Trigg County’s start to its district opener was one first-year coach Mason Burgett will take every night. The finish, not so much.
The Wildcats scored the first 22 points of the game in handing Livingston Central a 78-53 loss Friday in Smithland. The win was Trigg’s seventh straight over the Cardinals and the fifth straight to begin the season.
Trigg used its press defense early to turn Livingston over 12 times and score 19 points off the miscues in the opening quarter. A pair of Josh Turney free throws with 2:02 left were Livingston’s first points of the quarter.
Trigg hit 10 of its first 21 shots and built a 31-8 lead after the first eight minutes, knocking down five 3-pointers.
After Trigg’s initial 22-point outburst, the rest of the first half was played on even terms as the Wildcats fell in love with the 3-pointer, hitting just 2-of-12 behind arc including a half-court shot by Tutu Gude to end the first half.
The Wildcats led 45-23 at halftime and pushed the lead to 69-36 toward the end of the third quarter. Trigg hit just 8-of-27 shots in the second half but was 15-of-17 at the free throw line.
Livingston Central was able to hang around due to a strong night on the glass. The Cardinal outrebounded Trigg 59-40 which allowed them 11 more shots than the Wildcats. Livingston pulled down 26 offensive rebounds that led to 17 second-chance points.
Despite their supremacy on the glass, Livingston’s 24 turnovers were too many to overcome as the Wildcats converted them into 34 points.
The Wildcats placed four players into double figures in the scoring column led by Hunter Reynolds’ career-high 21 points. He hit five of Trigg County’s nine 3-pointers. Jhaden Vaughn added 19 points, 19 rebounds, and seven blocked shots.
Luke Washer added 15 points and nine rebounds and TuTu Gude scored 10 points.
Will Orr led Livingston Central with 13 points and eight rebounds, and Turney came off the bench to score eight points and grab 11 boards.
Trigg County plays at Hickman County Saturday and will host Lyon County Tuesday.
Trigg County 31 14 26 7– 78
Livingston Central 8 15 15 15– 53
Trigg County (5-0, 1-0) – Reynolds 21, Vaughn 19, Washer 15, Gude 10, Stewart 8, Shearer 2, Bush 2, Linton 1
Livingston Central (2-4, 0-2) – Orr 13, Turney 8, Wring 7, Render 6, Zaim 5, Hosick 4, Ferrell 4, Davidson 4, Walton 2
