BY BOO NEWSOME
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — The Zip Zone Express Tip-Off Classic lived up to its reputation Saturday at Martin County High School as the pinnacle of preseason basketball events in the state. The day featured exciting matchups, the presence of University of Kentucky assistant basketball coaches Orlando Antiqua and Chuck Martin, and a hint at a potential preview of a Sweet 16 showdown.
Zip Zone announced the event raised over $21,000 to donate to Martin County student-athletes.
Fans packed the gymnasium for the near-sold-out event from start to finish.
Below is a recap of the action.
Lyon County vs. Great Crossing
The highlight of the Zip Zone pitted the top two ranked teams in Kentucky—Great Crossing and Lyon County—against each other in a close match that saw Lyon County emerge victorious 67-65.
Not part of the regular season, this matchup hinted at a potential preview of a state tournament showdown. Kentucky high school all-time leading scorer Travis Perry led Lyon County, while 7-foot-1 star Malachi Moreno attracted attention for Great Crossing.
Great Crossing stormed out with a 15-0 run, setting the stage for a back-and-forth battle of three-pointers, dunks and athletic finishes around the rim.
Despite a face guard on Perry throughout the night, Lyon County turned the tide, with Brady Shoulders taking charge and finishing the first half with 15 points.
The game remained close, with Lyon County staging a come-from-behind victory in the fourth quarter fueled by Perry’s 34-point performance.
Perry signed autographs after the game due to his recent commitment to play for the University of Kentucky.
Perry led Lyon County with a game-high 34 points, Brady Shoulders added 18, Jack Reddick netted six, Bray Kirk finished with four and Carson Collins flipped in two.
Vince Dawson led Great Crossing with 17 points, Juniun Burrell finished with 14, Moreno added 13, Gage Richardson chipped in nine, Jeremiah Godfrey flipped in seven and Jaylen Warren netted five.
Magoffin County vs. Prestonsburg
Local rivals Magoffin County and Prestonsburg faced off in a matchup foreshadowing a potential 15th Region encounter. Magoffin County dominated the first half with a 39-25 lead, eventually securing a 63-58 victory.
Zane Whitaker led Magoffin with 20 points, Aiden Barnett finished with 14, Walker Russell added 11, Ethan Sayler flipped in eight, Reed Meadows chipped in seven and Noah Sammons netted five.
Leading the way for Prestonsburg, Braxton Keathley and Connor Napier each scored 18 points, while Ethan Ferrell followed with 14. Jaxon Eastridge finished with four points and Kaden Allen and Brian Halbert each netted two.
Pike Central vs. Ashland
Pike Central faced a tough challenge against the fundamentally sound and athletic Ashland Tomcats, known for their three-point shooting. Despite a promising matchup, Ashland dominated 77-43.
Zander Carter led all scorers with 29 points for Ashland, Braxton Jennings added 13, Tyson Lalinde finished with nine, Asher Adkins and Caleb Clarke netted eight each, Nate Freize and Sam Lyons contributed three each, and Cameron Davis and James Mayor chipped in two.
Jaden Stewart led Pike Central with 13 points, Jaylon Rigdon finished with 10, Blake Adams added nine, Peyton Owens netted six, Jamere Knuckles flipped in two and Jacob Slone, Kaden Crum and Grant Hall each contributed one.
Lawrence County vs. Butler County
Lawrence County faced the dominant Butler County and lightning-quick point guard Ty Price. Despite Lawrence County’s competitive start, Butler County cruised to a 78-49 victory.
Justice Castle led Butler with 20 points, while Ty Price finished with 17, Lawson Reed and Trevor Deweese each added 13, Brian Griffin netted 12 and Clayton Deweese contributed three.
Leading the way for Lawrence County, Andrew Bloomfield scored 17 points, Hayden Perry added 11, Logan Ratliff netted 10, Luke Fetherholf finished with five, Braxton Davis flipped in three, Caden Muncy scored two and Keaden Ellis contributed one.
Evangel Christian vs. Boyd County
All-A State champ Evangel Christian took on Boyd County in an exciting clash that Evangel Christian won 73-56.
Kyran Tilley led EC with 21 points, Isaiah Chitapa added 14, Christian Doerr netted 10, Ben Mukadi chipped in nine, Davier White contributed eight, Johnny Djema scored seven and Andreas Jimenez-Conway finished with three.
Cole Hicks and Jason Ellis led Boyd County with 13 points each, while Taylor Griffin finished with eight, Drew Smith netted nine, Jacob Spurlock and Alex Martin each scored five and Rhett Holbrook flipped in three.
Martin County Lady Cards vs. Tug Valley
Martin County Lady Cardinals dominated Tug Valley 76-26.
Leading the way for the Lady Cards, Katie Marcum scored 19 points, Laken Williams finished with 15, Kennadi Mollette netted 12, Alyssa Allen flipped in 11, Maci Maynard chipped in 10 points, Chloe May added five and Angela Moore and Brooke Marcum scored two each.
For Tug Valley, McKenzie Browning led with 12 points, Bailee Hall added seven, Katelynn Richardson scored four points, Haven Deskins finished with three and Brooke Spaulding chipped in one.
Floyd Central vs. Tug Valley
Floyd Central secured a 73-56 win against Tug Valley in a heated battle characterized by physical play. Despite a good effort, Tug Valley ran out of gas toward the end of the game.
Martin County 79, Chapmanville 65
The night’s last game was a great matchup between one of West Virginia’s best and one of Kentucky’s best. The Cards were without starter Brayden McKenzie due to injury, but the bench stepped up and helped the Cards to a 79-65 win.
Luke Hale scored 38 points to lead Martin County, Jake Sturgell battled for 12, Peyton Davis scored 10, Blake Maynard added nine, Dray Duff and Devan Maynard each added four and Bryson Dials chipped in two.
Zion Blevins and Cam Blevins scored 13 points each to lead Chapmaville, Benji Adkins scored 12, Joey Gollihue and Drew Berry added 10 each, and Sam Miller chipped in seven.
