The Bowling Green Christian Academy’s boys basketball team lost its season opener Monday, losing a 31-19 decision to the Northwest Ohio Cougars of Napoleon.
The Independent Christian Schools of Ohio West Division game was played at the Bowling Green Community Center.
NWO scored the game’s first two points before BGCA tied the score at 2-2 on senior John Fyfe’s inside hoop from senior Hudson Thomas. It was all NWO after that as the Cougars scored the final six points of the first quarter and eventually extended their lead to 11 (13-2) at the 4:28 mark of the second before Thomas ended BGCA’s scoring drought with a layup at 3:55 off his own steal.
NWO would push its lead back to 11 before a junior Jackson Hammack 3-pointer from senior Will Brose at 1:54 would end the first-half scoring with the Cougars ahead, 15-7.
An offensive rebound basket by senior Jaydin Pinkney early in the third brought BGCA to within six, but the visitors lengthened their lead back to 11 a two occasions in the third quarter. A put-back bucket by senior Titus Angel brought the Lions to within nine at 2:47, but the Cougars would go on a 5-0 run to end the stanza, leading 27-13.
BG tightened its defense over the final eight minutes, limiting NWO to just four points, but could only muster six itself from Brose (3), sophomore Joshua Kunstmann (2), and senior Brent Boston (1). Brose’s corner trey from Fyfe with 4:15 left cut NWO’s lead back to 11, but BGCA would get no closer.
Angel led BGCA with four points and one blocked shot, all in the third quarter. NWO’s Bronson Sutton was the game’s top scorer with 16, while teammate Branson Hersey chipped in nine. The Lions throttled themselves with 26 turnovers.
Thomas was BG’s top rebounder with six (3 offensive), while Pinkney had five (2 offensive). Thomas also had two of the Lions’ four assists and collected a team-high three steals.
BGCA returns to action Nov. 28 when it travels to Harvest Temple Christian Academy in Clyde. Tip-off is set for 6:45 p.m.
