By Brendan Connelly
NKyTribune sports reporter
Cooper used a 19-8 scoring run in the third quarter to surge into the lead and went on to hand Walton-Verona its first loss of the season, 69-56, in boys basketball on Thursday at Cooper.
It was the fourth straight win for the Jaguars (4-1), who held three previous opponents to less than 50 points. Their defense stepped up again Thursday by allowing only one field goal during the final four minutes of the third quarter.
Cooper junior Drew Schilling tries to dribble past Aaron Gutman of Walton-Verona. (Photo by Carla Martin)
“We talk about team defense,” said Cooper coach Tim Sullivan. “It takes everybody, and the way that our other guys played off the ball, that’s what we rely on.”
Walton-Verona (4-1) took a six-point lead in the first quarter on baskets by Brant Smithers and Julian Dixon while forcing two turnovers in the process.
Cooper shook off its cold start and field goals by Gavin Lutz and Blake Berry enabled the Jaguars to tie the score at 13 after eight minutes.
In the second quarter, each time Walton-Verona established a lead Cooper used tight defense and a gritty offense to claw its way back into the game.
“We challenge our guys daily to be tough and live in the next possession,” Sullivan said. “You can’t be too high, you can’t be too low.”
Late in the second quarter, a steal and breakaway dunk by Caleb Brooks of Cooper made it a one-point game. But Landon Bach of Walton-Verona responded with a fast-break layup to give his team a 30-27 halftime lead.
Walton-Verona guard Brant Smithers tries to get off a shot between two Cooper defenders. (Photo by Carla Martin)
Walton-Verona junior Ethan Gutman picked up his third and fourth fouls in the first 20 seconds of the third quarter. With him on the bench, the Jaguars went on an early 12-3 run with Lutz getting eight points.
“I’m so proud of him just because he stuck with it,” Sullivan said of Lutz. “He and I, we talked, and tonight he trusted himself and he trusted his teammates.”
Cooper continued to pull away and owned a 46-38 lead going into the fourth quarter. In a play that encapsulated the Jaguars’ effort, Brooks dove on the floor for a loose ball and got it to Ethan Staten, who converted a driving layup to the delight of the home crowd.
The Bearcats tried to shoot their way back into the game with Smithers connecting on multiple 3-point shots. But a triple by Lutz with 3:49 to go gave Cooper a 61-47 lead and a technical foul on Walton-Verona coach Mike Hester hampered his team’s comeback effort.
Lutz scored the last of his game-high 27 points and finished off the Bearcats with a driving layup, getting fouled in the process. The Jaguars were able to secure the win in part because of their dominance in the paint and ability to grab offensive rebounds that lead to easy points.
“We’re trying to get the easiest shot we can,” Sullivan said. “We said, ‘Fellas, they want to get it and go, so they’re not boxing out. Let’s get to the glass.’”
Brooks and Berry joined Lutz in double figures for the Jaguars, contributing 14 and 11 points. Smithers didn’t reach his average of 27.8 points, but he still led the Bearcats with 17. Carter Krohman added 15 points and Cameron Christy contributed 14.
