CABOT — The Bryant Hornets junior varsity put together a 17-0 run to turn a 9-8 deficit into a 25-9 lead on their way to a 45-31 win over the Cabot Panthers JV on Friday night.
L.J. McLaughlin led the Hornets with 13 points. Quinton Motto and Brantley Cozart added 10 each. Houston Garner pitched in with 4 points and Eric Moore 3.[more]
Logan Trudell scored the first 5 points of the game for the Hornets as they broke out to a 7-2 lead by the end of the first quarter. Cabot then put together a 7-1 run interrupted only by a free throw by McLaughlin to gain the 9-8 lead but then didn't score from the 3:52 mark to the 1:43 point in the third quarter.
McLaughlin hit a pair of free throws after grabbing an offensive rebound to start the game-turning run, giving the Hornets a 10-9 lead. He followed up with a steal that eventually led to a 3-ointer by Cozart. After a Cabot miss, McLaughlin bombed a 3. Cabot misfired again and the Hornets got the last shot of the half which Cozart drained from 3-point range to make it 19-9.
Motto scored off a lob to start the third quarter. McLaughlin kept the run going with a basket inside despite being fouled. Though he missed the free throw, the Hornets forced a Cabot turnover that led to a pair of free throws from McLaughlin that capped the blitz.
Bryant led 25-13 going into the fourth quarter. Another 3 by McLaughlin and a layup by Motto off a lob from Garner made it 30-13.
Cabot made a run but could get no closer than 34-21. Free throws by Motto and Moore plus a pair of basket by Garner helped build the lead back up to 18 in the late going.
