2005 Houchens Industries/KHSAA
Sweet 16® Girls State Basketball Tournament
E. A.
Diddle Arena, Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, Kentucky
March 23-26, 2005
Copyright © 2005 Ron Harrison
Wednesday March 23rd – Session No. 1
Lexington Catholic (32-1) (Region 11) vs. Rockcastle County (27-4) (Region 13)
Lexington Catholic coach Greg Todd started the following lineup: 5-8 Sr. Adaeze Azubuike, 6-0 Jr. Anaris Sickles, 6-0 Sr. Shannon Novosel, 5-6 So. Keyla Snowden, and 5-8 Jr. Nikki Davis. Rockcastle County coach Chrysti Noble countered with 5-9 Sr. Katie Parsons, 5-9 So. Sarah Parsons, 5-11 Sr. Heather Hammond, 5-9 Sr. Tara Rowe, and 5-5 Sr. Johnna Abney.
Lexington Catholic survived a foulfest in which a total of 51 fouls were called on both teams to gain a 73-64 victory over Rockcastle County. Lexington Catholic was whistled for 25 fouls while Rockcastle County was charged with 26 infractions. The Lady Rockets closed to within five points, 61-56, with 3:28 left in the game, but Lexington Catholic held on for the victory.
Lexington Catholic shot 43.9% from the field, including five of 16 from beyond the arc, was 18 of 40 from the free throw line, and pulled down 32 rebounds. Lexington Catholic scored 22 points off 29 Rockcastle County turnovers, and held a 19-11 advantage in bench scoring.
Lexington Catholic was led by Keyla Snowden and Nikki Davis with 17 points each, with Davis dishing out eight assists. Anaris Sickles added 10 points and 10 rebounds. 5-7 Fr. Briana Green chipped in with 10 points. 5-10 Fr. Natalie Novosel added nine points and 10 rebounds. Heather Hammond led Rockcastle County with 18 points and nine rebounds. Tara Rowe added 14 points and pulled down eight rebounds. Johnna Abney and 5-6 Jr. Ashley Lunsford chipped in with 13 and 11 points respectively.
Lexington Catholic |
15 |
15 |
22 |
21 |
- |
73 |
Rockcastle County |
13 |
11 |
17 |
23 |
- |
64 |
Lexington Catholic |
(73) - |
Azubuike 3, Sickles 10, S. Novosel 7, Snowden 17, Davis 17, Green 10, N. Novosel 9. |
Rockcastle County |
(64) - |
K. Parsons 2, S. Parsons 6, Hammond 18, T. Rowe 14, Abney 13, A. Lunsford 11. |
Scott County (30-4) (Region 8) vs. Henderson County (28-5) (Region 2)
Scott County coach Steve Helton started the following lineup: 5-10 So. Rebecca Gray, 6-0 Jr. Suzie Owens, 6-0 Sr. Aimee Bruckner, 5-6 Sr. Michelle Howard, and 5-6 Jr. Chelsia Lymon. Henderson County coach Jeff Haile countered with 5-9 Sr. Ashley Hawkins, 5-5 Fr. Rinesha Soaper, 5-11 Sr. Whitney Waddell, 5-7 Sr. Krista Hatfield, and 5-2 Jr. Sierra Gilbert.
Scott County held a commanding 48-25 edge in rebounding in a 79-64 victory over Henderson County. Scott County shot 51.5% from the field and connected on eight of 15 free throws. Henderson County shot 43.9% from the field and connected on 10 of 20 free throws. Scott County held a 14-0 advantage in second chance points.
Suzie Owens led Scott County with 26 points and 16 rebounds. Chelsia Lymon added 21 points, six rebounds, eight assists, and five steals. Rebecca Gray chipped in with 17 points. Aimee Bruckner only scored two points, but pulled down 10 rebounds. Ashley Hawkins led Henderson County with 18 points. Krista Hatfield and Rinesha Soaper added 14 points each, with Hatfield connecting on four three point baskets. Whitney Waddell chipped in with 10 points and nine rebounds.
Scott County |
24 |
18 |
22 |
15 |
- |
79 |
Henderson County |
18 |
8 |
21 |
17 |
- |
64 |
Scott County |
(79) - |
Gray 17, Owens 26, Bruckner 2, Howard 4, Lymon 21, Weathers 9. |
Henderson County |
(64) - |
Hawkins 18, Soaper 14, Waddell 10, Hatfield 14, Gilbert 6, Quarles 2. |
Wednesday March 23rd – Session No. 2
Ohio County (26-5) (Region 3) vs. South Laurel (21-10) (Region 12)
Ohio County coach Brad Johnson started the following lineup: 5-11 Sr. Julie Leach, 5-10 So. Kirsten McDaniel, 5-7 So. Erin Adams, 5-6 So. Lauren Goff, and 5-7 Sr. Amanda Critchelow. South Laurel coach Konnie Snyder countered with 5-10 Sr. Brittany Turner, 5-11 Jr. Amber Neace, 6-0 Sr. Taran Johnson, 5-6 So. Whitney Smith, and 5-6 Sr. Mallory Jones.
South Laurel held a 52-36.1% advantage in field goal accuracy in a 61-52 victory over Ohio County. South Laurel connected on nine of 15 free throws and pulled down 37 rebounds. Ohio County connected on 13 of 20 free throws and grabbed 35 rebounds. South Laurel held a 12-0 scoring advantage off the bench.
Taran Johnson led the victors with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Amber Neace added 14 points and seven rebounds, while 5-8 Fr. Lauren Wombles chipped in with 10 points. Mallory Jones recorded five points and dished out nine assists. Julie Leach led Ohio County with 28 points and seven rebounds. Erin Adams added eight points and seven rebounds.
Ohio County |
9 |
17 |
11 |
15 |
- |
52 |
South Laurel |
15 |
14 |
14 |
18 |
- |
61 |
Ohio County |
(52) - |
Leach 28, McDaniel 5, Adams 8, Goff 6, Critchelow 5. |
South Laurel |
(61) - |
Turner 6, Neace 14, Johnson 20, Smith 4, Jones 5, Wombles 10, Burchette 2. |
Montgomery County (24-7) (Region 10) vs. Rowan County (23-7) (Region 16)
Montgomery County coach John High started the following lineup: 5-7 Fr. Maggie Prewitt, 5-7 So. Amy Barnard, 5-9 So. Courtney Danis, 5-6 So. Jenna High, and 5-5 Jr. Sherry McGuire. Rowan County coach Troy Thomas countered with 5-6 Fr. Cassidi Spurlock, 5-8 Sr. Melanie Cornett, 5-10 Sr. Adria Mirus, 5-4 Fr. Nicole Barr, and 5-2 Jr. Lindsay Wientjes.
Montgomery County hit four free throws with nine seconds in overtime to break a 48-48 tie on their way to a 55-48 victory over Rowan County. Rowan County was guilty of a personal foul on the key play and the Rowan County player slammed the ball after the play and was also assessed a technical foul. Montgomery County shot trailed 29-21 at halftime but rallied to stage a comeback in the second half and outscored Rowan County 9-2 in overtime.
Montgomery County shot 31.3% from the field, connected on 23 of 29 free throws, and pulled down 33 rebounds. The Lady Indians scored 21 points off 25 Rowan County turnovers. Rowan County shot 39.1% from the field, connected on 10 of 15 free throws, and grabbed 33 rebounds. Rowan County scored 24 points off 22 Montgomery County turnovers, and held a 28-11 advantage in bench scoring.
Courtney Danis led Montgomery County with 18 points, nine rebounds, and six steals. Maggie Prewitt added 14 points. 6-1 Jr. Suzanne Brown came off the bench to lead Rowan County with 20 points and seven rebounds.
Montgomery County |
15 |
6 |
14 |
11 |
9 |
- |
55 |
Rowan County |
14 |
15 |
8 |
9 |
2 |
- |
48 |
Montgomery County |
(55) - |
Prewitt 14, Barnard 2, Danis 18, High 7, McGuire 3, Oaks 2, Lee 2, Thomas 7. |
Rowan County |
(48) - |
Spurlock 0, Cornett 8, Mirus 4, Barr 8, Wientjes 0, McCleese 8, Brown 20. |
Thursday March 24th – Session No. 3
Paducah Tilghman (27-5) (Region 1) vs. Newport Central Catholic (21-6) (Region 9)
Paducah Tilghman coach Allison Graham started the following lineup 5-10 So. Jeriesha Hayes, 5-8 Sr. Aseer Itiavkase, 6-1 Jr. Pam Bell, 5-3 Sr. Christian Shelton, and 5-3 Sr. Dria Moore. Newport Central Catholic coach Christie McDonald countered with 5-10 Sr. Stacey Smith, 5-8 So. Shannon Klei, 6-0 Fr. Whitney Cundiff, 5-4 Sr. Alex Litmer, and 5-7 Sr. Jayme Thiem.
Paducah Tilghman overcame a four for 19 performance from the free throw line and a three point basket by Newport Central Catholic’s Shannon Klei that was ruled after the buzzer to earn a 54-52 victory. Paducah Tilghman shot 46.3% from the field, pulled down 37 rebounds, and scored 25 points off 25 Newport Central Catholic turnovers. Newport Central Catholic shot 34.4% from the field, connected on six of nine free throws, and grabbed 38 rebounds. Newport Central Catholic scored 19 points off 22 Paducah Tilghman turnovers.
Christian Shelton and Aseer Itiavkase led the victors with 16 and 14 points respectively. Pam Bell, who is playing with a torn ACL, managed 13 points and 12 rebounds. Jayme Thiem led Newport Central Catholic with 26 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and five steals. Shannon Klei added seven points and 10 rebounds, while Stacey Smith chipped in with six points and 11 rebounds.
Paducah Tilghman |
15 |
11 |
13 |
15 |
- |
54 |
Newport Central Catholic |
8 |
13 |
21 |
10 |
- |
52 |
Paducah Tilghman |
(54) - |
Hayes 4, Itiavkase 14, Bell 13, Shelton 16, Moore 2, Watson 4, Hill 1. |
Newport Central Catholic |
(52) - |
Smith 6, Klei 7, Cundiff 5, Litmer 6, Thiem 26, Guidugli 2. |
Betsy Layne (24-8) (Region 15) vs. Washington County (17-16) (Region 5)
Betsy Layne coach Cassandra Akers started the following lineup: 5-9 Sr. Breann Akers, 5-7 Sr. Kim Clark, 6-0 Sr. Kristal Daniels, 5-6 Sr. Kristen Smith, and 5-6 Jr. Candice Meade. Washington County coach J. T. Burton countered with 6-0 Jr. Brittany Edelen, 5-11 Fr. Whitney Bowen, 5-10 So. Stacy Tope, 5-8 Sr. Katie Filiatreau, and 5-8 Jr. Whitney Tingle.
Betsy Layne led 32-27 at the end of three quarters but Washington County outscored the Lady Cats 24-6 in the final quarter to take a 51-38 victory. Washington County did an excellent job playing aggressive defense on Betsy Layne star Kim Clark. Clark scored 23 points but she was held to nine of 27 from the field.
Washington County shot 34.1% from the field, connected on 21 of 29 free throws, and pulled down 33 rebounds. Washington County scored 15 points off 17 Betsy Layne turnovers and held a 10-2 advantage in second chance points. Betsy Layne shot 34.9% from the field, connected on seven of 11 free throws, and grabbed 27 rebounds.
Brittany Edelen led Washington County with 26 points, 14 rebounds, and four steals. Katie Filiatreau added 11 points on 11 of 12 free throws. Kim Clark led Betsy Layne with 23 points. Kristal Daniels added eight points and pulled down seven rebounds.
Betsy Layne |
11 |
10 |
11 |
6 |
- |
38 |
Washington County |
10 |
4 |
13 |
24 |
- |
51 |
Betsy Layne |
(38) - |
Akers 4, Clark 23, Daniels 8, Smith 2, Meade 0, Lawson 1. |
Washington County |
(51) - |
Edelen 26, Bowen 1, Tope 0, Filiatreau 11, Tingle 7, Lee Goatley 6. |
Thursday March 24th – Session No. 4
Christian Academy of Louisville (30-4) (Region 7) vs. Clinton County (29-5) (Region 4)
Christian Academy of Louisville coach Don Rice started the following lineup: 5-10 Sr. Ali Shubert ,5-9 Sr. Kristen Blake, 6-2 Sr. Maggie McKemie, 5-8 Sr. Jessie Marshall, and 5-7 Jr. Merideth Marsh. Clinton County coach Ronnie Guffey countered with 5-8 Sr. Brittany Abbott, 5-6 Jr. Jessica Cummings, 5-10 Sr. Dorothy Papineau, 5-8 Sr. Paige Guffey, and 5-7 Sr. Amber Guffey.
Clinton County outscored CAL 16-6 in the overtime period to earn a 65-55 victory and avenge a loss to CAL in the All ‘A’ Classic Championship. Clinton County shot 33.3% from the field, including four of 16 from the three point line, connected on 35 of 44 free throws, and pulled down 36 rebounds. CAL shot 31.5% from the field, including three of 23 from beyond the arc. The Centurions were 18 of 24 from the free throw line and pulled down 37 rebounds.
Amber Guffey led Clinton County with 28 points including 20 of 25 from the free throw line. Guffey also pulled down 11 rebounds. Paige Guffey added 16 points and and eight rebounds and Brittany Abbott chipped in with 10 points. Merideth Marsh led CAL with 27 points and six rebounds. Maggie McKemie scored 15 points and pulled down 14 rebounds.
Christian Academy of Louisville |
14 |
14 |
6 |
15 |
6 |
- |
55 |
Clinton County |
11 |
21 |
7 |
10 |
16 |
- |
65 |
Christian Academy of Louisville |
(55) - |
Shubert 2, Blake 0, McKemie 15, Marshall 7, Marsh 27, Kom 2, Fishback 2. |
Clinton County |
(65) - |
Abbott 10, Cummings 3, Papineau 5, P. Guffey 16, A. Guffey 28, Brown 3. |
Iroquois (25-4) (Region 6) vs. Knott County Central (30-3) (Region 14)
Iroquois coach Al Northington started the following lineup: 5-8 8th grader Adia Mathies, 5-6 Sr. Tascha Gibson, 5-9 8th grader Tiara Hopper, 5-4 8th grader Asia Mathies, and 5-1 Jr. Laquisha Wharton. Knott County Central coach Rhett Gibson countered with 5-9 Sr. Keisha Johnson, 5-9 Sr. Elisha Hall, 5-10 Jr. Heather Martin, 5-5 Fr. Megan Mosley, and 5-7 Sr. Kasi Mullins-Galloway.
Iroquois utilized their quickness and defense to roll to a 98-72 victory over Knott County Central. Iroquois shot 53.6% from the field, including eight of 17 from beyond the arc. The Lady Raiders connected on 16 of 25 free throws, and pulled down 50 rebounds. Knott County Central shot 35.4% from the field, including three of 22 from the three point line. The Lady Patriots connected on 13 of 22 free throws and grabbed 43 rebounds.
Laquisha Wharton led Iroquois with 23 points and Tascha Gibson added 21 points and 10 rebounds. Adia Mathies chipped in with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Kasi Mullins-Galloway led Knott County Central with 29 points and five steals. Megan Mosley and Heather Martin added 11 and 10 points respectively. Keisha Johnson also tallied 10 points and pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds.
Iroquois |
25 |
26 |
16 |
31 |
- |
98 |
Knott County Central |
18 |
22 |
9 |
23 |
- |
72 |
Iroquois |
(98) - |
Adia Mathies 18, Gibson 21, Hopper 5, Asia Mathies 7, Wharton 23, Reed 5, Goodwin 2, Coomer 4, Summers 2, Simmons 4, Hickman 7. |
Knott County Central |
(72) - |
Johnson 10, Hall 2, He. Martin 10, Mosley 11, Mullins-Galloway 29, Gibson 2, Faine 2, Ha. Martin 6. |
Friday March 25th – Session No. 5
Scott County (31-4) vs. Lexington Catholic (33-1) Quarterfinal No. 1
Scott County coach Steve Helton started the following lineup: 5-10 So. Rebecca Gray, 6-0 Jr. Suzie Owens, 6-0 Sr. Aimee Bruckner, 5-6 Sr. Michelle Howard, and 5-6 Jr. Chelsea Lymon. Lexington Catholic coach Greg Todd countered with 5-8 Sr. Adaeze Azubuike, 6-0 Jr. Anaris Sickles, 6-0 Sr. Shannon Novosel, 5-6 So. Keyla Snowden, and 5-8 Jr. Nikki Davis.
Lexington Catholic played nearly flawless ball in the first half, racing out to a 47-30 halftime lead on their way to an 83-71 victory over Scott County. Lexington Catholic shot 52.8% from the field, including seven of 14 from beyond the arc. The Lady Knights connected on 20 of 24 free throws, and pulled down 35 rebounds. Scott County shot 42.4% from the field, including four of 16 from the three point line. The Lady Cardinals connected on 11 of 16 free throws, and grabbed 33 rebounds.
5-10 Fr. Natalie Novosel and 5-7 Fr. Briana Green came off the bench to lead Lexington Catholic with 17 points each, and Green added seven rebounds. Keyla Snowden added 12 points and Anaris Sickles chipped in with 11 points and eight rebounds. Shannon Novosel also reached double figures with 10 points. Rebecca Gray led Scott County with 29 points and Chelsia Lymon added 13 points and six assists. Suzie Owens chipped in with 11 points and nine rebounds.
Scott County |
9 |
21 |
22 |
19 |
- |
71 |
Lexington Catholic |
16 |
31 |
18 |
18 |
- |
83 |
Scott County |
(71) - |
Gray 29, Owens 11, Bruckner 4, Howard 7, Lymon 13, Weathers 7. |
Lexington Catholic |
(83) - |
Azubuike 9, Sickles 11, S. Novosel 10, Snowden 12, Davis 2, Green 17, Rhule 5, N. Novosel 17. |
Montgomery County (25-7) vs. South Laurel (22-10) Quarterfinal No. 2
Montgomery County coach John High started the following lineup: 5-7 Fr. Maggie Prewitt, 5-7 So. Amy Barnard, 5-9 So. Courtney Danis, 5-6 So. Jenna High, and 5-5 8th grader MacKenzie Lee. South Laurel coach Konnie Snyder countered with 5-10 Sr. Brittany Turner, 5-11 Jr. Amber Neace, 6-0 Sr. Taran Johnson, 5-6 So. Whitney Smith, and 5-6 Sr. Mallory Jones.
South Laurel utilized their size advantage in the paint and scored 27 points off 21 Montgomery County turnovers to earn a 74-58 victory. South Laurel shot 58.2% from the field, connected on 10 of 13 free throws, and pulled down 27 rebounds. Montgomery County shot 44.2% from the field, was 16 of 27 from the free throw line, and grabbed 25 rebounds.
Taran Johnson led South Laurel with 21 points and nine rebounds, while Amber Neace added 21 points and eight rebounds. Mallory Jones chipped in with 13 points. Courtney Danis led Montgomery County with 18 points and six rebounds. Maggie Prewitt added 15 points and MacKenzie Lee chipped in with 11 points.
Montgomery County |
14 |
12 |
18 |
14 |
- |
58 |
South Laurel |
23 |
17 |
13 |
21 |
- |
74 |
Montgomery County |
(58) - |
Prewitt 15, Barnard 0, Danis 18, High 9, Lee 11,Warner 1, Thomas 2, Webb 2. |
South Laurel |
(74) - |
Turner 4, Neace 21, Johnson 21, Smith 5, Jones 13, Wombles 4, Sizemore 2, Burchette 4. |
Friday March 25th – Session No. 6
Washington County (18-16) vs. Paducah Tilghman (28-5) Quarterfinal No. 3
Washington County coach J. T. Burton started the following lineup: 6-0 Jr. Brittany Edelen, 5-11 Fr. Whitney Bowen, 5-10 So. Stacy Tope, 5-8 Sr. Katie Filiatreau, and 5-8 Jr. Whitney Tingle. Paducah Tilghman coach Allison Graham countered with 5-10 So. Jeriesha Hayes, 5-8 Sr. Aseer Itiavkase, 6-1 Jr. Pam Bell, 5-3 Sr. Christian Shelton, and 5-3 Sr. Dria Moore.
Washington County led 28-26 at halftime but Paducah Tilghman outscored the Commanderettes 17-7 in the third quarter on their way to a 66-53 victory. Paducah Tilghman shot 63.2% from the field in the second half and connected on 16 of 24 free throws as the Blue Tornado took control of the game.
Paducah Tilghman shot 50% from the field, was 19 of 33 from the free throw line, and pulled down 35 rebounds. Paducah Tilghman scored 25 points off 18 Washington County turnovers. Washington County shot 32.8% from the field, connected on seven of 12 free throws, and grabbed 41 rebounds.
Aseer Itiavkase led the victors with 18 points and six steals. Pam Bell added 17 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocked shots. Christian Shelton chipped in with 11 points and 5-7 Fr. Ali Watson came off the bench to tally nine points. Brittany Edelen led Washington County with 21 points and 15 rebounds. Stacy Tope added 14 points and six rebounds while Katie Filiatreau tallied 12 points.
Washington County |
15 |
13 |
7 |
18 |
- |
53 |
Paducah Tilghman |
15 |
11 |
17 |
23 |
- |
66 |
Washington County |
(53) - |
Edelen 21, Bowen 0, Tope 14, Filiatreau 12, Tingle 4, Goatley 2. |
Paducah Tilghman |
(66) - |
Hayes 0, Itiavkase 18, Bell 17, Shelton 11, Moore 5, Watson 9, Hill 4, Leonard 2. |
Iroquois (26-4) vs. Clinton County (30-5) Quarterfinal No. 4
Iroquois coach Al Northington started the following lineup: 5-8 8th grader Adia Mathies, 5-6 Sr. Tascha Gibson, 5-9 8th grader Tiara Hopper, 5-4 8th grader Asia Mathies, and 5-1 Jr. Laquisha Wharton. Clinton County coach Ronnie Guffey countered with 5-8 Sr. Brittany Abbott, 5-6 Jr. Jessica Cummings, 5-10 Sr. Dorothy Papineau, 5-8 Sr. Paige Guffey, and 5-7 Sr. Amber Guffey.
Clinton County raced out to a 22-8 first quarter lead on their way to a 76-51 victory over a young Iroquois squad. Clinton County shot 46.5% from the field, connected on 10 of 11 free throws, and pulled down 40 rebounds. Iroquois shot 37.5% from the field, was eight of 11 from the free throw line, and grabbed 30 rebounds.
Amber Guffey led Clinton County with 23 points and seven assists. Brittany Abbott and Paige Guffey each added 19 points and eight rebounds. Adia Mathies led Iroquois with 14 points and seven rebounds and Laquisha Wharton added 14 points and five assists. Tascha Gibson chipped in with 12 points.
Iroquois |
8 |
20 |
9 |
14 |
- |
51 |
Clinton County |
22 |
19 |
20 |
15 |
- |
76 |
Iroquois |
(51) - |
Adia Mathies 14, Gibson 12, Hopper 4, Asia Mathies 0, Wharton 14, Hickman 7. |
Clinton County |
(76) - |
Abbott 19, Cummings 3, Papineau 8, P. Guffey 19, A. Guffey 23, DeForest 4. |
Saturday March 26th – Session No. 7
South Laurel (23-10) vs. Lexington Catholic (34-1) Semifinal No. 1
South Laurel coach Konnie Snyder started the following lineup: 5-10 Sr. Brittany Turner, 5-11 Jr. Amber Neace, 6-0 Sr. Taran Johnson, 5-6 So. Whitney Smith, and 5-6 Sr. Mallory Jones. Lexington Catholic coach Greg Todd countered with 5-8 Sr. Adaeze Azubuike, 6-0 Jr. Anaris Sickles, 6-0 Sr. Shannon Novosel, 5-6 So. Keyla Snowden, and 5-8 Jr. Nikki Davis.
Lexington Catholic scored the last 15 points of the second quarter to lead 41-21 on their way to a 70-53 victory over South Laurel. Lexington Catholic shot 44.6% from the field, connected on nine of 13 free throws, and pulled down 35 rebounds. The Lady Knights scored 22 points off 23 South Laurel turnovers and held a 20-5 advantage in bench scoring. South Laurel shot 40.4% from the field, connected on 13 of 17 free throws, and pulled down 35 rebounds.
Anaris Sickles led the victors with 13 points and seven rebounds. Nikki Davis and 5-10 Fr. Natalie Novosel added 12 points each, and Shannon Novosel chipped in with 11 points and seven rebounds. Davis also recorded six assists and 11 steals. Keyla Snowden also reached double figures with 10 points. Taran Johnson led South Laurel with 14 points and five rebounds. Amber Neace added 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Brittany Turner chipped in with 10 points and seven rebounds.
South Laurel |
14 |
7 |
19 |
13 |
- |
53 |
Lexington Catholic |
13 |
28 |
20 |
9 |
- |
70 |
South Laurel |
(53) - |
Turner 10, Neace 12, Johnson 14, Smith 5, Jones 7, Wombles 5. |
Lexington Catholic |
(70) - |
Azubuike 4, Sickles 13, S. Novosel 11, Snowden 10, Davis 12, Green 2, Rhule 4, Cash 2, N. Novosel 12. |
Clinton County (31-5) vs. Paducah Tilghman (29-5) Semifinal No. 2
Clinton County coach Ronnie Guffey started the following lineup: 5-8 Sr. Brittany Abbott, 5-6 Jr. Jessica Cummings, 5-10 Sr. Dorothy Papineau, 5-8 Sr. Paige Guffey, and 5-7 Sr. Amber Guffey. Paducah Tilghman coach Allison Graham countered with 5-10 So. Jeriesha Hayes, 5-8 Sr. Aseer Itiavkase, 6-1 Jr. Pam Bell, 5-3 Sr. Christian Shelton, and 5-3 Sr. Dria Moore.
Clinton County only led 30-28 at halftime but opened up the third quarter with a 20-8 run to get a little breathing room in a 71-56 victory over Paducah Tilghman. Clinton County shot 56.5% from the field, including 10 of 20 from the three point line. The Lady Bulldogs connected on nine of 10 free throws and pulled down 30 rebounds. Paducah Tilghman shot 41.5% from the field, connected on nine of 15 free throws, and grabbed 26 rebounds.
Amber Guffey led Clinton County with 27 points and Paige Guffey added 15 points and six rebounds. Jessica Cummings came up big today with 15 points on five of six baskets from beyond the arc. Christian Shelton and Aseer Itiavkase led Paducah Tilghman with 14 and 13 points respectively. Pam Bell chipped in with 12 points and six rebounds.
Clinton County |
16 |
14 |
22 |
19 |
- |
71 |
Paducah Tilghman |
14 |
14 |
14 |
14 |
- |
56 |
Clinton County |
(71) - |
Abbott 5, Cummings 15, Papineau 7, P. Guffey 15, A. Guffey 27, DeForest 2. |
Paducah Tilghman |
(56) - |
Hayes 0, Itiavkase 13, Bell 12, Shelton 14, Moore 8, Watson 7, Flowers 2. |
Saturday March 26th – Session No. 8
Clinton County (32-5) vs. Lexington Catholic (35-1) Championship Game
Clinton County coach Ronnie Guffey started the following lineup: 5-8 Sr. Brittany Abbott, 5-6 Jr. Jessica Cummings, 5-10 Sr. Dorothy Papineau, 5-8 Sr. Paige Guffey, and 5-7 Sr. Amber Guffey. Lexington Catholic coach Greg Todd countered with 5-8 Sr. Adaeze Azubuike, 6-0 Jr. Anaris Sickles, 6-0 Sr. Shannon Novosel, 5-6 So. Keyla Snowden, and 5-8 Jr. Nikki Davis.
The third time proved to be a charm for the Lexington Catholic Lady Knights as they claimed the title with a 59-54 victory over Clinton County after two straight runner-up finishes to Sacred Heart. This proved to be a classic as Lexington Catholic finally took the lead for good with a field goal with 56 seconds left in the game. The Lady Knights led 57-54 late in the game and Amber Guffey missed a three pointer for the tie with less than six seconds remaining in the game. Shannon Novosel grabbed the rebound, was fouled, and hit two free throws to close out the scoring.
Clinton County took control early and led 22-13 with 3:46 remaining in the first half. Lexington Catholic rallied to pull within two, 24-22, at the half. The game remained close in the third quarter with Clinton County clinging to a 42-41 lead at the end of three quarters. The game remained close until Lexington Catholic finally gained the late advantage. There were seven lead changes and three ties late in the game.
Lexington Catholic shot 51.1% from the field, connected on nine of 10 free throws, and pulled down 15 rebounds. The Lady Knights scored 23 points off 18 Clinton County turnovers, and held a 19-1 advantage in bench scoring. Clinton County shot 54.3% from the field, including a sizzling 11 of 23 from beyond the arc. The Lady Bulldogs connected on five of six free throws, and grabbed 23 rebounds.
Anaris Sickles and 5-7 Fr. Briana Green led Lexington Catholic with 16 and 11 points respectively. Amber Guffey led Clinton County with 20 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Paige Guffey added 14 points and and six rebounds and Brittany Abbott chipped in with 10 points.
Clinton County |
13 |
11 |
18 |
12 |
- |
54 |
Lexington Catholic |
7 |
15 |
19 |
18 |
- |
59 |
Clinton County |
(54) - |
Abbott 10, Cummings 9, Papineau 0, P. Guffey 14, A. Guffey 20, DeForest 1. |
Lexington Catholic |
(59) - |
Azubuike 5, Sickles 16, S. Novosel 6, Snowden 8, Davis 5, Green 11, N. Novosel 8. |
All Tournament Team
Courtney Danis |
5-9 |
So. |
Montgomery County |
2 games |
18.0 PPG |
7.5 RPG |
|
|
Suzie Owens |
6-0 |
Jr. |
Scott County |
2 games |
18.5 PPG |
12.5 RPG |
|
|
Brittany Edelen |
6-0 |
Jr. |
Washington County |
2 games |
23.5 PPG |
14.5 RPG |
|
|
Laquisha Wharton |
5-1 |
Jr. |
Iroquois |
2 games |
18.5 PPG |
4.0 APG |
|
|
Amber Neace |
5-11 |
Jr. |
South Laurel |
3 games |
15.7 PPG |
8.3 RPG |
|
|
Taran Johnson |
6-0 |
Sr. |
South Laurel |
3 games |
18.3 PPG |
8.3 RPG |
|
|
Aseer Itiavkase |
5-9 |
Sr. |
Paducah Tilghman |
3 games |
15.0 PPG |
4.7 SPG |
|
|
Pam Bell |
6-1 |
Jr. |
Paducah Tilghman |
3 games |
14.0 PPG |
9.3 RPG |
|
|
Paige Guffey |
5-7 |
Sr. |
Clinton County |
4 games |
24.5 PPG |
6.3 RPG |
4.8 APG |
|
Amber Guffey |
5-8 |
Sr. |
Clinton County |
4 games |
16.0 PPG |
7.0 RPG |
|
|
Brittany Abbott |
5-8 |
Sr. |
Clinton County |
4 games |
11.0 PPG |
|
|
|
Keyla Snowden |
5-6 |
So. |
Lexington Catholic |
4 games |
11.8 PPG |
|
|
|
Natalie Novosel |
5-10 |
Fr. |
Lexington Catholic |
4 games |
11.5 PPG |
4.8 RPG |
|
|
Anaris Sickles |
6-0 |
Jr. |
Lexington Catholic |
4 games |
12.5 PPG |
7.3 RPG |
|
MVP |
Conclusion
Congratulations to Coach Greg Todd and the Lexington Catholic Lady Knights for capturing the big prize. They captured the Kentucky AAU High School Championship this summer and came into the tourney ranked number one in the Cantrall ratings. The Lady Knights had a tough draw as they had to defeat #2 Scott County, #3 Rockcastle County, #7 South Laurel, and #5 Clinton County. The Lady Knights conclude the season at 36-1 and return a solid nucleus to defend their title next season.
Who can forget the Clinton County Lady Bulldogs? They concluded a great season with an epic battle with Lexington Catholic for the title. Coach Ronnie Guffey has announced his retirement and his team as usual left it all on the floor—never a question of could we have played harder for this group—you will be missed.
Scott County will be absolutely loaded again next year, and goodbye to the Rockcastle County seniors—thanks for the memories. Paducah Tilghman’s Pam Bell not only played with a torn ACL, but well enough to make All-Tournament. Congratulations to CAL as they finished the season 30-5 and captured the All ‘A’ Classic title. South Laurel watched the boys capture their championship and came to Bowling Green and finished in the final four.
Congratulations to the following teams for their first trip to the big show: South Laurel (first since Laurel County split into two schools), Christian Academy of Louisville, and Iroquois. The amazing part about Iroquois—they started three eighth graders.
Nine of the players named to the All Tournamet Team are underclassmen. The nine players are Courtney Danis (Montgomery County), Suzie Owens (Scott County), Brittany Edelen (Washington County), Laquisha Wharton (Iroquois), Amber Neace (South Laurel), Pam Bell (Paducah Tilghman), and Anaris Sickles, Keyla Snowden, and Natalie Novosel, (Lexington Catholic). Lexington Catholic and Scott County will probably enter next season ranked one and two and Scott County should return Kayla Moses, who suffered an ACL injury this season.
There are too many teams to mention them all here, but I have a rather simplistic approach to the state tourney. Regardless of the outcome in any game here this week, there were absolutely no losers at this tourney.
Acknowledgements
A special thanks to the KHSAA for maintaining an excellent website with tons of information about the tourney as well as comprehensive stats on each and every game. Also a special thanks to WL Stats for all their hard work providing all the computerized stats for the various media.
Please feel free to send your comments and questions concerning the
tournament, teams, or players to me at prephoops@yahoo.com .
Ron Harrison’s reports on this and other basketball events appear on http://www.kyprephoops.com.