‘It’s a do-or-die mentality right now.’ Kentucky’s top team returns to form.
Scott County got its groove back in one of the state’s most deafening environments on Monday night.
The Cardinals, ranked first in the latest edition of Dave Cantrall’s Rating the State, defeated No. 9 Madison Central, 77-66, on the Indians’ home court in the first round of the 11th Region boys’ basketball tournament. They advanced to meet Frankfort, a 78-68 winner over Paul Laurence Dunbar at home Monday, in the semifinals at Eastern Kentucky University’s McBrayer Arena on Wednesday.
Scott County forced 30 turnovers, scoring 39 points off those giveaways. Senior Diablo Stewart led the way with 24 points on 9-for-15 shooting and finished with three assists and three steals for the Cardinals, who had lost two of their previous three games after going most of the season without a loss to a Kentucky foe on their ledger.
Madison Central led 33-30 at halftime despite coughing up the ball 17 times in the first 16 minutes. Deion Cox secured a loose ball and throttled up the court for an and-one layup; the free throw put the Indians up three after Scott County had fought back from an eight-point deficit earlier in the second quarter.
Cards Coach Billy Hicks was satisfied with his team’s execution in the first half and thought his bench made a big difference in the contest.
“They just didn’t have a lot of depth,” Hicks said. “I think we got a lot more rest in the first half and, gosh, it just wears on you up and down the floor like that. That was to our advantage. I felt like if we kept pressuring and pressuring and pressuring, and get ’em in a running game, that we could wear them down.”
Madison Central out-shot Scott County, 55 percent to 45.1 percent, but the Cardinals put up almost twice as many shots (22 of 40 for the Indians to 32 of 71 for the visitors). Scott County had more steals (19) than turnovers (9) — Bryce Long led the way with six strips, and had seven of the Cards’ first 11 points in a game-swinging third quarter.
Michael Moreno, a Mr. Basketball finalist playing his third game since returning from a foot injury suffered in December, looked more like himself after getting minor run in Scott County’s rout of Frederick Douglass and struggling with his touch in the Cardinals’ loss at Henry Clay in the 42nd District championship. He finished with 15 points on 7-for-14 shooting, eight rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots.
“It’s much easier when you get to keep playing and keep practicing,” Moreno said. “It’s a do-or-die mentality right now. We’re playing for another 32 (minutes) every time we step out there, for as long as we can go honestly. I think we can control it if we just play our game, play team defense, rebound the ball, do the things that we can control.”
It was the final game in the prep career of Madison Central star Isaiah Cozart, the state’s all-time leader in career blocked shots and also a Mr. Basketball finalist. The Western Kentucky signee had 19 points (on 8-for-12 shooting), 13 rebounds and seven blocks, giving him 714 for his entire career.
11th Region Tournament
Monday’s quarterfinals
Frankfort 78, Paul Laurence Dunbar 68
Scott Co. 77, Madison Central 66
Henry Clay 82, Madison Southern 57
Woodford Co. 63, Lexington Christian 49
Wednesday’s semifinals at EKU
6:30 p.m.: Frankfort (27-5) vs. Scott Co. (29-3)
8 p.m.: Woodford Co. (20-10) vs. Henry Clay (26-5)
This story was originally published February 25, 2019 at 9:21 PM.
