Martin County Cardinals find redemption
BY BOO NEWSOME
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
PIKEVILLE, Ky. — The Cardinals have found redemption. They’re going to Rupp Arena to play in the Sweet 16 after the COVID pandemic stripped them of that big dance three years ago.
Martin County earned the berth in a nail-biting 55-53 battle over Pikeville in the 15th Region Tournament championship Monday at Appalachian Wireless Arena in Pikeville.
The Cardinals (24-10) will play Frederick Douglass (31-2) out of the 11th Region at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 16, in Rupp Arena.
“I’m super proud of our guys,” Martin County coach Jason James said. “They would not be denied.”
James also expressed thanks to God.
“He was with us the whole season,” said James. “And we didn’t have the first injury all season.”
The 2023 regional championship is the second for Coach James and Martin County High School in the last four years.
In 2020 when junior Luke Hale was just an eighth grader, Division I signee Trey James led the Cardinals to a 65-61 victory over Lawrence County to win the regional championship. It was to be the Cardinal program’s first trip to the state tournament since 1983. It was the end of a drought and all of Martin County celebrated.
However, cheers turned to tears too soon when the COVID pandemic canceled the Sweet 16 for the first time in history. James and his Cardinals were left to take that disappointment on the chin and get on with the game.
Half of Martin County made their way to Pikeville to cheer for the Cardinals in the 2023 championship game.
Martin County ended the first quarter with a 14-12 lead behind eight points by Hale and two treys by junior Jacob Sturgell.
The Cardinals trailed 25-24 at halftime, as Pikeville took the lead on a tip-in at the buzzer.
Martin County came out cold in the third quarter and Pikeville stretched the lead to 29-24. Coach James called a timeout and the Cardinals returned with defensive heat in a 1-2-1-1 press. It gave Pikeville problems causing the Panthers to turn the ball over several times.
Sturgell scored the Cardinals’ first basket at the 4:35 mark. After junior Dray Duff hit a 3-pointer, Martin County trailed 35-30 with 3:05 to go. Back came Samons with a 3-pointer to give the Panthers their biggest lead at 38-30 with 2:38 left in the quarter.
Martin County fans worried and prayed and, like the team, never lost faith.
The Cardinals rallied behind baskets by Hale and Duff and a 3-pointer by McKenzie to close the deficit to 41-39 at the end of three.
Hale put his team back in the hunt in the fourth quarter as he refused to lose. Hale got a steal at 7:06 and knocked down a 3-pointer on his way to a 12-point quarter. The junior drew two fouls on 3-pointers and went to the free-throw line to shoot three each time. The Cardinals hit 9-of-14 free throws in the last 4:16 of the game.
Pikeville was in front 53-52 when Hale was fouled and knocked down 2-out-3 free throws. The Cardinals came again with the 1-2-1-1 full-court press. McKenzie deflected the inbounds pass. The ball was headed out of bounds and Linville hustled for a stunning save that landed the ball in McKenzie’s hands. McKenzie quickly passed to Hale, who tried to move to the basket and drew a foul.
The crowd was on their feet as “Cool Hand Luke” stepped to the free-throw line for the bonus with just 29 seconds on the clock. Hale knocked down the first free throw to tie the game 53-53.
Pikeville called a timeout to ice Hale, and then it was time for the second free throw.
Hale let it fly and hit nothing but net to give the Cardinals their first lead of the second half 54-53.
Pikeville got two shots off, but both fell short. That allowed McKenzie to pull down the biggest rebound of his career and draw a foul with 7.5 seconds left. The junior stepped to the line for the double bonus, missing the first and draining the second to set the final score.
Pikeville inbounded to Samons, who dribbled the length of the court and let a 3-pointer fly. The ball went in the basket and bounced out. The fight was on under the basket with the Cardinals grabbing the final rebound and no time on the clock.
“Some of the shots Pikeville took at the end that bounced off the rim could just as easily have gone in,” said Coach James.
Hale was named tournament MVP.
“This was the best feeling I’ve ever had in my life,” Hale said of winning the game.
McKenzie, Duff, Linville and Sturgell were named to the All-Tournament team.
Hale led Martin County with 28 points.
Eli Johnson and Samons each had 13 for Pikeville.
Pikeville had 18 turnovers vs. Martin County’s 10. Pikeville out-rebounded the Cardinals 28-17, with 12 of those being offensive rebounds. Martin County had six blocked shots vs. Pikeville’s three.
Scores by quarter:
MC 14 10 15 16 – 55
PH 12 13 16 12 – 53
MC (55) — Hale 28, Sturgell 13, McKenzie 8, Duff 6
PH (53) — Eli Johnson 13, Rylee Samons 13, Charlie Fitzer 12, Josh Huges 11, Heath Jarrell 2, Ian Ankara 2