Brentwood rallies past Charleroi

By Ashley Chase

MVI Sports

Charleroi saw a double-digit first half lead evaporate as Brentwood rallied to claim a 56-47 win Friday night.

Cougars junior Will Wagner led all scorers with a 24-point outing, accounting for more than half of his team’s points. Tavian Miller led the Spartans with 20 points.

Brentwood scored the first six points of the game before Charleroi went on a 9-2 run to take the lead with three minutes left in the opening quarter. After the Spartans regained the lead, 10-9, Wagner drained a three to put the Cougars back up 12-9.

Charleroi’s defense kept things tight, forcing a turnover that led to senior Zach Usher’s coast-to-coast drive for a lay-up before Wagner knocked down another shot and the Cougars finished the first quarter with a 16-12 lead.

Charleroi continued to click with good ball movement, getting all five starters consistently involved in the offense. Usher, Wagner and junior Jake Caruso all put points on the board in the early part of the second quarter.

Wagner knocked down his second three-pointer of the half to put the Cougars up, 25-15, midway through the second quarter.

That lead was erased as Brentwood went on a 10-0 run to close out the first half. Chase Rosing contributed five points to that run, finishing off an and-one opportunity with 1:20 remaining in the half. Miller hit a shot to tie the game at 25 apiece going into the half.

“We let the game get away from us and they went on a run. Our better players thought they had to force things and that was our demise. We should’ve just kept our composure,” said Cougars head coach Bill Wiltz.

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