Relentless effort yields a first-ever district title, while more traditional powers reclaim theirs
At 1:39 in the fourth quarter, the play-by-play entries from Friday night’s boys’ 42nd District championship game read as follows:
“D Jackson Layup Attempt, D Jackson Offensive Rebound.”
“D Jackson Layup Attempt, D Jackson Offensive Rebound.”
“D Jackson Layup Made.”
“D Jackson” is Frederick Douglass junior DaShawn Jackson. And if you didn’t recognize him and his Broncos teammates before, here’s their new introduction: “42nd District champions.”
“I knew we got to score this bucket,” Jackson said while a clipped strand of basketball netting twisted in his hand after Douglass’ 78-75 victory over Scott County on the Cardinals’ home floor. “It was a little bit frustrating, but I’m very determined to get the bucket and get the W.”
While Scott County answered to take the lead moments later, it was Jackson’s relentless attack of the basket in that sequence of offensive rebounds that signaled Douglass would not back down.
With 21 seconds left, trailing by one again, Jackson went right at the rim and put the Broncos back up 76-75. From there, of course, Douglass held.
Douglass Coach Kurt Young said Jackson and his team have become more determined in the postseason. Jackson led all scorers with 31 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
“He’s just focused in. He’s always been that good,” Young said of Jackson. “He’s not settling now and when he doesn’t settle, he’s so skilled offensively that he can make those shots. He’s starting to get that mentality that nobody can stop him getting to that rim.”
Friday’s game mirrored the Broncos’ (20-11) season: a red-hot start, a letdown and then a strong finish. Douglass jumped to a lead of 19 points about midway through the second quarter. During the run, Jackson combined with senior Jaylan Green for a fast-break dunk that brought the considerable visiting crowd to a roar.
“We talked about it during the timeout. I said, ‘I’m feeling good, I want to dunk,’ and he got it up to me,” said Green, who added 24 points and 12 rebounds. “It was high. I had to go get it. It hyped up the crowd. I loved it.”
But the momentum didn’t last.
“We joke about it. When we start off hot, I get nervous because we relax,” Young said. “When we get that way, we go away from what we do.”
Scott County’s Aaron Leake scored 12 of his team-high 20 points during a 19-5 run that brought the Cardinals back into the game before halftime.
Scott County (16-16) then grabbed the lead on a pair of Chase Grisby free throws early in the third period and stayed in front until Jackson’s putback sequence some 12-and-a-half minutes later.
Now, as champs, Douglass will host its 11th Region Tournament first-round game Tuesday night. The Broncos drew Berea (22-9).
“We’ve said all year, this team can beat anybody in the state or get beat by anybody in the state,” Young said. “If we come together, get those outside influences out, play as a team, then we’ve got a chance to make a run. I give them all the credit in the world. They’ve had chances to break, they stuck together, and then we got what we got tonight.”
Boys’ 43rd District finals
Lexington Catholic 72, Tates Creek 52: Ben Johnson scored 10 of his 30 points in the first quarter and the Knights combined that with their stifling defense to claim their first district title since 2015.
“Our defense was really, really good,” said LexCath Coach Brandon Salsman, praising the defensive efforts of “unsung heroes” Ian Rothbaur, Jackson Smith and Ryan Russell. “We outrebounded them and they struggled against both our man and zone. It really kind of frustrated them in the second half and we were able to push it out.”
Lexington Catholic’s Jack Gohmans added 19 points. Aman Taylor led Tates Creek with 19 points.
Girls’ 42nd District finals
Scott County 81, Bryan Station 47: Malea Williams scored 28 points, Kenady Tompkins added 20 and Morgan DeFoor had 14 as the Cardinals overwhelmed the Defenders to claim their fourth straight district title.
Now, the focus becomes earning Scott County’s third straight trip to the Mingua Beef Jerky/KHSAA Girls’ Sweet Sixteen.
“I think next week, if we just keep the same energy and we hustle and we talk as a team we can really go far,” said DeFoor, a senior committed to Morehead State.
Girls’ 43rd District finals
Paul Laurence Dunbar 62, Tates Creek 46: The Bulldogs captured their third straight district crown led by forwards Elise Ellison-Coons’ and Hailey Gadd’s 18 and 15 points, respectively.
Dunbar took control from the outset, gaining a 16-9 edge after a quarter and a 36-20 lead at the half. The lead ballooned to as many as 21 points in the third quarter before Tates Creek found a foothold for a 13-3 run of its own that cut the deficit to 50-39 with 6:24 to play in the game.
But Creek would get no closer.
Maddie Kauffman led the Commodores with 11 points.
This story was originally published February 29, 2020 at 1:11 AM.
