Christian County rode a hot start and overcame 33 points from Russellville’s Octavious McKeage to hold on for a 79-71 victory over the visiting Panthers on Friday.
The Colonels won for the second time in three outings to improve to 2-11 ahead of their 8th-District opener on Thursday against Heritage Christian Academy.
Zion Acree, NaDarien Rowe, and Rahsean Stevenson each scored five points in the first quarter to overcome 12 from Russellville’s McKeage and push the Colonels to a 24-12 lead after the opening frame.
Rowe and Stevenson combined for eight to help Christian County outscore the Panthers 18-9 in the second and double them up 42-21 at the halftime break.
However, McKeage led the Russellville comeback in the second half with 11 points in the third, while Noah Stovall and JaCoveon Gardner teamed up for 11 to trim the Colonel lead to 13 with a quarter to play.
McKeage added nine in the fourth and Stovall and Gardner chipped in 10 to make things interesting, but Christian County held on behind seven points from Stevenson to finish with a team-high 18.
Acree finished with 14 for the Colonels, then Rowe with 12, and Josh Bridges with 11.
Russellville saw a four-game winning run come to an end despite McKeage’s big night, 14 points from Stovall, and 10 for Gardner.
Russellville 12 9 27 24 — 72
Christian County 24 18 19 17 — 79
Russellville (4-7) — McKeage 33, Stovall 14, Gardner 10, Coleman 5, Nourse 4, Darden 3, Dickerson 2, Johnson 1
Christian County (2-11) — Stevenson 18, Acree 14, Rowe 12, Bridges 11, Jesse 8, Williams 7, Wharton 4, Johnson 2
