The Whitley County Colonels dropped their third game in a row, losing to the Somerset Briar Jumpers 75-57 in the first-round of the Arby’s Classic at McCreary Central High School.
The Colonels (4-4) were scheduled to play the host Raiders last night with another game slated for tonight win or lose.
Travis Raper, a 6-4 senior, had an outstanding game, pouring in 22 points on nine of nine from the field and four of five from the free throw line.
However, Whitley County got themselves in trouble in the first quarter when Somerset senior Ray Norman went on a tear and broke open a close game. With the score tied at six, Norman scored the next 12 points as the Colonels turned the ball over five straight times during the spree.
The Colonels added four points before the horn sounded but trailed 17-10 heading into the second period. Somerset outscored the Colonels 17-12 in the second quarter and found themselves down 34-22 at the half.
Whitley County more than doubled their score in the third quarter as they tossed in 26 points but Somerset would add 29 points for a 63-48 lead.
Down by 16 points (48-32) the Colonels went on a 8-0 midway through the period and cut the lead in half as senior Jeremy Taylor hit two baskets while Raper and eighth grader Cody Jones scored for Whitley County.
Somerset then went on a 9-2 run and led 57-44 with 1:12 left in the period. Raper was the lone Colonel to score in the run by Somerset.
The Colonels continued to have scoring problems in the fourth quarter as they went five minutes without a point. Sophomore Calvin Capps broke the streak with a pair of free throws at the 3:02 mark. Josh Reeves, a junior, added two free throws thirty seconds later, cutting the lead to 69-52.
Reeves later had the only field goal scored by the Colonels in the quarter.
Norman finshed with 16 points while Ryan Jamison added 16 points for the Briar Jumpers.
Somerset 17 17 29 12- 75
Whitley Co. 10 12 26 9- 57
Somerset (75) – Norman 16, Jamison 16, Cole 6, Bray 9, Todd 10, Clay 8, Holton 6.
Whitley Co. (57) – Raper 22, Taylor 10, Wilson 3, Roaden 8, Reeves 7, Capps 3, C. Jones 2, Morgan 2.
