BY BRITTNI MCCOY
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
WARFIELD — Fourth-seeded Martin County Middle School held off Johnson Central 29-27 to capture the Eastern Kentucky Middle School Conference title Saturday in Warfield. On Friday, Coach Michael Coleman’s Cardinals upset top-seeded Magoffin County 42-37 in a thrilling semifinal matchup.
“I said earlier in the year that I thought we were working hard, improving every day, and that we would be tough to beat come tournament time,” Coleman said of his team. “Going into this, I really didn’t view us as an underdog. We played everyone close for the most part. We just couldn’t finish the games. We had no pressure going into the tournament because no one gave us a shot.”
The Martin County Middle School gym was crowded Saturday to see the Cardinals escape with the championship trophy in a nail-biting, down-to-the-wire 29-27 victory over the Eagles.
Tensions were high from the opening tipoff of the championship game. The two teams traded baskets throughout the first half, with the Eagles clinging to a narrow 17-15 lead at the break.
Martin County’s Luke Preece, a force to be reckoned with, exploded in the second half. He poured in 10 of his game-high 15 points, weaving through defenders and sinking clutch shots to electrify the Cardinals offense and ignite the already frenzied crowd.
Martin County entered the final quarter with a 23-21 lead.
With seconds ticking away and the championship on the line, the Martin County defense rose to the occasion, denying Johnson Central’s final shot in a dramatic, breathtaking moment.
The buzzer sounded, the crowd erupted and the underdogs hoisted the championship trophy.
“We shocked everyone by pulling this out,” said Coach Coleman. “Words can’t explain how proud of this team I am. I was just happy to see the looks on their faces, full of joy to win a championship. They will never forget this moment for the rest of their lives. I am proud to be their coach.”
Preece led the way with 15 points for the Cardinals. Jayden Yates followed with five points and Braxten Pack, Bradley Hatfield and Bentlee Bowman finished with three each.
Yates was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.
“Coach was hyping us up and brought us all together,” Yates said. “It feels great to prove everyone wrong.”
Yates, Preece and Hatfield were named to the all-tournament team along with Kruze Howell of Paintsville, Cooper Daniels and Branson Sagraves of Johnson Central and Aden Montgomery of Magoffin County.
Cards upset top-seeded Hornets
The raucous crowd at Martin County Middle School witnessed a classic comeback Friday night: The Cardinals overcame an early deficit to upset top-ranked Magoffin County 42-37.
Magoffin County held a slim 10-8 lead after the first quarter, fueled by two baskets from Yates and buckets from Hatfield and Preece.
The Hornets opened the second period on a 5-0 run, capitalizing on Martin County turnovers and some tough inside play.
Luke Preece broke the streak with a corner jump shot as Martin County began to chip away.
Braxten Pack scored an up and under. Jayden Yates picked a Hornet pocket and drove the length of the floor before scoring through contact, narrowing the halftime deficit to 22-14.
The third quarter saw Martin County erupt. Pack scored on a rebound and putback, igniting a spark for the Cardinals and energizing the crowd. Yates converted a free throw and another basket, showing his versatility. Bentlee Bowman hit a running floater in the lane for a 7-0 run coming out of the locker room.
After a Hornet bucket, Bowman connected on two crucial 3-pointers, one from the wing and the other from the corner, giving the Cards their first lead since the opening period.
The momentum had completely shifted. Magoffin County, visibly shaken, managed to tie the game at 27 by the end of the quarter, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
The final quarter was a tense back-and-forth affair, with neither team able to pull away. Every possession was a battle.
Preece and Yates hit key free throws under pressure, and Pack continued his strong inside play after scoring in the paint.
With the score tight and the clock ticking down, Bowman came up with a steal and passed ahead to Preece. He drove to the basket and scored a tough, contested layup through contact, giving Martin County a 38-37 lead with just over a minute remaining.
Pack ran Magoffin County into trouble and dove on the floor to force a jump ball.
Yates, showing ice in his veins, calmly sank two free throws after being fouled to extend the lead to three points.
Zaiden Tackett, a defensive specialist who had been a key contributor off the bench, came up with a huge steal near midcourt. He then battled through traffic for a crucial rebound after a missed free throw.
“‘Lockdown on D;’ it was a tight game,” Tackett replied when asked what was said in the huddle in the fourth quarter. “Huge encouragement from my teammates. We support each other. Anyone can do anything. We just had to push through and win.”
Yates made two free throws under 45 seconds to essentially ice the game.
Martin County’s defense, which had tightened considerably in the second half, held strong in the final seconds. Bowman denied Magoffin County’s final shot, and Yates grabbed the loose ball to send the Cardinals to the championship game.
Yates finished with 16 points to lead all scorers.
“I knew if we hustled and rebounded, we had it,” said Yates. “I saw great teamwork tonight.”
Preece fired in 12 points.
“Coach told us we’re in this and have to win it defensively,” Preece said. “This win feels amazing—to take down the No. 1 seed. We hustled and gave everything out there.”
Pack and Bowman both hit for six and Hatfield finished with two points.
