Boys’ 11th Region tournament: Dunbar, Henry Clay into semifinals

It took Paul Laurence Dunbar a bit to shake off the rust from not having played in nearly a week, but the Bulldogs found their groove in the second quarter and staved off an upset-minded Madison Southern squad en route to an 72-62 victory in the first round of the boys’ 11^th Region basketball tournament Thursday night in EKU’s Alumni Coliseum.

Dunbar Coach Scott Chalk expected his Bulldogs, ranked second in the state, to come out sluggish after not suiting up since last Friday when they won the 43^rd District championship. “These guys, they’d rather have one day off then play,” Chalk said. “ … We don’t want to sit around for three or four days. That’s not good for us.”

He added that his players looked at Madison Southern’s record – barely above .500 – and underestimated the Eagles’ ability to keep the game competitive. Southern was amped up while the Bulldogs “just stood around a little bit.”

Dunbar tussled back and forth with Southern through the first period. The Bulldogs knotted things at 15 as the quarter closed thanks to a jumper by Taveion Hollingsworth, who put in another in the opening moments of the second quarter to give Dunbar a 17-15 lead. That ignited an 8-0 run and Madison Southern never fully recovered.

Madison Southern opened the third quarter on an 11-4 run, capped by a strong run to the rim by junior Michael Jefferson to get the Eagles within 43-41. Dunbar’s Darius Williams went on a 6-0 run from there to again extend the lead. He scored 10 of the Bulldogs’ 15 in the period and 16 of his game-high 24 in the second half. Williams was 11-for-14 from the free-throw line and also had eight rebounds in only 22 minutes as he battled foul trouble.

“We picked up the intensity the second half,” said Williams, who passed Cameron Mills for fourth all-time in program scoring. “We just got into it. We came out lackadaisical.”

Junior star Hollingsworth had 23 points, nine boards, seven assists and two steals for Dunbar, which won its fifth straight and 13^th out of its last 15.

Southern’s Jefferson had 10 at halftime for the Eagles. That was a major talking point in the locker room, Chalk said. Jefferson finished with 23 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, both more than double his averages on the season.

“We played the scouting report but it just didn’t work out that time,” Chalk said with a laugh. “That happens sometimes. He did good for stepping up.”

Henry Clay routs Woodford

Henry Clay had little trouble in its opener, walking away with a 72-41 win over Woodford County to set up a must-see matchup with Dunbar in Saturday’s semifinals.

Henry Clay’s victory gave Lexington three of the four semifinalists in the tournament. No. 11 Scott County and No. 14 Lafayette will meet in Saturday’s first game.

The Blue Devils, ranked third in the state right behind only Dunbar and Covington Catholic, soared out to a 9-0 lead and took a 40-18 advantage into the break. Isaiah Tisdale and Lee Ridgeway led the Blue Devils with 13 points apiece, each spending most of the second half on the pine as Henry Clay’s reserves got some big-stage experience. Its starters should be well-rested for the bout on Saturday.

“This time of year it’s survival and find a way to win,” said Coach Daniel Brown, who acknowledged the Blue Devils had the talent advantage against the Yellow Jackets. “… (Scott Hundley) does a wonderful job down in Woodford County so hats off and respect to them.”

Dunbar and Henry Clay split their two meetings this season. The Bulldogs won in a romp at home and the Blue Devils rallied for a three-point overtime win on their own court.

Can’t get a seat in Rupp Arena when LSU rolls into town on Saturday? The four top-15 high school boys’ teams playing in Richmond should provide an excellent alternative.

“Do you really have to say anything?” Brown said. “ … If you like good basketball, come down to the 11^th Region on Saturday.”

Paul Laurence Dunbar 72, Madison Southern 62

Henry Clay, Woodford County

This story was originally published March 3, 2016 at 10:45 PM with the headline "Boys’ 11th Region tournament: Dunbar, Henry Clay into semifinals."