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Cowburn’s big night helps Hughesville capture tournament championship as Sullivan County takes third place

By Chris Masse 8 min read

HUGHESVILLE–As the defense backed off him, Carter Cowburn saw an opportunity. So, the forward launched a 3-pointer. He drained the shot as the student section roared and Hughesville continued pulling away.

Uh-oh.

Cowburn already was a match-up problem, being a strong, athletic 6-foot-5 forward. Now he can hit the outside shot, too. That makes he and his Hughesville teammates especially dangerous.

Cowburn’s third-quarter 3-pointer was just one aspect of his big night Friday as he helped Hughesville capture a third straight Bill Babcock Christmas Tournament championship. Cowburn scored 21 points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked three shots in less than three quarters as the Spartans thumped Jersey Shore, 75-43.

“I try and get as many shots as I can at practice,” Cowburn said after earning Tournament MVP honors. “That’s something I’ve been working on, because if someone is sagging off me, I like to be able to take advantage and hit that shot.”

“I always have said to him we need him to get everything going inside, then I’m OK with those 3s, especially when they’re in rhythm,” Hughesville coach Cam St. James said. “That 3 kind of showed how complete a player he is. He can do it all.”

Cowburn certainly did Friday. Hughesville (3-4) produced a super collective performance which could be a harbinger of good things entering the new calendar year and it started with Cowburn drawing so much attention inside. The Spartans drained 11 3-pointers, all eight players in the rotation scored by early in the second quarter and Josh Heiney scored 17 points. Landen King (8 rebounds, 3 steals) and Dylan Bieber (8 points) earned all-tournament honors.

Hughesville produced a lot of excitement after Sullivan County opened the night by giving its fans quite a thrill. The Griffins fought back from 13 down late in the third quarter and down eight with less than two minutes remaining to defeat Wyalusing, 57-49 in overtime in the consolation game. Sullivan did not allow a field goal after trailing 48-40 with 2 minutes, 30 seconds remaining and held the two-time defending District 4 Class AA champions without a point until 11 seconds remained in overtime.

Maddox Bahr scored a career-high 21 points and all-tournament selection Riley King produced 17, while adding seven steals.

“(Thursday) night we had a pretty rough game but to bounce back like this it shows what our team is made of,” Bahr said. “It shows the heart each one of us has.”

Carter provided the heart which kept the Hughesville offense pumping strong all night against Jersey Shore. The four-year starter who will play college baseball at Manhattan often draws a crowd. He is powerful and fast enough to be a force when he has the ball down low. The Bulldogs (2-3) knew that and often collapsed around Cowburn.

The problem for opposing defenses is Hughesville has threats all over the court, including excellent outside shooters. Cowburn was able to kick the ball out to open teammates and the Spartans hit 10 of their 11 3-pointers in the first and third quarters when they scored 57 points. Hughesville’s efficient ball movement set up good shots throughout the game and the Spartans scored at will, never leading by less than 10 points after building a 16-4 lead midway through the first quarter.

“When they are crashing down, I know I can trust all the guys on my team to make the shots,” Cowburn said. “Every one of them can do it.”

Heiney and Luke Kaiser put on a shooting clinic in the third quarter, combining for five 3-pointers as Hughesville blew open the game and imposed the mercy rule by building a 65-35 advantage off Landen King’s putback. Bieber also stretches the floor and hit a 3-pointer during the Spartans’ 29-point opening quarter blitz. Everything was clicking as Cam Fetterman ran the offense well and Ethan Woolcock pulled down six rebounds off the bench.

It began with the attention Cowburn drew inside. Cowburn is one of three players averaging in double figures, so it’s a pick your poison type of dilemma when opponents play Hughesville. The problem for Jersey Shore Friday was all options proved lethal.

“Watching them (Thursday), I said they’re going to double down and everything else will open up. I told Carter you don’t need to score, but you’re going to be the most valuable player on the court by just catching the ball and starting everything,” St. James said. “Everyone gets involved that way.”

And when the offense is humming like it was Friday, defending Hughesville can be like trying to plug a bunch of leaks with one finger. Close off one option and others open up. As fellow Spartans heated up, so did Cowburn’s scoring opportunities.

Hughesville led 43-28 at halftime and Cowburn helped it quickly erase any Jersey Shore comeback hopes. He made 4 of 5 shots, scoring a quick nine points as Hughesville started the second half the way it did the game. Earlier, when Jersey Shore had pulled within 10, it was Cowburn who swung momentum back Hughesville’s way, blocking a shot, going coast-to-coast and converting a 3-point play.

“My teammates were feeding me all day and I was just going right at Jersey Shore,” Cowburn said. “It felt great.”

Spencer Brion scored 20 points for Jersey Shore and earned an all-tournament selection. Mason Miller added nine points and was key in Jersey Shore cutting the early 19-point deficit to 34-24 less than six minutes into the second quarter. Hughesville, though, closed the half strong never let up.

The Spartans turned their season around the past two nights by playing stifling defense. A night after allowing a season-low 34 points, Hughesville created havoc and forced 18 turnovers in the first three quarters. That included 12 in the first half when the Spartans quickly imposed their will and built a 31-10 lead less than nine minutes into the game.

“Tonight, they played defense for each other. They didn’t do it for one individual, they did it for everybody in that gym, which was fantastic,” St. James said. “I said coming into this game defense is going to fuel our offense. Everybody buying in on defense is what’s going to do it.”

Sullivan County (5-3) adopted a similar mentality after things looked bleak against Wyalusing. Wake Forest-bound pitcher Blake Morningstar was a force for Wyalusing, scoring 29 points and grabbing 20 rebounds. But the Griffins switched their defensive strategy in the second half and guards King and Ben Carpenter started guarding Morningstar and greatly limited his opportunities. The offense took a while to get going, but defense kept the Griffins in the game and ultimately helped them win it as they forced 10 turnovers during the fourth quarter and overtime.

“Those two to finish the game defended really well,” Sullivan coach Glenn Vaughan said. “There’s a lot of players who contributed to that win. Everyone out there did something to help.”

That included Bahr who played the game of his life. The senior guard scored 16 second-half points and hit one clutch shot after another. That included Bahr scoring the final five points of regulation, tying the game with a pretty turnaround jumper in the paint and a 3-pointer from the wing.

Bahr then put Sullivan ahead to stay in overtime. Acting as a coach on the floor, Bahr suggested a play and then brilliantly executed it, hitting a floater over Morningstar’s outstretched hands. The defense and Riley King’s clutch foul shooting (7 straight overtime free throws) pushed Sullivan’s run to 17-0 before Wyalusing made a foul shot in the closing seconds.

“I got the first shot going and after that they just kept going,” Bahr said. “Being in a big situation like that, it was pretty awesome coming through. Everyone did a great job to help us win.”

Championship

Hughesville 75, Jersey Shore 43

JERSEY SHORE (43)

Spencer Brion 7 4-7 20, Mason Miller 3 3-4 9, Kaimen West 2 0-0 6, Derrick High 1 0-0 2, Jager Woodring 1 0-0 2, Ben Dalton 1 0-0 2, Hunter Fink 0 2-2 2. Totals 15 9-13 43.

HUGHESVILLE (75)

Josh Heiney 6 0-0 17, Carter Cowburn 9 2-3 21, Dylan Bieber 3 0-0 8, Landen King 2 0-0 4, Cam Fetterman 2 0-0 4, Luke Kaiser 3 0-0 9, Ethan Woolcock 3 0-2 6, Jeff Fenstermacher 1 0-0 2, Paul Ragan 1 0-0 2, Brady Snyder 1 0-0 2. Totals 31 2-5 75.

Jersey Shore 10 18 10 5-43

Hughesville 29 14 28 4-75

3-pointers: Jersey Shore 4 (Brion 2, West 2); Hughesville 11 (Heiney 5, Kaiser 3, Bieber 2, Cowburn).

Records: Hughesville 3-4. Jersey Shore 2-3.

Consolation

Sullivan County 57, Wyalusing 49, OT

WYALUSING (49)

Blake Morningstar 11 3-7 29, Trehnon Hugo 3 0-2 6, Parter Petlock 0 0-0 0, Nick Vanderpool 5 1-2 12, Thomas Oliver 0 0-0 0, Zibiah Walton 1 0-1 2. Totals 20 4-12 49.

SULLIVAN (57)

Ben Carpenter 2 0-0 4, Trey Higley 0 1-2 1, Riley King 3 10-12 17, Connor Smithkors 2 0-0 4, Maddox Bahr 8 1-2 21, Landon Baldwin 0 0-4 0, Derrick Finnegan 4 0-4 9, Tucker Blasi 0 1-2 1. Totals 19 13-27 57.

Wyalusing 10 16 14 8 1-49

Sullivan 13 11 7 17 9-57

3-pointers: Wyalusing 5 (Morningstar 4, Vanderpool); Sullivan 6 (Bahr 4, King, Finnegan).

Records: Sullivan County 5-3. Wyalusing 2-5.

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