Letcher Central extended its winning streak to three and ended a nine-year losing streak at Buckhorn with a 73-43 rout Thursday.
Junior guard Bodie Bentley scored 18 points and senior forward Joby Johnson added 17 to lead the 4-2 Cougars against the Wildcats, a team ranked fifth in the 14th Region in the preseason.
“We finally put four quarters together and got great contributions across the board,” Letcher Central coach Winston Lee said. “ Joby stepped up big. Our defense is coming along. Now we’ll try to keep developing that level of focus and intensity. We hope to stay consistent moving forward. We have to clean up some turnovers and keep working on keeping men in front, but it was an overall great effort by our guys in a place that we haven’t won in nine years.”
Hayden Neace scored 14 and Dylan Knight chipped in with nine to lead the 3-4 Wildcats.
Johnson helped Letcher get off to a fast start with four baskets in the opening period, including a 3-pointer. Nigel Nichols and Kaden Adams each had two baskets in the second quarter with one 3 each. Bentley scored eight points in the third quarter while Isaiah Adams added two baskets.
The Cougars return to action Saturday at Phelps.
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Letcher Central claimed a 43-31 win in junior varsity action as Cooper Bailey poured in 22 points to lead the 4-0 Cougars.
Peyton Wright added nine for Letcher, followed by Brady Boggs with four, Max Roark and Colin Bates with three each and Peyton Dixon with two.
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Letcher Central (73) — Joby Johnson 17, Bodie Bentley 18, Nigel Nichols 9, Isaiah Adams 7, Wyatt Ison 7, Kaden Adams 7, Brady Boggs 2, Ethan Whitaker 2, J.D. McDaniel 4.
Buckhorn (43) — Hayden Neace 14, Dylan Knight 9, Christian Collins 6, Logan Stidham 6, Jayce Brown 3, Nick Whitaker 3, Colton Southwood 2.