Cold shooting nixes Pilots’ win chances

by Mark Collier
Fulton County High School Pilot Omarion Pierce soars high to pull down one of his four rebounds when the Pilots hosted the Paducah Tilghman Blue Tornadoes Jan. 15. (Photo by Mark Collier)
Click for more images

Before the season started, Fulton County High School Pilot’s Head Coach Brian Hood’s concern was if his team would struggle to score the basketball and to make shots from the field. So far through four games, that concern looks to be valid as the Pilots’ are shooting 33% from the field, including 16.4% from behind the three-point line. During the Pilots’ games versus Hickman County and Paducah Tilghman this past week, the offensive woes continued.

Hickman Co. 71

Fulton Co. 43

Meeting for the second time in just a week, the result was the same: a Falcons’ win. While the temperatures outside were cold, the Pilots’ shooting Jan. 12 was equally as cold. The Pilots shot just 15-of-51 from the field, or 29.4%, and just 2-of-16 from behind the three-point line, or 12.5%. The Pilots were 11-of-16 from the free-throw line, with Hayden Murphy a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe.

The Pilots were once again led in scoring by Chrissawn Gordon, who had 17 points, on 7-of-11 shooting, including 1-of-2 from the perimeter. Also scoring for the Pilots were DiAvian Bradley with 10, Murphy with eight, Josh Cole with seven, and DK Gossett with one point.

26 rebounds were grabbed by the Pilots, as Gordon also had a team-high six rebounds, with Bradley, Murphy and Broc Bridges grabbing four each, Gossett with three, Jamarius Brown with two, and Corey Manus, Josh Cole and Wesley each grabbing a rebound a piece.

The Falcons shot 26-of-49 from the field, including 7-of-18 from the perimeter. They also shot 12-of-15 from the free-throw line.

Jackson Midyett once again led the Falcons in scoring, with 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting, with three of those field goals being from behind the three-point line. He also shot 5-of-6 at the free-throw line.

The Falcons pulled down 35 rebounds, with Isaiah Pettit grabbing 15 of those.

The Falcons improved to 3-1 on the season, and 3-0 in First District competition.

Paducah Tilghman 75

Fulton Co. 30

As the first snowfall of the winter fell outside, shots were not falling for the Pilots when they hosted the Paducah Tilghman Blue Tornadoes Jan. 15.

The Pilots were 12-of-53 from the field, including 2-of-12 from behind the three-point line. They were also just 4-of-13 from the free-throw line.

The Blue Tornadoes jumped out to an early 21-10 lead at the end of the first quarter, and really put some separation between them and the Falcons in the second quarter as they increased their lead to 43-15 as the buzzer sounded to end the first half.

The Pilots only managed two points in the third quarter on a field goal by Wesley Brown, and trailed 61-17 at the end of three.

Gordon led the Pilots in scoring with seven points, followed by Wesley Brown and Cole with six each, Gossett with four, Jamarius Brown with three, and Bradley and Omarion Pierce with two each.

The Pilots pulled down 30 rebounds, with Gordon with a team-high seven rebounds. Also pulling down boards were Wesley Brown with six, Pierce and Bradley with four each, Murphy with three, Gossett and Cole with two each, and Jamarius Brown and Corey Manus with one each.

The Pilots are now 0-4 on the season, and 0-3 in First District play.

The Pilots will have a busy week with a home game against Mayfield Jan. 19, and then going on the road to play Ballard Memorial Jan. 21 and Fulton City Jan. 22. Each game is scheduled to tip-off at 7:30 p.m.