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Lady Panthers headed back to state tournament
BY KYLE LOVERN MOUNTAIN CITIZEN NAUGATUCK, W.Va. — The Lady Panthers of Tug Valley are headed back to the West Virginia State basketball tournament after a 59-37 victory over Wirt County in the Class A, Region IV co-championship game March 4 at the TVHS gym at Naugatuck. Last season Tug Valley made it all the way to
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Martin County Cards advance in 15th Region Tournament
BRITTNI MCCOY MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Braxton Keathley and Bryson Dials combined for 65 points to lead Martin County past Betsy Layne 90-69 Feb. 28 in Inez and advance in the 15th Region Tournament. Keathley led the Cardinals with 35 points on 15-of-25 shooting, burying five 3-pointers on 11 attempts. The junior added six rebounds,
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Martin County Cardinals finish as 57th District runner-up
BRITTNI MCCOY MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PAINTSVILLE — Martin County, making its fifth straight appearance in the district title game and seeking its fifth consecutive championship, finished as 57th District runner-up for the 2025-26 season. The Cards entered the tournament as the top seed after securing the regular-season title, but fell to Johnson Central 93-79 in the
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Lady Cards roll past Lady Bulldogs in 15th Region opener
BRITTNI MCCOY MOUNTAIN CITIZEN LOUISA — Behind a dominant double-double from Maci Maynard and steady senior play from Chloe May and Sophie Harless, the Martin County Lady Cardinals defeated the Lawrence County Bulldogs 56-41 in the opening round of the 15th Region tournament Saturday. Postseason basketball often brings familiar faces back across the floor. When
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Braxton Keathley surpasses 3,000-point mark
BRITTNI MCCOY MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Braxton Keathley continues to etch his name into Kentucky high school basketball history. The Martin County superstar surpassed the 3,000-point mark for his varsity career Feb. 26 during the 57th District championship, adding another milestone to an already remarkable résumé. Keathley, a highly coveted Division I recruit and widely
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Panthers claw Billies on Senior Night
BY KYLE LOVERN MOUNTAIN CITIZEN NAUGATUCK, W.Va. — It was Senior Night for the Tug Valley Panthers as four upperclassmen played their final regular-season game at the TVHS gym at Naugatuck. The four included Braydun Ferris, Bryson Elia, Carson Newsome and Jace Hale. They did not disappoint the hometown crowd, downing regional rival Man 73-56
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Lady Panthers defeat Calhoun County to advance in regional tourney
BY KYLE LOVERN MOUNTAIN CITIZEN NAUGATUCK, W.Va. — The Tug Valley Lady Panthers, ranked No. 3 in Class A heading into the postseason, defeated visiting Calhoun County Red Devils 66-24 Thursday night at the TVHS gym. The convincing victory came in the Class A Region IV girls’ basketball semifinals. Tug Valley had a solid defensive effort,
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Martin County Cardinals find rhythm
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — By February, Martin County was no longer searching for its identity. It had one. The No. 1 seed in the 57th District Tournament, the Cardinals finished the regular season 19-8. They scored 2,154 points in 27 games — nearly 80 per night — while shooting 50.7% from the field and
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Lady Cards eliminated by Paintsville in 57th District
BRITTNI MCCOY MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PAINTSVILLE — Martin County opened fast and grabbed its biggest lead of the night in the opening seconds, but Paintsville answered with a long run and pulled away for a 77-42 win Monday in the first round of the 57th District Tournament at Johnson Central High School. The Lady Cards struck
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First State Bank Players of the Week: Devan Maynard and Chloe May
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Devan Maynard and Chloe May are the First State Bank Players of the Week. Maynard of the Martin County Cardinals basketball team turned in a dominant performance in the Cardinals’ 82-72 road win at Shelby Valley. The senior posted a monster double-double with 17 points and 21 rebounds,
