By By Adam Robinson – sports editor
After a thrilling 58-51 overtime area win over Jackson at home, the W.S. Neal Eagles dropped a 44-36 loss in another area game to B.C. Rain at home Friday night to fall to 11-7 overall and to 1-2 in area play.
The Eagles were set to take on T.R. Miller Tuesday night at T.R. Miller before returning home to face UMS-Wright in another area game Friday night.
B.C. Rain 44, W.S. Neal 36
Seeking their second area game win of the season Friday night at against B.C. Rain, the W.S. Neal varsity Eagle basketball team dropped a 44-36 decision to the Red Raiders to fall to 11-7 overall and to 1-2 in the area standings.
Bob Elliott led W.S. Neal in the loss as Elliott finished with nine points.
Jeremy Nicholson added eight points in the loss and Sam Ewing and William Shell chipped in six points.
Chris Payne added three points along with two each from Rashad Crook and Justin Sanders.
Trailing by one point at the end of the first quarter, 8-7, the Eagles were outscored 10-6 in the second quarter to fall behind 18-13 at the half.
In the third quarter, the Eagles closed within two points of the Red Raiders of B.C. Rain with a 10-8 outscoring, but fell in the fourth quarter 18-13 to lose by eight points.
B.C. Rain used a 10-0 run in the second quarter to build an 18-9 lead and then used a late 7-0 run in the fourth quarter to hold a 40-27 lead with just over four minutes left to go in the game.
William Shell hit three free throws with 48 seconds left to go in the game to cut the lead to 42-36, but B.C. Rain was 2-of-4 from the free throw line to ice the game and win by eight points over the Eagles.
W.S. Neal was 15-of-22 from the free throw line in the game. All of W.S. Neal's six points in the second quarter came on free throws as the Eagles were 6-of-7 from the line, but were held without a field goal.
WSN 58, Jackson 51 OT
Jeremy Nicholson poured in 20 points and Chris Payne and Bob Elliott added double figures for the Eagles as they defeated Jackson 58-51 in overtime last Tuesday night at home.
Payne added 11 points in the win along with 10 points from Elliott.
Leading 40-34 heading into the fourth quarter of play, Jackson outscored W.S. Neal 15-9 to tie the game at 49-49 to force overtime.
In the overtime period, W.S. Neal held Jackson to two points while scoring nine to win by seven, 58-51.
Jackson led W.S. Neal 14-11 after the first quarter, but a 17-12 outscoring for W.S. Neal in the second quarter gave the Eagles a 28-26 lead at the half.
In the second half, W.S. Neal added to their lead with a 12-8 scoring advantage in the third quarter, but was outscored 15-9 in the fourth quarter as Jackson forced overtime.
William Shell added nine points in the win for the Eagles and Kendrick Floyd added six points.