BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

The Martin County Lady Cards basketball team has been hard at work this summer, putting in the hours on the court. Since June 1 they have played 17 games, with more matches scheduled before wrapping up their summer play June 25.

Head coach Robin Newsome expressed her satisfaction with the team’s competitive summer schedule, including matchups against five teams that reached the Sweet 16 in 2023.

“We have won some games and lost some,” Newsome said. “But the most important thing is for the kids to compete, improve their skills and have fun.”

At the Rio Grande team camp held June 5, the Lady Cards had a mixed performance, finishing with a 1-2 record. In the varsity division, they secured a convincing victory against Piketon with a score of 64-31. However, they faced tough challenges against Ashland, a Sweet 16 team, and South Gallia, losing 61-50 and 46-45, respectively.

The junior varsity team managed to clinch a thrilling victory in overtime, defeating Eastern Brown by a narrow margin of 32-31.

Continuing their summer play, the Lady Cards participated in Northern Kentucky University’s varsity team camp Friday, where they again achieved a 1-2 record. They started the day strong, dominating Harrison County with a final score of 50-21.

In a tightly contested game against Wayne County, the Lady Cards found themselves deadlocked at 50-50 by the end of regulation. Unfortunately, they fell short in sudden death, losing 52-50.

In their final game of the day, Martin County faced a formidable opponent in Simon Kenton, a team that reached the Sweet 16 in 2023. The Lady Cards held the lead at halftime but ran out of steam down the stretch, losing 44-38.