Shreveport, LA 1.4.2023- The Cougars started the new year on the road to face a tough Bossier Parish team, who closed out the 2022 schedule on a three game winning streak. The Region 14 contest took place at LSU-Shreveport, a neutral site.
The game started as expected with both teams a little rusty coming back from Winter break. Freshman Willie Williams scored the first bucket two minutes into game action for the Cougars. Hard nosed defense and unforced turnovers plagued the Cougars for much of the first half. By the first media timeout the score was tied at a meager 8-8. Both teams would trade blows for the next seven minutes until a couple of and one finishes by Sophomore Breion Powell put the Cougars up 23-17 with six minutes to play. The Cougars appeared to find a soft spot in the Cav's zone defense as Freshman Jamil Muttilib added a bucket to stretch the lead but the Cavs weren't about to fade away, making a run late in the half to cut it to 27-24 by the two minute mark. A couple of free throws by Powell and a big transition basket by Sophomore Taevon Anderson pushed the Cougar lead to 33-26 by the half.
The Cougars would start the second half with a nice drawn up adjustment by Coach Robert Byrd to give the Cougars their largest lead of the game 35-26. The Cavs would counter with a run of their own to cut it to 41-40 by the 15 minute media timeout capped off by a couple of turnovers by Williams. The Cougars would open the door for the Cavs to take their first lead of the game with a backcourt turnover followed by a high flying transition dunk, 43-44. Fearing a momentum shift Sophomore Malik Nash would respond with a cold blooded contested finish to take the lead right back the next possession. Coastal Bend would maintain a slight lead for the next few minutes until Freshman Ike Nwoabi and Jamil Muttilib checked in. Ike and Jamil would provide much needed toughness and scoring to help open up the game for the Cougars to 71-59 at the three and a half minute mark. Facing defeat the Cavs would respond with a 13-3 run of their own to cut it to 2 with 11 seconds to go. After using their last timeout, Bossier Parish would have an opportunity down 2 to win or tie the game but could not capitalize in the waning seconds. The final score 74-72 Cougars win!
Key players of the game Brieon Powell led Coastal Bend with 20 points and 7 rebounds. Malik Nash filled up the stat sheet with 12 points, eight assists and nine rebounds. Jamil added 11 points with nine coming in clutch during the Cougars second half run. Willie Williams added 10 points, six boards and four assists. The win moves the Cougars to 9-6, 3-2 in conference play. They will face a tough Panola team at home in The Cougar Den on Saturday, January 7th at 12:00 pm. The loss drops the Cavaliers to 8-6, 0-5 in conference play.
(by Brandon Martinez Men's Basketball Assistant)