YOUNGSTOWN, OH-  The Chaney Cowboys and Spire Academy battled for 3 closely contested quarters. Marlon McGaughy’s Cowboys dominated the 4th quarter to distance themselves from Spire 75-62. 

          The international roster from Spire had players from Taiwan, New Zealand, South Africa, Turkey, and Spain on it.  Spire Academy came in and led the Cowboys after the 1st quarter 18-15. Jason Lai from Taiwan led Spire in the 1st quarter coming off the bench for 7 quick points. Chaney was led by Cameron Lawrence in the first quarter with 6 points as Travis Easterly tallied 5 points in the quarter. 

       The pace quickened in the 2nd quarter. The quarter ended 39 to 37 Cowboys. They used a late run in the quarter to close the half up by two. Easterly had 7 points in the quarter thanks to 5 made free throws.  Sharrod Taylor had 7 also in the quarter. Easterly led the Cowboys with 12 first-half points. Tait-Jones had 3 quick baskets late in the quarter to lead Spire with 7 second-quarter points. Tait-Jones led Spire in points in 1st half with 13 points.

     The 3rd quarter the pace was really lightning quick and the teams were off to the races.  The quarter ended in a tie 54-54, It seemed like we were into a battle till the end. Omer Kucuk from Turkey came out and scored 9 3rd quarter points for Spire. Sharrod Taylor had another big quarter with 8 3rd quarter points. 

      The 4th quarter was controlled from the start by the Cowboys out scoring Spire 21 to 8, thanks to really strong defense and getting to the basket on offense. Quincy Jones had a big two-handed dunk got some wide-open layups and had a big 12 point 4th quarter. Taylor had 5 points and Lawrence haded a 3 in the 4th quarter. Spire only got 4 from Tait Jones a 2 from Lai and a bucket from Kucuk, in the 4th quarter. 

          Leading scorers for Chaney Taylor had 23 points Jones had 20 points and Easterly had 16 points for a balanced Chaney Cowboy offense. Tait-Jones led Sprie with 23 points. 

    The Cowboys (1-0) are on their way to Butler on December 5th and 6th to play Knoch and Butler at Butley High School in Pa. The next home game for the Chaney Cowboys is December 20th against the Warren G Harding Raiders. 

*Story contributed by YSN’s John Bolino