Bardstown Basketball

BOYS BASKETBALL: Statement game for Cards

Nelson grabs top seed with early KO

Photo by Peter W. Zubaty

 By Peter W. Zubaty

Nelson County’s Quentin Brooks swoops in for a layup Friday against Bardstown’s Nick McCarty, left, and Keaton Hall. The Cardinals scored a decisive 64-45 win and claimed the top seed in the 19th District tournament. Check www.kystandard.com for game dates and times from today’s district tournament meeting at Bethlehem.

The first time Nelson County and Bardstown hooked up way back in early January, the Cardinals were the preseason district favorites and the Tigers were reeling from a 1-9 December.

Nelson County left Tiger Gymnasium doing a bit of its own reeling after suffering a stinging 38-26 loss to Bardstown, a boost of confidence the Tigers used to get off to a fast 5-0 start in 19th District play. The Cardinals went without a field goal over the final 11:59 of that contest.

“We all have bad games,” Nelson County junior Quentin Brooks said. “And that was a really bad game we had. But we all put our heads together, played as a team more and listened to our coaches more.”

That added focus led to a more determined, fired-up Nelson County team Friday as the Cardinals turned defense into offense during a 12-2 run to open the game on the way to an emphatic 64-45 win to clinch the top seed in the 19th District tournament later this month.

“We played with a lot of energy this time, and we’re trying to make a big statement in the districts and the regionals for everybody and let ’em know we’re here,” Brooks said.

Bardstown coach Gary Goode said that his team just couldn’t match Nelson County’s intensity.

Photo by Peter W. Zubaty

Many Bardstown students came dressed for the occasion Friday night.

“I thought they really took it to us the first half,” he said. “I don’t think we responded real well to their physical, aggressive play. … That game was lost in the first half.”

The Cardinal guards hassled the Tigers into several early turnovers off the press, with Brooks the chief beneficiary as his team-high 12 points (shared with Demarcus Collins) came on a variety of finishing layups after steals. Brooks’ backcourt mate Daniel Mudd also got into the act, hitting a pair of three-pointers and dishing out a couple of assists during an 18-6 first quarter.

“That was one of our keys tonight that we thought we needed to do was to come out and set the tone with our defense,” Nelson County coach Artie Braden said. “That’s something we felt like we didn’t do last time we played them. It kind of kick-started us, and everything else kind of flowed.”

Braden said it was an overall team effort, just the way he likes it, with the Cardinals playing at a high level on defense, offense and on the glass.

Mudd and Tyler Martinez had eight points apiece, while Ricky Ricketts and Cameron Adams added six each, and two other Cardinals had five apiece.

Photo by Peter W. Zubaty

Josh Kays, right, hit a three-pointer just before the end of the third quarter Friday to silence Bardstown’s comeback hopes.

Nelson County enjoyed leads as large as 23 during the second half. The Tigers made a mild rally late in the third quarter to draw within 11, but Josh Kays’ three just before the buzzer stretched the Cardinal lead back out to 14 and effectively slammed the door on any comeback hopes.

Overshadowed by the Cardinals’ strong team game was a sterling individual effort for Tiger junior Chance Grundy, who finished with a game-high 21 points.

“I thought Chance Grundy really got after it,” Goode said.

It was the Cardinals’ fifth straight win to improve to 13-7 overall and 5-1 in district play. Nelson County will face Washington County in the first round of the district tournament. Bardstown dropped to 7-12 overall and 5-1 in the district. Friday’s game served as the tiebreaker as per Kentucky High School Athletic Association rules.

The Tigers face host Bethlehem in the 19th District tournament. Game dates and times were to be released today. Check www.kystandard.com for updates.

Ricky Ricketts drives the baseline for a Nelson County basket Friday

Bardstown visits Marion County and Nelson County visits LaRue County in the teams’ next outing Tuesday. Photo by Peter W. Zubaty

Nelson Co. 64, Bardstown 45

B 6 6 15 18—45

NC 15 11 15 23—64

B (45) — Cosby 6, Grundy 21, McCarty 4, Coulter 2, K. Hall 11, Hubbard 1.

NC (64) — Brooks 12, Kays 5, Collins 12, Ricketts 6, Adams 6, Martinez 8, Mudd 8, Greer 5, Land 2.

Tigers clip Eagles in thriller

Bardstown remains undefeated in district play

Photo by Peter W. Zubaty

Bardstown senior Nick McCarty swooped in for the go-ahead layup with 2:36 to play Monday. Bardstown overcame a halftime deficit and withstood a 9-0 fourth-quarter run by Bethlehem to remain undefeated in district play.

By Peter W. Zubaty

It’s always nerve-wracking to have the ball in your hands at the free throw line in the closing seconds with the fate of the game in the balance, Bardstown’s Keaton Hall said.

But if the senior was nervous as he stepped to the line with 1.6 seconds left Monday, he did a good job of hiding it when he canned both shots to lift the Tigers to a 67-65 win over Bethlehem.

“I know my fellow teammates wanted me to have the ball, so I stepped up and did what I had to do,” Hall said. The team practices pressure free throw situations at practice every day to prepare for just this situation, but “when it’s a district game, it’s a little different.”

Hall’s free throws were the finishing touch on an exciting, back-and-forth rivalry matchup that saw both teams play perhaps their best basketball of the year. Bethlehem was unable to get off a desperation try at the buzzer.

Bardstown improved to 6-11 overall, but 4-0 in 19th District games, and the Tigers have the inside track at the top seed in next month’s district tournament, hosted by Bethlehem. The Eagles drop to 8-11 overall and 2-3 in district games.

The Tigers were down 31-27 at halftime, but managed to forge a two-point lead by the beginning of the fourth quarter. Still, despite Bardstown blistering the nets in the second half — the Tigers shot 15-for-22 after the break and hit 26-of-51 overall for the game — Bethlehem mounted a 9-0 run to start the fourth quarter and seize a 53-48 lead.

“We shot it well the second half, and if we hadn’t, we’d have been in trouble, because they shot the lights out for the whole game,” Bardstown coach Gary Goode said. “It was an extremely well-played game. There’s no disgrace in losing that game; both teams played well.”

Bardstown steadily climbed back in it, finally retaking the lead at the 2:36 mark on Nick McCarty’s driving layup, 60-59. Nathan Hall hit a floater in the lane and Brandon Coulter followed with a defensive rebound and a coast-to-coast layup, forcing Bethlehem coach Larry Miller to call a time out at the 1:21 mark with his team now down five at 64-59.

“I just told them it’s a lifetime in a basketball game — anything can happen,” Miller said of his instructions in the timeout. “I told them to stay with it on defense and get some good looks on offense.”

Sure enough, that’s what happened.

Dalton Reed ripped a three from the left corner with 1:00 showing on the clock to cut it to 64-62, and after Keaton Hall hit 1-of-2 from the line with 52.8 left, the Eagles tied it up with Jordan Cooper drained a three from the right wing to tie it up with 30 seconds remaining, setting up Hall’s game-winning free throws, an opportunity he welcomed.

“Everyone wants to make the big shots,” he said. “I’m glad I got my chance. … We were lucky to have the ball at the end.”

Hall’s free throws gave him 12 points in the game. Coulter had 14, while McCarty ended up with 13 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

Photo by Peter W. Zubaty

Keaton Hall hit this free throw with 1.6 seconds left Monday, then hit the second to give his team a 67-65 win over Bethlehem to remain undefeated in 19th District games this season.

For Bethlehem, Jalen Phillips had 19 points, six assists and six steals. Nick Rogers had 18 and Reed finished with 13.

Bethlehem was 26-of-56 overall from the field to finish at 46 percent for the game; the Eagles hit 13-of-27 in the first half, and while they cooled off slightly in the second half, solid three-point shooting after the break (5-for-12) helped them stay afloat while Bardstown was torching the nets.

“We made some key baskets,” Miller said. “It could have gone either way.”

The Eagles forced 16 Tiger turnovers while giving it up just 10 times, but Bardstown outrebounded Bethlehem 34-29.

“Bardstown just beat the offensive boards really hard,” Miller said. “We gave up too many putbacks inside.”

The game was a continuation of the turnaround the Tigers have made since the season began. Bardstown dropped nine of 10 games in December, but since the calendar flipped to 2010, the Tigers are 5-2.

“Our young guys are stepping up and starting to play like (upperclassmen),” Hall said of the about-face his team has performed.

Both teams have a gap in their schedules until Feb. 2, when they get together again at Bethlehem.

“It’s still possible we could meet them in the district tournament,” Miller said. “After last night’s game, we know we can play with them.”

Bardstown 67, Bethlehem 65 — Reed 13, Cooper 11, Phillips 19, Rogers 18, King 4.

BE 16 15 15 19—65

BA 17 10 21 19—67

BE (65)

BA (67) — Cosby 2, Grundy 10, N. Hall 9, McCarty 13, Coulter 14, K. Hall 12, Hickman 3, Brooks 2, Hubbard 2.

Eagles’ size too much for Tigers

Tuesday

Campbellsville proved too big for Bardstown Tuesday as the Eagles battered the Tigers on the boards in securing the All A Classic region semifinal win, 73-56.

“I thought we let their length bother us,” Bardstown coach Gary Goode said.

The Tigers were outrebounded 45-23, as three Eagle players gathered eight boards apiece. Matthew Davis had the hot hand for Campbellsville, hitting 4-of-6 from behind the arc during a 22-point night.

Nathan Hall hit a pair of three-pointers to lead Bardstown with 16 points, while Brandon Coulter added 11 and Keaton Hall pitched in 10.

Campbellsville used a 14-4 run to start the second quarter to seize control. Bardstown got as close as nine in the second half.

“We just dug too big a hole for ourselves against a solid basketball team,” Goode said.

Next up for Bardstown is a visit from Bethlehem Monday.

Campbellsville 73, Bardstown 56 — K. Hall 10, McCarty 7, Grundy 8, Cosby 4, Coulter 11, N. Hall 16.

B 18 7 19 12—56

C 23 18 14 18—73

B (56)

C (73) — Percell 14, T. Downs16, Schwoebel 4, B. Taylor 13, Davis 22, Smith 6.

Tigers stun Cardinals 38-26

Tigers take early lead in district race

Photo by Peter W. Zubaty

Bodies and arms tangle underneath the basket as Bardstown senior Nick McCarty, right, goes after a rebound in the Tigers’ surprise win over Nelson County Saturday.

By Peter W. Zubaty

Bardstown continued its surprising run of good play to start the new year, holding preseason district favorite Nelson County to just one point in the fourth quarter in springing a 38-26 upset Saturday.

“It feels great — there’s nothing else to say about it,” senior Nick McCarty said. “We’ve been hearing it all week, even all season, even from our own friends at school that we weren’t going to be able to beat County. That just kind of put motivation in our ears to step up and play big.”

Key to the Tigers’ win was holding the Cardinals without a field goal for the final 11:59 of the game, and getting to seemingly every loose ball and rebound down the stretch.

“It was by far our best two halves of the year, and our best game of the year, especially on the defensive end and rebounding,” Bardstown coach Gary Goode said. “Our kids did a really good job (defensively); they were moving.”

With both teams playing tight, physical defense, points were at a premium all game. The teams found each other locked up at 4-4 early on, but the Tigers got a hot start from freshman Marcus Cosby — he scored seven of his game-high 14 in the frame — in finishing out the first quarter with a 9-0 run.

“We knew coming in it was going to be physical,” McCarty said. “You can’t back down from it.”

Nelson County bounced back, however, and was able to forge a 17-15 lead on a Jacob Greer three-pointer late in the first half, but a pair of McCarty free throws with about a minute left sent the teams into halftime knotted at 17-17.

The teams managed only four points apiece during the first four minutes of the third quarter. Then Nelson senior Demarcus Collins, whose 10 points led the Cardinals, converted an old-fashioned three-point play at the 3:59 mark of the third, then added another free throw a minute later to give his team its biggest lead of the game at 25-21 with 2:36 in the frame.

Things fell apart for Nelson County after that, as a lid materialized over the basket at the Cardinal end the rest of the game. Cosby hit a three and a bucket in the low post to give Bardstown the lead back at 26-25, and the Tigers never relinquished it, using strong rebounding and scrappy effort going after loose balls in knocking off the Cardinals.

“Our guys just stepped up and played well, and made the plays that had to be made,” Goode said. “Especially on the defensive end and on the boards — that’s where that game was won, I thought.”

Senior Nathan Hall hit an eight-footer to open the fourth quarter to continue the momentum. The senior was fouled and hit the front end of a one-and-one at the 5:31 mark, retrieved the offensive rebound and dished to classmate Keaton Hall for a three-pointer to make it 32-25, and Nelson County never seriously threatened after that as shot after shot clanged off the rim, with most of the rebounds going to Nathan Hall down the stretch. He had six rebounds, four points and an assist in the fourth quarter, continuing the late-game heroics he displayed in drilling a game-winning three to beat Washington County earlier in the week.

“Our juniors and seniors, we challenged them, but I think they challenged themselves,” Goode said. “I could tell in the locker room they were ready to play.”

McCarty had three free throws and two rebounds in the final 30 seconds.

Goode said the momentum from the Washington County win carried over in a big way.

“I’ve always noticed that (when) you get a real close, last-second win (it) can do a lot for your confidence, just like that type of loss is really tough to digest,” he said.

The Tigers are 2-0 in January — both district wins — after going 1-9 in December. Bardstown hosted South Oldham in a game after press time Tuesday, and visit Washington County (1-10, 0-3 dist.) for a boys/girls doubleheader Friday.

Nelson County fell to 6-6 overall and 2-1 in district games. The Cardinals visited Washington County for a boys/girls doubleheader after press time Tuesday, and visit Bethlehem (7-6, 1-1 dist.) Friday for another boys/girls doubleheader.

Bardstown 38, Nelson Co. 26 — Brooks 2, Kays 5, Collins 10, Railey 3, Greer 4, Adams 2.

NC 4 13 8 1—26

B 11 6 9 12—38

NC (26)

B (38) — Cosby 14, Grundy 6, N. Hall 5, McCarty 8, K. Hall 5.

BREAKING NEWS: Bardstown boys top Nelson

By Peter W. Zubaty

Bardstown’s boys and girls teams made big statements Saturday, with each riding their defenses in scoring wins over 19th District preseason favorite Nelson County.

The defense was even better in the boys’ game, which was a knockdown, drag-out physical affair.

Bardstown got off to a surprising 11-4 start after one quarter. Nelson County came back, however, and held a 25-21 lead on Demarcus Collins’ free throw at the 2:36 mark of the third quarter.

The already-cold Cardinal offense turned absolutely frigid after that, as the Tigers outscored them 11-1 the rest of the way. Marcus Cosby led all scorers with 14. Collins led Nelson with 10.

In the boys’ 19th District race, Bardstown has shaken off a 1-9 December by scoring wins in 2010 over Washington County and Nelson County to lead the way at 2-0. Nelson is 6-6 overall and 2-1 in district play. Bethlehem is 1-1 and Washington County is 0-3 in district games.

In the girls’ district race, Bardstown sits atop the rest at 3-0; the Tigers are 10-3 overall. Nelson County is 9-5 overall and 2-1 in district games. Bethlehem is 1-2 and Washington County is 0-3 in district games.

Hall’s 3 completes Tiger comeback

Photo by Peter W. Zubaty

Bardstown’s Marcus Cosby gets inside the Washington County defense for a fourth-quarter bucket. The freshman dropped in 19 to lead all scorers in the Tigers’ come-from-behind win Tuesday.

By Peter W. Zubaty

December was not kind to the Bardstown Tigers, as the squad dropped nine of 10 games in the first month of the season.

But Nathan Hall’s three-pointer from the left wing with about seven seconds left Tuesday to beat Washington County, 55-53, went a long way toward helping Bardstown wipe the slate clean from last month.

“We’re 1-0 in the district and 1-0 in 2010 — it’s a great way to start the new year,” said Hall, who hit a pair of fourth-quarter three-pointers to help the Tigers rally from a 46-40 deficit to start the frame. Hall finished with eight in the game.

“I was hoping it would go in. After I hit it, I was so hyped,” the senior said. “I’ve got so much adrenaline right now I could play another game.”

The win gave the Tigers (2-9) a leg up on the Commanders in the 19th District seeding race. Washington County is 1-10 overall, and already has suffered losses to Bethlehem and Nelson County. Bethlehem (7-6, 1-1 dist.) visits Washington County tonight at 6 p.m. in a boys-girls doubleheader, while Bardstown hosts Nelson County (6-5, 2-0 dist.) Saturday at 8 p.m.

Until Tuesday, the Tigers’ only win was a 69-50 decision over Rossville Christian, Tenn., in the Best of the Best tournament at Franklin-Simpson over Christmas break.

The Tigers opened the fourth quarter with a 10-1 spurt to seize the lead, but the Commanders came right back to take a 53-52 lead. The Tigers’ first try at retaking the lead failed, and things looked grim as the Commanders had the ball and looked to run out the clock.

Bardstown got a lucky break on a pass that was first tipped by the Tigers, then by the Commanders, and went out of bounds with 16.5 seconds remaining. After Hall’s game-winner, Joseph Hamilton’s try at a half-court heave was off the mark.

Hall said the win was much-needed for a Bardstown club sagging in confidence.

“It was the happiest group I’ve seen all year” in the locker room following the game, he said.

Freshman Marcus Cosby led the way for the Tigers with 19 points, and Chance Grundy and Nick McCarty added eight apiece. Will Purdom had 13 to lead Washington County, while Hamilton pitched in 12.

Bardstown 55, Washington Co. 53 — Abell 4, Hamilton 12, Purdom 13, Simms 5, Riney 6, Osborne 5, Turner 8.

WC 15 18 13 7—53

B 14 12 14 15—55

WC (53)

Local year in sports a newsy one

2009 In Review

February — Bardstown’s senior-dominated boys club continued the school’s stellar run in All A Classic play in Richmond, knocking off a tough Hazard squad that later made it to the Sweet 16 in the semifinals before falling 58-55 to Shelby Valley in the championship. In four consecutive trips to the All A, Bardstown went to three championship games, winning once. The 2009 tournament schedule had to be shuffled around because of the ice storm that paralyzed much of Kentucky.

Tigers make All A magic

Bardstown squeaks past Nelson — In what many expected to be a Tiger blowout — what with Nelson County returning basically no one with any varsity experience — Bardstown needed a pair of late free throws from Damian Edelen to hold off the upset-minded Cardinals, 56-52. The Cardinals surprisingly finished with a winning record despite graduating 11 seniors from the 2007-08 club.

Tigers win OT thriller over North — Bardstown and North Hardin finished up the regular season in style, as the Tigers got three free throws late in overtime from Demarco Phillips to score a 65-62 win on Senior Night in a matchup of two of the top contenders for the 5th Region crown. The Trojans later fell 82-76 in double overtime to Adair County in a wild region championship game; the same Adair team that got past Bardstown in a 63-56 OT nail-biter in the first round of the 5th Region tournament.

Tiger boys fall to Logan

Saturday

Logan Co. 70, Bardstown 49

Forward Troy Graham poured in 27 for Logan County in a win Saturday at Bardstown.

Marcus Cosby led the Tigers with 12 points, and Grundy added 10.

LC 12 18 21 19—70 — Davenport 9, McReynolds 4, Sowell 12, Graham 27, Lancaster 16, Rawlings-Watson 2.

B 13 10 12 14—49

LC (70)

B (49) — Cosby 12, Grundy 10, Hickman 6, N. Hall 6, Brooks 4, K. Hall 6, McCarty 2, Coulter 3.

Tiger boys fall on last-second shot

The loss extended Bardstown’s string to four to open the season.

Chance Grundy scored 15 points to lead Bardstown, and Keaton Hall added 12 more.

B 12 20 12 8—52

HC 9 16 17 12—54

B (52) — Grundy 15, K. Hall 12, Brooks 5, Hickman 2, McCarty 8, N. Hall 9, Coulter 1.

HC (54) — Vaughn 20, Murray 7, Faulkner 15, Walker 7, Atwell 5.

Tiger boys fall at John Hardin

John Hardin 53, Bardstown 42

Bardstown fell behind by double digits in the first quarter Friday at John Hardin and was unable to recover in dropping to 2-0 on the season.

Nathan Hall led the Tigers with 12 points, and Chance Grundy came off the bench for 10.

Bardstown was in action Saturday in its home opener against Logan County in a game after press time. The Tigers visit Hart County Monday.

B 5 6 15 16—42 — Cosby 5, N. Hall 12, Grundy 10, McCarty 8, K. Hall 5, Brooks 2.

JH 15 10 13 15—53

B (42)

JH (53) — Jernigan 5, Sheran 2, Curtis 17, Savoy 7, Foster 16, Richard 6.