Gosser leads Lakers past Franklin
Published 10:16 am Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Franklin-Simpson Wildcats head coach Dee Spencer hugs senior Kamryn Ray (1) as he walks off the court at the end of the Wildcats’ 57-46 loss to the Russell County Lakers in the first rounds of the Region 4 Boys’ Tournament at E. A. Diddle Arena on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Franklin-Simpson junior Jakai Partinger (12) shoots a layup over Russell County’s Owen Loy (14) in the Wildcats’ 57-46 loss to the Lakers in the first rounds of the Region 4 Boys’ Tournament at E. A. Diddle Arena on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Franklin-Simpson sophomore Brody McAlister (23) shoots a layup around Russell County’s Kaden Coffey (20) in the Wildcats’ 57-46 loss to the Lakers in the first rounds of the Region 4 Boys’ Tournament at E. A. Diddle Arena on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Franklin-Simpson senior Kamryn Ray (1) shoots a layup over Russell County’s Kaden Coffey (20) and Dylan Stanelle (12) in the Wildcats’ 57-46 loss to the Lakers in the first rounds of the Region 4 Boys’ Tournament at E. A. Diddle Arena on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Franklin-Simpson sophomore JahMir Brooks (0) shoots a layup as Russell County’s Mayes Gosser (23) reaches to block in the Wildcats’ 57-46 loss to the Lakers in the first rounds of the Region 4 Boys’ Tournament at E. A. Diddle Arena on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Franklin-Simpson Wildcats head coach Dee Spencer gathers the team in a huddle during a timeout in the Wildcats’ 57-46 loss to the Lakers in the first rounds of the Region 4 Boys’ Tournament at E. A. Diddle Arena on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Franklin-Simpson junior Jakai Partinger (12) shoots a layup between Russell County’s Mayes Gosser (23) and Dylan Stanelle (12) in the Wildcats’ 57-46 loss to the Lakers in the first rounds of the Region 4 Boys’ Tournament at E. A. Diddle Arena on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Franklin-Simpson sophomore Brody McAlister (23) shoots a layup around Russell County’s Mayes Gosser (23) in the Wildcats’ 57-46 loss to the Lakers in the first rounds of the Region 4 Boys’ Tournament at E. A. Diddle Arena on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Franklin-Simpson senior Kamryn Ray (1) shoots a layup around Russell County’s Mayes Gosser (23) in the Wildcats’ 57-46 loss to the Lakers in the first rounds of the Region 4 Boys’ Tournament at E. A. Diddle Arena on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Franklin-Simpson sophomore Easton Kelley (10) shoots the ball over Russell County’s Mayes Gosser (23) and Dylan Stanelle (12) in the Wildcats’ 57-46 loss to the Lakers in the first rounds of the Region 4 Boys’ Tournament at E. A. Diddle Arena on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Franklin-Simpson sophomore JahMir Brooks (0) moves the ball around Russell County’s Bryson Irvin (33) in the Wildcats’ 57-46 loss to the Lakers in the first rounds of the Region 4 Boys’ Tournament at E. A. Diddle Arena on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Franklin-Simpson junior Jakai Partinger (12) shoots the ball over Russell County’s Mayes Gosser (23) in the Wildcats’ 57-46 loss to the Lakers in the first rounds of the Region 4 Boys’ Tournament at E. A. Diddle Arena on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Franklin-Simpson sophomore Brody McAlister (23) moves the ball around Russell County’s Logan Walters (4) in the Wildcats’ 57-46 loss to the Lakers in the first rounds of the Region 4 Boys’ Tournament at E. A. Diddle Arena on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Franklin-Simpson senior Kamryn Ray (1) shoots a layup around Russell County’s Mayes Gosser (23) in the Wildcats’ 57-46 loss to the Lakers in the first rounds of the Region 4 Boys’ Tournament at E. A. Diddle Arena on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Franklin-Simpson Xavier Hampton (2) shoots a three-pointer over Russell County’s Maddox Shearer (10) in the Wildcats’ 57-46 loss to the Lakers in the first rounds of the Region 4 Boys’ Tournament at E. A. Diddle Arena on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Franklin-Simpson Wildcats head coach Dee Spencer shouts plays from the sidelines in the Wildcats’ 57-46 loss to the Lakers in the first rounds of the Region 4 Boys’ Tournament at E. A. Diddle Arena on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Franklin-Simpson sophomore Brody McAlister (23) shoots a layup as Russell County’s Mayes Gosser (23) reaches to block in the Wildcats’ 57-46 loss to the Lakers in the first rounds of the Region 4 Boys’ Tournament at E. A. Diddle Arena on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Franklin-Simpson junior Jakai Partinger (12) shoots a three-pointer in the Wildcats’ 57-46 loss to the Lakers in the first rounds of the Region 4 Boys’ Tournament at E. A. Diddle Arena on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Franklin-Simpson Xavier Hampton (2) shoots a layup beside Russell County’s Mayes Gosser (23) in the Wildcats’ 57-46 loss to the Lakers in the first rounds of the Region 4 Boys’ Tournament at E. A. Diddle Arena on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Franklin-Simpson sophomore JahMir Brooks (0) shoots a layup after Russell County’s Kaden Coffey (20) ran by in the Wildcats’ 57-46 loss to the Lakers in the first rounds of the Region 4 Boys’ Tournament at E. A. Diddle Arena on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
With Russell County’s lead over Franklin-Simpson hanging precariously in the balance during Tuesday’s opening round of the Region 4 Tournament at E.A. Diddle Arena, Mayes Gosser stepped up to deliver the final blow.
Gosser scored 11 straight points during a critical fourth quarter stretch to help Russell County stave off a Franklin-Simpson comeback and pull away for a 57-46 win.
It capped a big night for the senior forward, who finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds.
“There towards the end I knew we were starting to not hit our shots,” Gosser said. “I knew we had to get to the basket and crash the boards. Cleaning it up is what got most of my momentum. Once I started getting the ball in the hoop it started feeling natural.”
Russell County coach Brandon Cooper said the Lakers have relied on Gosser a lot this season.
“I am super proud of him,” Cooper said. “He battled his butt off around that rim.”
Russell County (18-11) never trailed, but needed Gosser’s late heroics to secure the win in its first appearance in the region tournament since 2017.
The Lakers were red-hot in the first quarter, going 8-for-13 from the field. A 9-0 spurt gave Russell County a 20-7 advantage, with the lead 22-12 after one.
Russell County’s shooting cooled off in the next two quarters — with the Lakers going 4-for-18. That allowed Franklin-Simpson (11-14) to slowly chip away.
The Wildcats trimmed the deficit to 29-24 late in the second before a pair of Gosser free throws gave Russell County a 31-24 halftime lead.
The deficit dipped to 36-33 late in the third with a 3-pointer from Jakai Partinger making the score 41-39 with 6:47 remaining. A free throw from Owen Loy and a layup from Gosser pushed the lead back to 44-39.
The Wildcats pulled within 44-41 on a jumper by Jahmire Brooks, who missed a free throw to complete a potential three-point play to get closer. Alan Johnson then missed a potential game-tying 3, which proved to be the last gasp for the Wildcats as Gosser scored seven straight to extend the advantage back to double digits.
Franklin-Simpson was unable to get closer than eight the rest of the way.
“I’m proud of our guys,” Cooper said. “They worked really hard. We came into this and I told them that they are deserving of whatever they get just by how they work. They’ve overcome a lot this season and they’ve learned how to win — even if things ain’t perfect. In that game it definitely wasn’t perfect. We came out early and felt good, but then kind of hit a bottom. I’m proud of them for the way they battled.”
Loy had 13 points and Maddox Shearer added 12 points, giving the Lakers three players in double figures.
Russell County joined District 16 rival Clinton County in the semifinals, the first time District 16 has had both teams advance to the semifinals since 2007.
“This district is brutal,” Cooper said. “People don’t really see exactly what it is, but it’s physical. It’s big-boy basketball. I think five out of our last eight games were overtime games and most of them were with our district teams. On any given night, anyone in our district can win one. They’ve got good players. There are good coaches and it is physical basketball.”
Partinger led the Wildcats with 15 points.
“It’s tough,” Franklin-Simpson coach Dee Spencer said. “The guys fought. You’ve just gotta make shots. That’s what it boils down to. We put ourselves in position because we were able to compete on the defensive end. We just couldn’t get over the hump.”
Russell County will face Bowling Green in the semifinals at 8 p.m. on Monday.
RCHS 22 9 6 20 — 57
FSHS 12 12 9 13 — 46
RC — Gosser 16, Loy 13, Shearer 12, Stanelle 8, Irvin 3, Stille 2, Coffey 2, Walters 1.
FS — Partinger 15, Brooks 6, Ray 6, Sharer 6, Hampton 4, McAlister 3, Johnson 3, Robey 3.
