By PAUL LUNSFORD
Contributing writer

Middlesboro held Menifee County to five points in the second quarter – but an evil fourth period was too much for the Jackets – falling 69-66 in the Chain Rock Classic on Thursday.

The Yellow Jackets led most of the game, but the Wildcats dropped in 29 points during the final quarter.

Freshman guard Brevon Ricker scored 13 of his 16 points in the period for Menifee County.

Sophomore guard Eli Johnson and senior forward Trey Abner each powered the Wildcats with 23 points. Abner had a team-high 12 rebounds.

Sophomore center Trey King paced Middlesboro with 21 points and eight rebounds. Sophomore guard Cayden Grigsby followed with 17 points. Bryce Bowling, a sophomore forward, scored 13 and grabbed six boards. Caleb Bogonko and Trey Kyle each tallied six points. Jay West added two points.

Grigsby nailed a pair of 3-pointers as the Jackets led 15-14 after eight minutes of play.

King scored six and Bowling had two baskets as Middlesboro used a 17-5 outburst in the second quarter and led 32-19 at halftime.

Johnson fired in 14 points for Menifee in the third period but trailed 49-40 heading into the last quarter.

The Wildcats improved to 6-8 on the season.

Campers top MHS
Another Wildcat team defeated Middlesboro on Wednesday as Lynn Camp got 20 points and 11 rebounds from senior guard Micah Engle in a 54-42 victory in tournament play.

Lynn Camp took a 15-8 lead at the end one period and extended is advantage to 31-13 at the break.

Engle scored seven in the third quarter as the Wildcats went into the final period leading 46-22.

Kyle scored all eight of his points in the fourth as Middlesboro outscored the Campers 20-8.

Senior guard Maison Prater contributed 10 points and Gavin Allen added eight points and 10 boards.

Middlesboro was led by Grigsby with 15 points. Brayden Barnard and King each scored six. West added four while Bonogko chipped in with three.

Lynn Camp hit 19 of 35 from the field for 54 percent. The Yellow Jackets shot just 29 percent on 15 of 52.

The Wildcats, who defeated Pineville 60-54 in the championship game, improved to 8-4 on the year.

Jackets down Berea
Grigsby poured in 16 points on Tuesday as Middlesboro claimed a 54-47 win over the Pirates.

The Yellow Jackets also got 11 points from Bogonko, a senior guard, and 10 points and 12 boards from West, a senior forward. King added five while Bowling and Kyle scored four apiece. Bernard and Ashton Osborne each collected two points.

Sophomore guard Trenton Wilson fired in a game-high 24 points for Berea (1-10). Cameron Puckett, a freshman guard, scored 14.

Wilson tossed in nine points as the Pirates led 14-8 after one quarter.

Grigsby had seven second-period points as Middlesboro led 23-21 at the half.

The Jackets outscored Berea 31-21 in the second half behind six points each from Bogonko, Grigsby and West.

Middlesboro (4-8) outrebounded the Pirates 44-31. Bogonko had six while Bowling and Grigsby pulled down five each.

The 4-8 Yellow Jackets played at home on Tuesday against Williamsburg. The Jackets will visit Barbourville on Thursday before taking on Pineville in the quarterfinals of the 13th Region All “A” Classic at Harlan on Saturday.