BELL BUCKLE — Solid shooting and disciplined defense, will win games. That’s the message the Moore County Raiders both gave and received in their rematch with Cascade in the Region 4A finals on Thursday. They won 53-48 in Bell Buckle by exhibiting both.

The two teams last met up in the district consolation game in Bedford County on February 25. Second effort points by Cascade’s Alex Allison and low fourth period scoring from the Raiders told the story in the 47-56 loss for Moore County. The Raiders shot just 5-19 from the floor and 7-17 from the three point line that night.

Raider shut down second effort points

From tip off on Thursday, the Raiders seemed determine to right the wrongs of the last match up. In the consolation game against Cascade on February 25, Alex Allison earns 17 second effort points in the paint. Andrew Copeland and Dylan Scruggs decided to close that lane down in the regional finals and their teammates backed them up with dogged rebounding. Allison failed to manage points until the third period.

Cascade got on the boards first with a three point shot, but Dylan Scruggs quickly answered with a nothing-but-net trey of his own. Will Harder added two more on a fast break to get the Raiders up 5-3.

The Raider fouled on the next Champion possession, allowing Justis Carter to tie the game at the 4:42 mark. Those were the last points Cascade would see in the first period as the Raiders dominated time of possession, played tenacious defense and patient offense to get the 13-5 lead to end the period.

Cascade mounted a second period comeback thanks in part to the hot hands of Chance Brown who shot three treys and a basket for 11 Champion points. But Moore County boasted a couple of money shooters of their own. Riley Holman and Will Harder combined for 17 of the Raiders 19 second period points. The Raiders went into the break with a nine point lead, 32-23.

Solid defense and free throw shooting wins the game

Cascade mounted a third period comeback with a 15 point run that clicked off nearly five minutes. Cascade swished a jumper with 45 second to play in the third to earn a one point lead. Then, with 15 seconds remaining, Riley Holman pointed to the spot above the three point line where he wanted Andrew Copeland to move to for a three point attempt. Copeland moved, caught Holman’s pass, and then swished the buzzer beating trey to give Moore County back the lead, 40-38.

Solid, well-discipline defensive play by Dylan Scruggs helped push Moore County across the fourth period finish line. Cascade managed a one point lead with less than two minutes to play. At the :18 mark, Scruggs drew an offensive foul — sending him to the line. He made both shots giving the Raiders a three point lead. Then, Cascade’s Hail Mary three point attempt bounced off the rim as Cascade rebounders got a little to aggressive drawing the second offensive foul on Scruggs. He went back to the line and made both shots to seal the 53-48 win.

Dylan Scruggs led for the Raiders with 16 points followed by Will Harder with 12, Riley Holman with 10, and Brayden Cashion with 9. Andrew Copeland swished two three point shots for six total points. Chance Brown led for Cascade with 16.

The Raiders shot an overall 59 percent from the floor including an impressive 80 percent from the three point line against Cascade. Columbia blue shooters also managed 62 percent from the line to push Moore County over the finish line. Solid rebounding by Will Harder and Riley Holman also help as the two Raiders combined for six of the Raiders 11 rebound.

The win earned the senior Raiders one more home game as they move on the the Class A Sectional game. They play the 15-5 Pickett County on Monday night at the MCHS Gym at 7 p.m. •

{The Lynchburg Times is the only independently owned and operated newspaper in Lynchburg, Tennessee. We cover Metro Moore County government, Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Nearest Green Distillery, Tims Ford State Park, Motlow State Community College, Moore County High School, Moore County Middle School, Lynchburg Elementary, Raider Sports, plus regional and state news.}