The Burgin boys matched strides with Somerset despite using only five players for most of the game Monday night before yielding in the closing minutes and falling 49-42 in a first-round game in the 12th Region All “A” Classic at Burgin.
Fatigue caught up with the Bulldogs down the stretch, as they were outscored 14-7 over the final 5 1/2 minutes. Burgin used only five players until making its first substitution with 50 seconds remaining.
Somerset (13-5) scored eight straight points after Burgin (5-10) had come from behind to tie the game at 35-all with 5 minutes, 40 seconds remaining. The Bulldogs tied the game on consecutive baskets by Mason Myers and Nick Beckerson, then had four turnovers and a missed shot on their next five possessions.
The Briar Jumpers scored four points off those turnovers in an 8-0 run that gave them a 43-35 lead with 2:00 to play. Burgin pulled to within 44-40 on a 3-pointer by Mason Myers in the final minute, but the Bulldogs got no closer as Cam Cheuvront hit two free throws and Ryan Weddle had a three-point play.
Alex Beckerson had 17 points and eight rebounds and Nick Beckerson had 14 points for Burgin. Myers and John Price had three assists each.
The Bulldogs shot 48 percent (17 for 35) from the field but hit only seven of 14 free throws.
Somerset shot 38 percent (19 for 50) from the field, went 9 for 10 at the foul line and outrebounded the Bulldogs 26-19.
The Jumpers had 11 turnovers; the Bulldogs had 17.
Burgin scored the first six points of the game and led 19-10 after opening the second quarter with a 5-2 run. The Bulldogs were up 20-13 with 4:08 left in the first half but were outscored 12-4 over the balance of the second period.
Turnovers on three straight Burgin possessions helped Somerset take a 33-30 lead before the Bulldogs rallied to tie the game at 35-all.
Ryan Dishman led Somerset with 14 points.
Mercer County 92, Estill County 62 — At Harrodsburg, Mercer (12-7) got the jump on Estill (7-10), as the Titans outscored the Engineers 29-6 in the third period.
Will Hager scored 20 poinnts and Jordan Duncan had 14 points and 12 rebounds for Mercer, which won its third straight game and its fifth in six games.
The teams were tied at 39-all at halftime, but Mercer outscored Estill 53-23 in the second half.
John Ingram had 14 points and seven assists for the Titans. Hager, Tommy Craig and Russell Sims had seven rebounds each, and Sims and Blake Pennington had five assists each.
Trenton Jenkins led Estill with 16 points.
Girls
Mercer County 62, Madison Southern 39 — At Berea, Cassidy Martin scored 21 points and Heidi Huffman added 14 to lead Mercer (12-5) over Madison Southern (5-14) for the Titans' third straight win and their seventh in eight games.
Martin also had 11 rebounds and five steals and Carli Souder had five assists for Mercer, which pulled away by outscoring Madison Southern 36-17 in the second half.
The Titans shot just 32 percent from the field but had 72 attempts, and they were 11 for 36 from 3-point range.
Somerset 60, Burgin 45 — At Burgin, defending champion Somerset (8-11) defeated Burgin (11-9) in the first round of the 12th Region All “A” Classic.
The Bulldogs snapped a three-game winning streak.
Mercer County
Monday’s Area High School Linescores
BOYS
12th Region All “A” Classic
At Burgin
First Round
Somerset 8 25 33 49
Burgin 14 24 30 42
SOMERSET (13-5) — Cam Cheuvront 7, Ryan Dishman 14, Tyson Williams 11, Ryan Weddle 11, Tyler Dishman 2, Jared Farris 4.
BURGIN (5-10) — Mason Myers 7, Nick Beckerson 14, John Price 4, Alex Beckerson 17.
———
Estill County 19 39 45 62
Mercer County 19 39 68 92
ESTILL (7-10) — King 1, Tren. Jenkins 16, Trev. Jenkins 15, Morris 14, Click 5, Bishop 5, Dennis 1, Abuer 5,
MERCER (12-7) — Marcus Warren 8, John Ingram 14, Will Hager 20, Russell Sims 9, Chase Moore 1, Blake Pennington 11, Louis Price 9, Jordan Duncan 14, Tommy Craig 4, Kyle Ellis 2.
GIRLS
Mercer County 14 26 43 62
Madison Southern 13 22 28 39
MERCER (12-5) — Robbins 8, Souder 6, Huffman 14, Martin 21, Freeman 6, Gash 1, Houston 6.
MADISON SOUTHERN (5-14) — Cook 1, Willis 2, Raney 10, Freeman 8, Lawson 5, Westphal 3, Lanham 8, Clark 2.
