Murray Ledger & Times, December 21, 1973

 

Tigers Chew Up And Spit Out Bowling Green 86-52

 

By Mike Brandon

​

It’s better to give than receive.  And the Murray High Tigers, being in the Christmas spirit, gave free-heartedly Thursday night at the Mayfield Invitational.

 

The Tigers presented the former eighth-ranked team in the state, Bowling Green, a headache, a long trip back home in the cold and an 86-52 defeat as Coach Bob Toon’s five put together one of the most outstanding games ever played by a Murray High Basketball team.

 

With the victory, the Tigers earn the right to a semifinal berth tonight at 8:00 p.m. against Lowes, a 71-57 winner over Symsonia.

 

In the first semifinal game set for tonight, top-ranked Carlisle County and Mayfield will collide in a battle of unbeatens with the winner advancing to the championship game which is set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

 

Murray High, with outstanding individual players at every position, combined its talent and energy into a team effort on both ends of the floor and pulverized Bowling Green in every aspect of the game.

 

A vicious 2-3 zone defense by the Tigers completely shut off Bowling Green inside and the Purples were forced to take long and hurried outside shots, when they could get them.

 

And when they could not get the shots off, a ballhawking Ray Lane or Glenn Jackson would swoop on the ball like a bird of prey and lead a blistering fast break that resulted in points for the Tigers and looks of open-mouthed shock from Bowling Green.

  Bowling Green struck quickly at the outset of the first period and rattled off five consecutive points before Jackson’s 15-foot jump shot broke the scoring ice for Murray High.

 

The Tigers did not take their first lead until midway through the period when Lane scored a three point play on a fast break to lift the Tigers to a 9-7 edge.

  With just over two and one-half minutes remaining in the first period, the score was knotted at 13 apiece.

 

And then Lane, who was superb in all phases of the game and resembled a scalp-happy Indian in a covered wagon raid, took charge and scored six points on fast break buckets as the Tigers vaulted to a 20-13 first period lead.

 

In the second period, the Tigers used their overwhelming inside strength to tear apart any Bowling Green hopes for a comeback.

 

Dominating both the defensive and offensive rebounding, the Tigers were able to shut off Bowling Green while moving to the inside on offense for the easiest buckets.

 

At the 2:41 mark, when Hudspeth went high off the court to put back in a missed shot, the Tigers were romping 37-19.

 

Murray High led by as much as 21 points in the late stages of the half before taking a 48-28 intermission bulge.

 

In the first half, the Tigers hit on 21 of 34 shots for a phenomenal .618 mark while Bowling Green shot only 20 percent.

 

And in the important rebounding department, the Tigers had an overwhelming edge.

 

First half point production found Lane with 17 while Jackson had 15 and Hudspeth 11, with all of Hudspeth’s points coming in the second period.

 

Coach Bob Toon had no sympathy for the obviously outmanned and battle-weary Bowling Green team in the third period.

 

The lead kept mounting as the inside game of the Tigers became more evident in the period and the defense by this time was fired up to a point beyond control as the whole club resembled a starved street dog mangling a crippled rabbit.

 

By the end of the period, the Tigers led 65-38 and the starving dog wanted more meat.

 

The first 30 point lead came a minute into the last quarter as Tyrone McCuison who was probably hoarse after the game from his screams of encouragement to his teammates while he was on the floor, scored from under to give Murray 68-38 bulge.

 

Coach Bob Toon, midway through the period, called off his starters and brought in the second five, who gave Murray its largest lead of the game at 83-44 when David Frank scored on a 10-footer.

 

Ray Lane led the Tigers in scoring with 23 points while Jackson scored 22, Hudspeth 19, and McCuiston 12.

 

“We went out with determination and played a team game and just had a great night,” Tiger coach Toon said.

 

“Our guards (Lane and Jackson) were simply super and Hudspeth and McCuiston were tremendous.  Shelly came off the Bench again and did another great job for us.”

 

In the rebounding department, Hudspeth grabbed 17 while McCuiston, in a tremendous effort, pulled 13.  Reserve Phil Miller, resembling a middle linebacker, bulled his way in for eight rebounds during his stint of action.

 

The Tigers are now 6-1 while Bowling Green drops to 5-2 for the season.

 

Murray (86)--Lane 23, Hudspeth 19, Wilder, Jackson 22, McCuiston 12, Miller 5, Frank 2,

Williams 3, Suiter, Shelly and Alexander

 

Bowling Green (52)--Johnson 10, Kirby 2, Holland 4, Deeb 20, Dillion 3, Barnett 2,

M. Holland 6, Weaver 2, Stahl 2, Anthony 1, and J. Holland 4