The Todd County Central boys’ basketball team made its way south to face Montgomery Central, TN on Tuesday night, snapping a three-game slide with a come-from-behind 47-41 victory over the Indians.
The Rebels started slowly in the uniquely-built Thomas-Young Sport Center in Cunningham, TN, managing only 6 first-quarter points. The Indians, however, seemed right at home, particularly newly-minted 1,000-point scorer Isaac Rankhorn. Rankhorn single-handedly led the Indians to an 8-2 advantage midway through the first, and they led 11-6 after one.
Todd County continued to struggle to finish at the rim in the second, but Preston Moore scored 4 points and the Rebels were within a basket after Deonte Toliver scored in the lane with 2:26 left in the half. However, they went scoreless the rest of the way and the Indians scored the last 4 points to lead 18-12 at the half.
Early in the second half, Montgomery Central’s Tyrone Hite drilled a 3-pointer to give the Indians their largest lead at 21-14, but the Rebels charged back with an 11-2 run to move in front for the first time. Toliver scored in the lane, Logan Burgess knocked down a corner 3 and Austin Rager capped the spurt with a layup in traffic for a 25-23 advantage. Rankhorn picked up his third and fourth fouls within a minute with 1:38 left in the third and went to the bench for the rest of the quarter, but the Rebels couldn’t add to the 2-point edge.
Preston Moore scored 8 points over the first half of the fourth quarter, with his free throws at the 3:58 mark making the score 36-31. Rankhorn connected on a pull-up 3-pointer to pull the Indians within 2 at 42-40 with :56.1 to play, but that would be their last basket of the game. The Rebels did just enough from the free throw line to hold on for the win, with Morrow hitting 3 of 4 and Toliver and Rager 1 of 2. The Rebels shot 20 free throws in the fourth quarter alone, hitting 14, and were 18/24 for the game.
Todd County Central 6 6 15 20 — 47
Montgomery Central 11 7 7 16 — 41
Todd County Central (5-17) — Moore 12, Toliver 10, Morrow 9, Rager 9
Montgomery Central (3-18) — Rankhorn 22 Hite 9
