No. 1 preseason basketball event in state wraps up 21st year
BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — There is no doubt the Zip Zone Express Tip-Off Classic is the state’s premier preseason basketball event. It’s one the basketball community looks forward to, as no other event draws the crowd and has the level of competition the Classic offers.
This year’s 21st annual affair, played Saturday at Martin County High School, did not disappoint. Fans from all over several states packed the gym in Inez to watch some of the best teams and players from Kentucky and West Virginia go head-to-head.
Below is a recap of each game.
The Martin County Middle School Cardinals started the event by defeating a talented Johnson Central team 45-44.
This game went down to the wire and kept fans on the edge of their seats as the lead changed several times.
Bryson Dials hit a 3-point shot from the parking lot with 16.6 seconds remaining to seal the Cardinal victory.
Game 2 featured Rowan County defeating Johnson Central 53-43.
This was a low-scoring game as both teams got after each other on defense.
Johnson Central shot 32% for the game, going 17/52 from the field. The Eagles had 31 rebounds and just 11 turnovers.
Rowan County shot 19/45 from the field for 42% and had 32 boards and 14 turnovers.
Rowan had three players in double figures: Zach Watson with 13, Colby Wilburn with 12 and Jayson Ingles with 11.
Game 3 saw Shelby Valley win over Hopkins County Central in a low-scoring contest 52-46.
Hopkins Central got off to a slow start with only five points in the first quarter. Valley jumped out to a 13-5 lead at the end of one.
Things heated up in the second quarter as Hopkins caught fire. The Storms scored 25 points in the frame over half their points to take a 30-28 at the half.
Hopkins went cold for the next two quarters, scoring seven in the third and nine in the fourth.
Collier Fuller led all scorers with 17 for Shelby Valley. Ethan Skyes punched in 10 and Preston Johnson followed with nine.
Three Hopkins players finished in double figures. Trevor Weldon and Drake Skeen each scored 13 points and Reese Belt followed with 10.
Game 4 was a game of two halves as Breathitt County defeated Lexington Catholic 62-61.
Breathitt got off to a slow start and had a hard time adjusting to Lexington Catholic’s pressure defense.
Catholic jumped out to a 30-15 lead after the first quarter.
Breathitt County came back after halftime and looked like a different team as the Vikings scored 21 points in the third quarter to cut the lead to three.
