BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
PAINTSVILLE, Ky. — Martin County Lady Cardinals battled it out Thursday with the Paintsville Lady Tigers for the 57th District tournament crown. When the buzzer sounded, Martin County had won the war 54-48 for back-to-back district championships.
Excited Martin County fans who packed into the crowded Paintsville High School gymnasium were in for a treat. This would be Coach Robin Newsome and her Lady Cardinals’ third district title in the new school’s four-year history. It had been 12 years since the storied Lady Cardinals program had won back-to-back titles, the last being in 2010 and 2011 at Sheldon Clark High School.
“I just thank God for all his blessings on this team,” Newsome said. “I couldn’t be more proud of these young ladies. No matter how we finish, this group and their accomplishments can’t be defined by any one game.”
The Lady Cards had come out on top on the three previous occasions that these two teams clawed it out during the regular season. However, the Tigers were relentless this night, and the fight went down to the wire. Adding to the challenge, the gym was overly hot, causing condensation on the floor and making it slippery.
“I expected it to be a war from start to finish. We were blessed to pull it out,” said Newsome. “These kids have been in this same situation several times during the season and came through. We had so many kids step up and make big plays. I was confident we could do it.”
The coach said of the facility’s condition, “This just seemed like one of those old-time games in an old-time hot, sweaty, packed-out gym, with both teams just getting after each other and being very talented. We pride ourselves on playing in these situations. We have played in several tournaments this season in and out of the state to get prepared for this.”
Paintsville came out with a chaser on Laken Williams at times, so the other Martin County players had to make plays.
Alyssa Allen took over the game in the first quarter scoring 10 points to lead the Lady Cards with one of her best performances of the year. Allen knocked down four 3-pointers on her way to 16 points to lead the Lady Cardinals. Every time Paintsville made a run, Allen and Brooke Marcum had an answer.
Paintsville went on an 8-0 run to start the game. Coach Newsome stopped the bleeding by calling a timeout with 5:10 to go in the first quarter.
The Lady Cards returned with a 14-0 run to take the lead for good at the end of the first quarter 14-8. Allen got on the board with two free throws, then hit Katie Marcum under the basket for two. At 3:45 Allen knocked the bottom out of a 3-pointer before Williams found Allen on the break for two. With 1:48 to go, Kennadi Mollett found Williams for a basket forcing Paintsville to call timeout. Allen finished the quarter by draining another 3-pointer.
Both teams played even in the second frame, scoring 10 points each. Williams led the Lady Cards with six, putting Martin County up 24-18 at halftime.
K. Marcum picked up her second foul with 27 seconds to go in the first half.
The third quarter started with Mollette finding K. Marcum under the basket to stretch Martin County’s lead to 26-18. Williams assisted B. Marcum, who drained a 3-pointer to make it 29-20.
K. Marcum picked up her third foul at the 5:05 mark and her fourth at 1:31, forcing her to the bench.
Allen found B. Marcum, who knocked down her second 3-pointer of the quarter to put the Lady Cards in front 36-28 at the end of three. B. Marcum led Martin County with seven points.
Paintsville came storming back in the fourth quarter to make a run. Kylie Kinner hit a 3-pointer at 6:54 to close the gap to 36-31. Allen answered the call with a 3-pointer, then Williams drove for a basket to widen the lead to 41-34 with 5:45 to go.
Kalie Mulcahy of Paintsville struck again for her third 3-pointer of the game to bring the Tigers within four 41-37. Coach Newsome brought K. Marcum back into the game with 4:23 showing on the clock.
Kinner hit a 3 at the 4:05 mark to make it a one-point game 41-40.
Chloe May pulled down a big offensive rebound at the 3:45 mark, leading to an assist from B. Marcum to Allen. Once again, Allen answered with a 3-pointer to move the Lady Cards out 44-40.
With Martin County in the bonus, Coach Newsome decided to use some clock at the 3:14 mark. “We were still looking to score,” said Newsome. “We just wanted a good shot.”
Paintsville’s Cameron Helton knocked down a 3 with 2:36 remaining to narrow the gap to 44-43. B. Marcum drew a foul and hit one of two to make it 45-43 with 2:19 remaining.
Eight seconds later, Allen fouled Kinner on a three-point shot, giving her three free throws and a chance for Paintsville to take its first lead or tie since early in the first quarter. Kinner hit 1 of 3 as the Lady Cards held a 45-44 lead.
Kinner missed a shot at 1:05 and Williams grabbed the rebound. B. Marcum was fouled with 46 seconds to go. As she has all season, B. Marcum stepped to the line and drained both free throws to put the Lady Cards up by three points 47-44. Paintsville kept coming and closed the gap to 476-46.
When Williams got trapped at the 38-second mark, Newsome used her last timeout. With 33.7 to go, Paintsville was forced to foul Williams. The junior drained both free throws to go up 49-46. Helton scored on a putback for Paintsville with 20.9 remaining to again close the gap to one at 49-48. Paintsville fouled Williams, who responded by hitting both free throws to make it 51-48.
Emilea Preece missed a lay-up with 12 seconds to go, B. Marcum came out of the crowd with it, and Paintsville fouled her with 6.2 seconds left. That’s where B. Marcum ended Paintsville’s hope, hitting both free throws for a five-point lead.
“It’s been like a storybook season, and these kids keep coming up big. This was huge for our program,” said Newsome. My kids put in the hard work, and they deserved this. It paid off. To beat a team three times, and at their home gym in that type of environment, is not easy to pull off.
“I owe thanks to my assistant coaches and our support staff. No one knows what they do for these kids.”
Allen led Martin County with 16 points, going 4 for 4 from the 3-point line. Williams followed with 15 points and pulled down eight rebounds, while B. Marcum added 13 points and five rebounds, and K. Marcum finished with nine points and six rebounds. Mollett came up big with six rebounds, Sophie Harless grabbed two boards and May pulled down one.
Kinner led Paintsville with 22 points, Preece scored 12, Mulchay added nine and Helton finished with five.
