Carter defeats Campbell Cougars 80-76 in overtime

It was a heartbreaking homecoming night Friday for the Cougars

By Clayton Carroll

JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF)- Friday night was homecoming at John R. W. Brown Gymnasium. The Cougars, after defeating Oliver Springs on Tuesday, welcomed the Carter Hornets to town.

It was a high-scoring contest from the opening tip.

Carter started their second string on Friday, after they nearly mounted a comeback against South Doyle the previous night. The Hornets started off strong, leading Campbell County after the first quarter 18-16.

The rest of the contest was a back-and-forth, shot-for-shot affair. At halftime, Carter lead 36-32.

Will Croley pulls up from 17 feet.

The Orange-and-Blue controlled most of the second half, leading the Hornets 65-55 with three and a half minutes to go in the fourth quarter.

Jake Hatmaker skies for a layup late in the game Friday night

Basketball is a game of runs, and Carter made one when it mattered. The Hornets caught fire and tied the game at 71 at the end of regulation. Carter kept this momentum going in the extra period and handed Campbell the loss by a score of 80-76. This puts the Cougars at 3 and 7 on the year.

Head Coach Ernie Mac Clawson instructs his Cougars.

Four Cougars finished in double digits on Friday night. Will Croley, the Kitts Paint and Body Player of the Game, scored a staggering 29 points. Jake Hatmaker chipped in 14 points. Hunter Dotson, who hit a huge three to send the game at overtime, as well as Jack Sexton scored 11 points. Caden Heatherly totaled nine points, and Koalton Cupp rounded out the scorebook with two points.

As for the Cougars, their next game comes after Christmas. Campbell heads to Carter, but this time they won’t be playing the Hornets. The Cougars battle the Eagles of Gibbs on Saturday, December 27, at 10:30am in round one of the holiday tourney.

Join the “Voice of the Cougars” Josh Parker for all the fun over WLAF. The WLAF Doyle’s Tire Sports Network spans ten WLAF media platforms. Listen beginning Saturday at 10:30am over WLAF TV-1089 on Comcast-Xfinity,1450wlaf.com, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV, Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, WLAF Radio AM 1450 & FM 100.9 and Amazon Alexa.

Season results 2025-2026

Lady Cougars 46 Oliver Springs 43…-…Cougars 72 Oliver Springs 61- Tue., Nov. 18, 2025, at Brown Gym

Lenoir City 47 Lady Cougars 18…-…Lenoir City 66 Cougars 54- Thu., Nov. 20, 2025, at Brown Gym

Clinton 54 Lady Cougars 28- Tue., Nov. 25, 2025, at Gibbs Thanksgiving Classic

South Doyle 71 Cougars 48- Wed., Nov. 26, 2025, at Claiborne Thanksgiving Tournament

Seymour 57 Lady Cougars 43- Fri., Nov. 28, 2025, at Gibbs Thanksgiving Classic

South Doyle 72 Cougars 60- Fri., Nov. 28, 2025, at Claiborne Thanksgiving Tournament

Lady Cougars 57 Gibbs 49- Sat., Nov. 29, 2025, at Gibbs Thanksgiving Classic

Cougars 62 Knoxville 47- Sat., Nov. 29, 2025, at Claiborne Thanksgiving Tournament

Lady Cougars 57 Scott 39…-…Scott 53 Cougars 50- Tue., Dec. 2, 2025, at Brown Gym

Oneida 67 Lady Cougars 49…-…Oneida 71 Cougars 58- Fri., Dec. 5, 2025, at Oneida

Lady Cougars 60 Karns 32…-…Karns 66 Cougars 62- Tue., Dec. 9, 2025, at Brown Gym

Oliver Springs 56 Lady Cougars 49…-…Cougars 59 Oliver Springs 48- Tue., Dec. 16, 2025, at Oliver Springs

Lady Cougars 63 Carter 20 …-… Carter 80 Cougars 76 (OT)- Fri., Dec. 19, 2025, at Brown Gym-Homecoming

Campbell County Sports is made possible by these outstanding corporate partners:

Alco Builders & Realty                                                                               

First National Bank

Greeneview Farms Market

Boshears Paving

Smith’s Metals and Dock Sales    

Byrge Screen Printing                                                                               

Rice Oil – Big O’s                                                                                        

C & L Metal Sales   

Lindsay’s Carpet & Paint Center

Hensley Tire & Service

Peoples Bank of the South                                                                       

E.E. Hill & Son Insurance                                                                          

La Follette Mine Supply                                                                             

Grace Rehab

La Follette Medical Center                                    

Citizens Bank                                                                                              

HOMEstretch Home Services

La Follette Nutrition                                                                                                                                                           

Quality Lawn Sales & Service

LUB                                                                                                               

Clayton Homes

Litho-Craft Printing & Office Supplies                                                                             

Hammer’s Dry Goods                                                                                 

Community Trust Bank                                                      

Builtwell Bank

Gray Insurance Group                                                                               

Kitts Paint & Body Shop

C & C Concrete                                                                                           

Holston Gases

TCAT

TN Gas

Doyle’s Tire Shop                                                                                       

JCR Construction   

Local Realtor Gage Dople             

Edward Jones         

Jacksboro GNC                   

Bullock Law Firm

PCUD

Melissa Marlow with Preferred Living Homes

Cumberland Equipment Rentals

Here are the team rosters.

Freshmen

10 Jack Sexton

14 David Smith

Sophomores

15 Koalton Cupp

4 Asher Foust

24 Braxton Fox

12 Braydon Graham

1 Caden Heatherly

Juniors

2 Will Croley

3 Hunter Dotson

5 Jake Hatmaker

11 Sam Sexton

Seniors

There are no seniors.

(WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-12/22/2025-6AM)