A season-saving basket and an OT win. ‘We’re just eating up every experience.’
Scott County senior guard Aaron Leake etched his name in program lore Wednesday night.
The senior guard hit a jumper in the paint with less than five seconds to play to send the game to overtime and the Cardinals went on to edge Bryan Station 64-63 in the 42nd District Tournament semifinals at Scott County.
“I tell you what, I trust Aaron Leake to take that shot 10 times out of 10,” said Scott County Coach Tim Glenn, who took over for the legendary Billy Hicks after the Cardinals’ loss to Trinity in the state finals last season.
Leake finished with 21 points. In addition to the season-saving shot at the end of regulation, he sank two free throws late in overtime to ice the game.
Glenn believes his squad is rounding into shape at the perfect time.
“These guys, to see the growth from where we started to where we are right now is incredible. There’s always the ups and downs and ins and outs of a season, but these guys have never been through that before, they’ve been JV players and younger guys,” Glenn said. “We’re gonna come in and practice tomorrow and grow because we’re gonna have to. We’re just eating up every experience we can get. I’m so tickled for the kids”
Bryan Station (12-18) took a six-point lead into the fourth quarter and led the entire period before Leake’s bucket. The Cardinals scored the first five points of overtime to push ahead 60-55.
The teams battled to a near stalemate in the first half. Chase Grigsby’s deep three-pointer with less than a minute to play sent the Cardinals to the locker room with a 25-24 lead.
Scott County (16-15) also won two tightly fought regular-season matchups with Bryan Station, with both victories coming by a combined four points. Leake had nothing but compliments for the Defenders after Wednesday’s game.
“They’re such a tough group of kids. Every single time we play them we know it’s going to be close and it’s going to be a fight,” Leake said. “All the hard work is paying off for this team. We practice hard every single day and games like this are the reason.”
Terrin Hamilton scored a game-high 26 points for the Cardinals. James Lindsay led Bryan Station with 24 points on 10-of-18 shooting while Trent Grundy pitched in 16 points, hitting seven of nine shots from the field.
Scott County advances to face Frederick Douglass in Friday’s district finals.
Station outduels Devils
Behind a huge game from their junior point guard and a clutch play in the closing moments from a key reserve, the Bryan Station girls’ basketball team is headed to the district finals and the 11th Region Tournament.
Natoria Godoy scored a game-high 25 points and TaiShawna Jackson came up with the go-ahead bucket as the Defenders knocked off Henry Clay 64-61 in the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader. The Defenders will face Scott County in Friday’s finals at 6 p.m.
“The girls were ecstatic in the locker room,” said Bryan Station Coach Brian Hall. “They’ve battled all year long. We didn’t start off the season playing well and there were times when a lot of teams might have quit mentally, but they didn’t. They were resilient and we started playing our best ball toward the end of the season. The girls showed a lot of heart tonight.”
With the game tied 58-58 with less than a minute to play, Jackson flew into a passing lane and swiped a steal. She finished at the basket to put the Defenders up 60-58. Bryan Station (12-18) finished off the win with four free throws, including two from Godoy.
“TaiShawna was really good about slashing to the basket,” said Hall. “Her basket there near the end was really the key basket of the night ... That was a play there that Shawna just took on her own. She read that pass in the air and stepped up and got a big interception.”
Goday pushed the tempo all night for the Defenders. Whenever Station needed a lift, she always seemed to find a way to score or draw a foul. Godoy hit five of nine shots from the field and 13 of 15 free throws.
“She did a really good job of pushing the ball,“ Hall said. “We want to push the pace whenever we can. She did a great job and our wings did a great job of running the floor.”
The Blue Devils claimed the early advantage, pushing ahead 8-4 on Allison Stone’s bank shot. Bryan Station took its first lead, 11-10, on Godoy’s breakaway layup.
Henry Clay’s Lauren Thomas had back-to-back baskets late in the first half as the Blue Devils took a 29-26 lead into the locker room. The Defenders seized momentum early in the third quarter, going on a 17-3 run to open up a 43-33 lead. Olea Woodall and Tania Woodall scored six points apiece during the run.
Olea Woodall finished with 14 points of 6-of-10 shooting while Tania Woodall added 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
Ravion Jackson willed the Blue Devils back into the game. Her three-pointer ended a long scoring drought in the third quarter. Later in the period she beat her defender and attacked the basket, dishing to Lauren Thomas for an easy bucket. Jackson nailed another three as the clock wound down, pulling Henry Clay within 45-44 heading into the fourth quarter.
Jackson and Thomas led Henry Clay (12-16) with 15 points apiece. Thomas also pulled down 16 rebounds and came up with four steals.
This story was originally published February 26, 2020 at 11:07 PM.
