The Straughn Tigers’ varsity boys basketball team took control of the ball game early in the second period and went on to a 48-27 victory over the Pleasant Home Eagles Tuesday night in Pleasant Home.

Straughn jumped out front 4-0 at the start of the first period after buckets from Ken Samuel and Chance Barber.

Pleasant Home cut the lead down to 4-3 when Chase Gunter swished one from downtown.

Ken Samuel added two more baskets to close out the first period and give the Tigers a 8-3 lead.

The Tigers came out firing on all cylinders to start the second half and out scored the Eagles 16-7 in the second period.

Ken Samuel finished the second period with 4 points, Keith Hiken had 4 points, Johnathan Driver had 3 points and Javarius Samuel and Alan George added 2 points.

Gunter and Walt Weaver each knocked down 3-pointers for the Eagles in the second period and Hunter Ward added a free throw.

At halftime, Straughn held a 24-10 advantage.

George picked up the pace in the second half and picked up 6 points to lead the Tigers in the third period.

Ken Samuel continued playing well into the third period and added 2 more points to his night’s total.

Javarius Samuel and Driver each picked up 4 points in the third period.

For the Eagles in the third period, Weaver connected on another 3-pointer and Aaron Warthen picked up 4 points.

The Eagles never quit fighting, but trailed 40-20 heading into the final period.

Still clawing their way through the game, the Eagles started out the fourth with a big 3-pointer from Weaver and Gunter followed with a 3-pointer of his own.

It just wasn’t enough for the Eagles to dig their way out of the hole and the Tigers finished off the night with a 48-27 win.

Weaver and Gunter led the way in scoring for the Eagles with 9 points each.

Ken Samuel led the Tigers in scoring with 16 points on the night. George finished with 10 points and Driver ended the night with 9 points.

“Well we won,” Tigers’ head coach Rusty Andrews said. “We are really young and we still have a lot to learn, but overall I was pleased with the effort that we put in. We are still making too many mental mistakes, but they play hard and they do what you ask of the for the most part.”

Andrews said the player that impressed him tonight was freshman Ken Samuel.

“I was pleased with Ken’s effort tonight,” Andrews said. “He is just a freshman, but he did a fantastic job on the offensive board tonight. Now I just have to teach him to play on both ends of the court.”