‘He changes the game.’ McCrear throws a block party in Woodford County’s Sweet 16 win.
The Woodford County student section erupted as senior John McCrear blocked his fourth shot of the game with less than 30 seconds to play in the third period against Elizabethtown in the 2023 UK HealthCare Boys’ Sweet 16 quarterfinals on Friday afternoon.
McCrear, a Murray State signee, is a tremendous athlete. But he didn’t suit up for the Yellow Jackets (22-12) this season until the 30th District Tournament championship game against Collins at the end of February because of a knee injury.
That made Friday’s 59-48 victory over the Panthers (24-10) just his sixth game this year.
“I’ve always been known as a shot blocker,” the 6-foot-7 McCrear said. “That’s what a lot of coaches like about me, and a lot of people say about me is that I block shots. Being gone almost the entirety of the season and then coming back … you know, it takes some time.”
In Wednesday’s first-round matchup against Jeffersontown, McCrear finished with just four points and a single block. That didn’t sit well with him.
“A lot of people told me yesterday that I didn’t seem like I was myself,” McCrear said. “And that stuck with me. It fueled me. Blocking shots is a hard task. You have to time everything. And with me not playing the majority of the season, getting my timing back is big. So, to see that I had six blocks, you know, that really warms my heart on the inside.”
Woodford County head coach Jaron Brown said having McCrear back in the lineup means a lot.
“Having a big guy like that, 6-7, he changes the game a lot,” Brown said. “So now, when (opponents) drive, they’re thinking they’re gonna get blocked. So he changed the game a whole lot.”
McCrear finished Friday’s game with six, each one receiving a roar from the students as the Yellow Jackets worked toward their second Sweet 16 win in two days.
“To have a lot of fans come out and and support us like they have been, it’s rare,” McCrear said. “I mean, I don’t think there’s been any other school that’s sold out the student section within an hour.”
McCrear’s presence isn’t the only noticeable change in the Yellow Jackets’ lineup. Woodford opened the season with a record of 5-9, including a three-game losing streak to start the year.
Leading rebounder (7.7 per game) and West Virginia football signee Aden Nelson said the team needed to come together to regroup and right the ship. Their first Sweet 16 appearance in nearly 40 years is a testament to their commitment and growth.
“A lot of people doubted us,” Nelson said. “I mean, we see it. We’ve seen it the whole season. So just coming together as a team and believing in each other, that’s been our biggest motivation. We didn’t need anything else but us. So just motivating each other and just proving it. And we’re proving it now.”
Nelson, alongside star sophomore Jasper Johnson, led the Yellow Jackets in scoring Friday with 16 points each. The Panthers’ Ayden Evans led Elizabethtown in scoring with 12 points. Evans also grabbed a game-high six rebounds.
Woodford County kept Elizabethtown at arm’s length down the stretch by making free throws — 25 in 29 attempts overall and 17 in 20 tries in the fourth quarter. Makhi Smith was 7-for-8, Johnson 6-for-6 and Nelson 6-for-7.
The Yellow Jackets advanced to the Sweet 16 semifinals to face Warren Central on Saturday morning.
2023 BOYS’ SWEET 16
What: Sixteen-team tournament to decide Kentucky’s high school basketball state champion.
When: Wednesday through Saturday
Where: Rupp Arena
Tickets: Tickets available for purchase at KHSAA.org.
Wednesday’s games
Woodford County 60, Jeffersontown 57 (OT)
Elizabethtown 48, McCracken County 44
Warren Central 80, Pulaski County 55
Ashland Blazer 66, Owensboro 65
Thursday’s games
Male 94, Breathitt County 59
Lyon County 61, Newport 46
Frederick Douglass 73, Martin County 53
George Rogers Clark 62, North Laurel 54
Friday’s quarterfinals
Woodford County 59, Elizabethtown 48
Warren Central 64, Ashland Blazer 48
Frederick Douglass 58, Male 54
George Rogers Clark 60, Lyon County 56
Saturday’s games
11 a.m.: Semifinal 1: Woodford County (22-12) vs. Warren Central (34-1)
1:30 p.m.: Semifinal 2: Frederick Douglass (33-2) vs. George Rogers Clark (29-5)
7 p.m.: Championship
This story was originally published March 17, 2023 at 4:02 PM.
