Escambia Academy broke out to a 10-point lead early Friday night, but the Cougars eventually fell to visiting Morgan Academy, by a 66-58 score.
Garrett Kirk led EA with 20 points, followed by Brett Helton with 12 and Blake Allen with 10. Jacob Dean added seven points, Tim Finklea scored six and Scott Brantley added three.
Dalton Lee had 24 points to lead Morgan.
EA coach Kevin Woods said the Cougars (5-9) have had trouble protecting the basketball all season long, and it proved to be a problem Friday night as well. EA finished with 22 turnovers.
“It’s frustrating because it’s been like this all year,” Woods said. “Tonight we’d get a breakaway and we’d dribble it off our foot. Or we’d have an open guy down low and we couldn’t control the pass. We have to be smarter with the ball.”
About halfway through the first quarter, Finklea scored on a fastbreak lay up to put the Cougars ahead 14-4. However, Morgan quickly came back and cut into EA’s lead, as the Cougars led 16-12 after the first quarter.
Morgan moved in front for the first after hitting two free throws with 1:05 left in the second quarter, taking a 31-29 lead. Morgan led 32-31 at halftime and 50-42 after three quarters.
EA’s Helton hit a free throw with 6:07 left in the game to bring the Cougars within four points, as Morgan maintained its 52-48 lead, but EA could get no closer the rest of the game.
The Lady Cougars won their game Friday night, coming away with a 64-47 victory to improve to 9-4 for the season.
Lacie Flowers led EA with 23 points, followed by Grayson Emmons with 15 points and Anna Catherine Sasser with 10.
Peyton Snider added six points. Allison Woods, Jocie Franco, Reagan Bell and Lindsey Weatherford scored two points each, and Claire Dawe and Haley Leachman each added one.
EA’s teams split their games Thursday at Sparta Academy. The Cougars won 68-60, and the Lady Cougars fell by a 76-61 score.