Brookhaven back in finals

Southern Sports & Travel

The Brookhaven Cougars were absent from the Class AA title game last season and saw their string of six consecutive state championships snapped but after a convincing 46-25 semi-final win over Bowling Green last night the Cougars will once again vie for a state crown.

Senior Brock Smith scored 20 points and sophomore Gage Posey added 12 as second ranked Brookhaven improved to 32-3 and will battle top ranked and defending champion Marshall tomorrow night at 7:15.

Brookhaven wasted little time in getting up on Bowling Green rapidly.

Gage Posey hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key and Brennan Miller canned one from the same spot to give Brookhaven a 6-0 lead with just over two minutes gone in the opening quarter.

Bowling Green’s Jerrel Mark got the Bucs on the board with an offensive rebound and put back at the 5:06 mark but Brennan Miller hit his second 3-pointer to increase the lead to 9-2.

Brookhaven closed the quarter on a Brock Smith 8 footer off the glass to give the Cougars a 13-6 edge.

(Above) Brock Smith (#3) of Brookhaven led all scorers with 20 points.

Brookhaven outscored Bowling Green 9-0 in the second quarter to take their biggest lead at 22-6. Bowling Green wouldn’t register a basket in the quarter until Patrick Roublow converted a lay-in, plus one, with 49 seconds left in the half.

With Brookhaven holding a thirteen point advantage at 26-13 midway through the third quarter the Cougars ran off eight straight points to take a commanding 34-13 lead with 1:19 left in the quarter.

Bowling Green would get a 3-pointer from Austin Knight and a Patrick Roublow basket to close the quarter down 34-18.

Brookhaven all but sealed the win in the first minute of the fourth quarter as Brock Smith and Matthew Evans converted on fast break opportunities to take a twenty point lead at 38-18.

Brookhaven grabbed their biggest lead of the night at 44-22 on Brennan Miller’s transition bucket with 5:22 remaining.

Brookhaven was led by Brock Smith with a game high 20 points, Gage Posey added 12, Brennan Miller 8, Matthew Evans 4 and Bubba Keene 2.

Bowling Green (23-13) was led by Patrick Roublow with 9 points, Mac McElveen had 6, Jarrel Mark 4, Austin Knight 3, Sawyer Jenkins 2 and Caleb Fruge 1.

Bowling Green will take on Central Private in the consolation game today at 6:00.