BY BRITTNI MCCOY
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

PAINTSVILLE — The Wildcats put up a valiant effort before falling to the Tigers 33-22 Saturday at Paintsville High School in the Eastern Kentucky Elementary Basketball Conference tournament.

Eden had defeated Blaine earlier in the day to move on to the championship game.

Eden had only lost one game this season and it was at the paws of the Tigers. 

KK Maynard scored the Wildcats’ first four points. Zoe Sammons put two more on the board to end the first quarter.

Ally McGinnis hit a turnaround bank shot coming out of a timeout in the second quarter. Sammons and Paige Stafford nailed a shot each to bring the Cats within five.

Maynard got the rebound and fired one up for the and-1. Stafford’s shot high off the glass pulled Eden within two at halftime.

Paintsville went on a 6-0 run coming out of halftime. Kennedy Mills broke the ice after a rebound and she took it coast-to-coast. 

The Tigers outscored Eden 15-8 in the second half to hold them off and conclude the Wildcat season.

Maynard finished with eight points, five blocks, five rebounds, and a steal. Stafford fired in six points with two blocks and three steals at the point. McGinnis had four points and a rebound. Mills pulled down four boards with three blocks, a steal, and two points. Sammons nailed two points and had two rebounds.