Cubs hold on for 45-40 victory over Seymour

OLNEY— The Olney Cubs’ clutch shooting came in handy Tuesday after eeking out a 45-40 win against district rival Seymour.

The Cubs found themselves in a do-or-die situation Tuesday, needing a win to keep themselves in the playoff hunt while coming off a loss in Archer City that was decided by a buzzer beating 3-pointer.

“This was a desperate game for us,” Olney coach Carl Pennington said. “This was a game we had to win. If we didn’t win this one, we had no hope for the playoffs.”

Seymour quickly put six on the board with a pair of threes, but Olney responded with their own sharpshooter, senior guard Carson Fite, who would go on to lead the Cubs in scoring with 16 points. Fite gave Olney the early burst it needed and another Fite jumper seconds before the buzzer gave Olney a 16-15 halftime lead. A slew of close-range baskets by Olney senior forward Travis Hudson gave the Cubs an 8-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter. Seymour would chip away at the Cubs’ lead until pulling within a point with just over a minute left in regulation thanks to the Panthers’ extremely aggressive defense, but that defense came with a cost as mounting fouls put Olney in the double bonus and the Cubs’ sealed the game from the free-throw line.

“It was a great ballgame that was fun to play and fun to watch too,” Olney senior guard Brent McCorkle said. “It was a district game and a lot matters. They were playing very aggressive and up in your face. They were just doing what they do.”