By Joshua Huff, sports editor
HOOVER — The Clay-Chalkville boys’ basketball team returned to the win column on Tuesday following a 53-40 victory over Holt in the Cougars’ final game of the Jag Classic hosted by Spain Park High School.
The Cougars fell to Gardendale, 63-50, on Monday and opened the tournament with a 36-37 loss to Chelsea.
Clay-Chalkville sits at 3-3 on the young season.
The Cougars jumped out to an early 6-2 lead in the first quarter; however, Holt, behind a Xavier Jones 3-point shot, took its first lead of the game, 9-6, with three minutes remaining in the quarter. Clay-Chalkville then proceeded to break the game open over a four-minute span behind consecutive threes.
During that span, the Cougars went on a 13-0 run, which ended after a Jones 3-point shot narrowed Holt’s deficit to 22-14. Holt then took advantage of two straight Cougar turnovers to go on a 5-0 run in the final moments of the first half.
Clay-Chalkville’s would head into the half nursing a 30-21 lead.
Holt pulled to within three points with five minutes left in the third quarter behind a poor Clay-Chalkville shooting performance to start the half. The Cougars scored just two points in the first six minutes of the second half.
Clay-Chalkville ultimately scored eight points in the third and held on to a 38-33 lead heading into the final quarter.
That final quarter would trend the Cougars’ way following consecutive Holt 3-pointers just three minutes into the fourth. Clay-Chalkville pulled away in the final minutes to secure its first win in the tournament.
The Cougars were led by Daniel Beachem and Jaden Johnson’s 12 points. Jake McDaniel followed with nine points. Clay-Chalkville hit five 3-pointers in the win.