 remaining.

Bowling Green went back on top at 53-51 less than a minute later on a Roublow assist to Jerrel Mark but Simpson’s Walt Prince would sink two free throws at the 1:30 mark to tie the game for the ninth time.

(Above) Jerrel Mark (#44) of Bowling Green converts a basket late in the game

The final 1:06 of the contest would only net one point but it was white knuckler for all those in attendance.

Bowling Green sophomore Patrick Roublow went to the free throw line and converted on the front end of a one and one but missed the second to give the Buccaneers a 54-53 lead with 1:06 left.

Following a Simpson timeout the Cougars looked to be in position to score the go ahead basket as Josh Hankins found a wide open Tyler King under the basket but as King went airborne Bowling Green’s Mac McElveen blocked the shot out of bounds with 50 seconds remaining.

McElveen came up big again just 11 seconds later as Garrett Taylor drove the lane and his shot was also blocked by McElveen.

Taylor would re-gather the basketball and draw a foul but missed the front end of a one and one in which Bowling Green rebounded with 34 seconds remaining.

Simpson would still get one last chance as Bowling Green was called for a back-court violation with 12.7 seconds remaining in regulation but a driving attempt in the lane resulted in a turnover to Bowling Green who ran out the clock to shock Simpson 54-53.

Bowling Green was led by Patrick Roublow who had a game high 20 points, Grant Ball added 16, Jerrel Mark 8, Mac McElveen 7 and Austin Knight 3.

Walt Prince led Simpson (25-7) with 17 points, Josh Hankins added 16, Garrett Taylor 10, Joshua Broadhead 3, Michael Layton, Tyler King and Austin Douglas each had 2 and Andrew Berry 1.

Bowling Green will face the winner of today’s Brookhaven/Lamar mathcup.

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Post Game with Bowling Green head coach Pat King