Straughn finishes 4th at Christmas Shootout

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, December 15, 2009

The Straughn Tigers finished in fourth place at the final day of the Christmas Shootout on Saturday night.

The Tigers lost to Butler County Magnet, 64-49, in the third-place consolation round.

Straughn coach Todd Reynolds said Monday that the game got “away” from his team late in the matchup.

“We experienced some foul trouble and we still haven’t gotten to the point where we can manage the lead properly — then foul trouble got us,” he said. “Then, they basically pulled away from us in the fourth quarter and made some free throws. That was the story of Saturday’s game.”

Straughn’s Caleb Cochran was the only player in double figures, leading his team with 17 points.

Reynolds said the team is still trying to find its identity.

“We’re in the process of getting certain combinations and players getting used to each other,” Reynolds said. “Being that we’re a work in progress, you hope that progress is made.”

One thing that Straughn will take away from the tournament was that conditioning is no longer a factor, Reynolds said.

“I did see some flashes of some dynamics that will be fruitful in the future,” Reynolds said. “It’s just going to come down now to execution and developing some consistency. That’s where we’re at right now is effort and consistency.”

In earlier action Saturday, Pleasant Home defeated Red Level, 53-50.

Pleasant Home’s Colter Poole led with 19 points and Blake Herman had 12.

Red Level’s Nick Dorsey led the Tigers with 16 points and James Feagin added 12.

Straughn will be on the road tonight to face Butler County Magnet in Georgiana. The B-team will start at 4:30.

All-Tournament Team

McKenzie — Marcus Mitchell, Cliff Pugh and Armond Ball; Kinston — Zach Day;

Goshen — Reginald Foster; Red Level — Nick Dorsey and James Feagin; Pleasant Home — Colter Poole and Ethan King; Butler County Magnet — Adrian Rich and LaCory Savage; Straughn — C.J. Christopher and Caleb Cochran; Brantley — Tory Upshaw, Chester Person and Devante Porter; tournament MVP — Wesley Person.