George Rogers Clark’s tourney-built resilience on display in first-round Sweet 16 win

As fast as its sizable lead vanished in the third quarter, George Rogers Clark showed the resolve one expects of a state-tournament fixture against a team making its first appearance in almost two decades.

The Cardinals defeated Franklin-Simpson 64-42 in the opening round of the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Girls Basketball Sweet 16 on Wednesday night in Rupp Arena. They’ll meet North Laurel, a winner earlier in the day against Ashland Blazer, in the quarterfinals at 11 a.m. Friday.

BOX SCORE: George Rogers Clark 64, Franklin-Simpson 42

GRC’s 14-point halftime lead — built largely through 11 first-half turnovers by the Wildcats — dwindled to four by the end of the third quarter, the back part of which Franklin-Simpson ended on an 11-3 run. The Wildcats had multiple opportunities to extend that spurt to open the fourth but failed to capitalize; back-to-back baskets by Teigh Yeast, the second off an interception at midcourt, put the Cardinals up 40-32.

Franklin-Simpson (28-3) trimmed its deficit to six out of a timeout following Yeast’s steal-and-score, but the Wildcats got no closer. A 10-1 GRC run beginning midway through the quarter left no room for doubt.

“The past two seasons our team has fought adversity,” said senior Ciara Byars, a Michigan signee who finished with nine points, seven rebounds and five blocks. “We had a really good start then we had that lull, and Franklin-Simpson’s a good team so they’re always gonna fight back.

“But we’ve been through lots of wars and we’ve traveled across the country playing a lot of quality teams, so being able to stay together, compose ourselves and come back? We’re used to it.”

The No. 2-ranked Cardinals (26-7) are undefeated against in-state competition aside from Sacred Heart, the four-time defending state champion and the No. 1 team. Each of their last three seasons has ended at the hands of the Valkyries in Rupp Arena. A fourth straight Sweet 16 clash could not happen until this year’s championship game on Saturday.

Stingy defense could help turn the tide for the Cardinals should the state’s top two teams meet again. Senior Jailenn Green had four of GRC’s 14 steals Wednesday, and she turned a couple into buckets en route to a game-high 22 points (on 9-for-10 shooting). Kennedy Stamper, playing in her fourth straight state tournament as a sophomore, finished with 15 points, four assists and three steals.

About the only thing that went poorly for Stamper, who stands about 5-foot-4, was an early jump-ball face-off after a tie-up.

“I went out there and really gave it my all,” Stamper said with a laugh. “I got up there a little bit, I’d like to do it again but that’s probably not the position for me to be doing.”

Coach Robbie Graham chimed in, grinning.

“She won’t be jumping the ball to start a game anytime soon.”

Wildcats’ nerves

Franklin-Simpson had not played in the Sweet 16 since 2009. It handled GRC well enough in the half court but lost the decisive fast-break battle, finishing with only two points to the Cardinals’ 24.

“There’s always jitters when you make that next step up,” Wildcats head coach Ashley Taylor said. “We kind of talk about it in seasons, and this was a season that we’ve never been to. There’s always that little bit of nerves. … Every film I’ve watched, (GRC) has come out and thrown a knockout punch into their opponents.”

The Cardinals did that, answering a Franklin-Simpson 3-pointer to give the Wildcats their only lead with a 12-2 run and then an 8-2 burst to start a sloppy second quarter for both squads. But Taylor’s team fought back hard enough to excite a hearty cheering contingent before GRC’s final response.

Among the baskets that fueled Franklin-Simpson’s third-quarter run was one of the most improbable makes in Sweet 16 history. Naja Nolan thrust a ball into the post toward LaReesha Cawthorn, who was tightly guarded by Byars. Both forwards went up to grab the ball, which was tipped into the air and into the basket. Cawthorn, who finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Wildcats, got credit for the hoop.

“Me and Naja read each other’s minds,” Cawthorn said with a grin.

This story was originally published March 12, 2025 at 10:25 PM.