‘The energy just exploded.’ How Bryan Station erased a 16-point deficit to beat Henry Clay
As Henry Clay ran out to a 16-point lead on No. 4 Bryan Station in the second half of their 42nd District rivalry game Friday on the Northside, it seemed like the Blue Devils were riding a wave of momentum they carried with them from their overtime upset of No. 3 Frederick Douglass three days before.
And it looked as if the Defenders might get swept away, too.
“Oh, we were getting caught up in it. We were getting crushed by it,” Bryan Station coach Champ Ligon said with a laugh. “They say never turn your back on the ocean. We must have turned our backs, because that tidal wave was wiping us out.”
Then, Bryan Station’s defense stiffened. And the tide turned.
“Credit goes to the kids. They played so hard. They never quit,” Ligon said. “The energy just exploded. Once we got a couple of back-to-back scores and that momentum started rolling our way, it was just a thing of beauty.”
The dramatic shift of momentum set up Rashaad Faulkner for a game-winning moment with five seconds left, only fitting for the player who started the Defenders’ closing 14-2 rally with a 3-pointer six minutes earlier.
The final play out of a Bryan Station timeout with :21 on the clock situated senior center Antowone Burton underneath the basket for a potential tying layup. But Burton got pinned too deep toward the baseline to battle up through three Henry Clay players surrounding him. Instead, he spun to find Faulkner wide open on the right wing.
Faulkner didn’t hesitate. His shot floated softly inside the rim and circled through the net for a 55-54 lead. Henry Clay could not answer.
“I was just waiting for it to come to me,” said Faulkner, who finished with three 3-pointers among his 13 points. “Every time I shoot it late in the game I think it’s going in. I just stick to my training and follow through.”
Every Bryan Station starter figured into the fourth quarter rally via a score, offensive rebound or steal. Trailing 52-50 with 1:07 left, junior forward Taeshawn Adams intercepted a pass toward the top of the key and got fouled as he set sail on a fast break. He tied the game with a pair of free throws.
“We came together the whole second half,” said Adams, who finished with 14 points. “The defense was crazy. And we were hitting shots and making plays.”
Amari Owens, who Ligon said is still dealing with the effects of a shoulder injury suffered last week, led Bryan Station with 17 points.
The Blue Devils were up 31-26 at halftime and quickly built on that margin with a 15-4 run to start the third quarter. Hassan Bush’s layup with 7:03 to play in the fourth established a 52-37 advantage.
But Henry Clay (18-6, 4-3) didn’t score again until Jackson Stephan’s free throws with a minute left. Kayson Brown and AJ Dixon paced the Blue Devils with 14 points each. Stephan added 13.
With the victory, Bryan Station (21-5, 6-2) answered questions about how it’s remained inside the Kentucky Boys High School Basketball Media Poll top five all season despite suffering three losses to district rival Frederick Douglass and another loss to No. 10 Danville Christian on Feb. 8 in a game Owens sat out due to the sore shoulder.
“This is a big win for us to come out here with a comeback win against Henry Clay, a district opponent,” Adams said. “We’re a great team.”
But the Blue Devils also proved this week that they are dangerous. In two weeks, Bryan Station and Henry Clay will meet again in the 42nd District semifinals at Scott County as the tournament’s second and third seeds, respectively.
“My guys have got a lot of heart and they’re never going to quit, but the ball bounced our way at the end,” Ligon said. “Two weeks from now, it’s going to be a slugfest again, and we’re going to do it all over.”
This story was originally published February 15, 2025 at 7:53 AM.
