Defending champs overcome slow start, All-American’s absence in first-round victory
With Ryle’s McDonald’s All-American walking and talking instead of running and warming up, it took the defending state champions a while before settling into their game against a determined Letcher County Central team in their Mingua Beef Jerky/KHSAA Girls’ Sweet 16 first-round game Wednesday afternoon in Rupp Arena.
But freshman Abby Holtman’s three-pointer at the halftime horn signaled the Raiders were about to wake up and walk out with a 59-36 victory.
“They are a great physical team and we knew that coming in, but we didn’t handle it right off,” said Ryle Coach Katie Haitz who updated senior guard Maddie Scherr’s status as “day-by-day.” The Oregon commit sprained her right ankle early in their 9th Region finals.
To make matters worse, their leading scorer, Brie Crittendon, picked up her second foul two minutes into the game and sat the rest of the half.
When Crittendon returned, so did the Raiders’ determination on defense. Ryle forced seven turnovers during a 13-2 run in the third period that was capped by a Crittendon three-pointer, only her second bucket of the game.
“Once we were able to … handle the defensive side, it brought more confidence to our offensive side to let things run through and get ourselves in situations to hit some shots and get some rebounds,” Haitz said.
Part of the surge came thanks to Ryle’s youth movement. Eighth-graders Quinn Eubank and Sarah Baker scored 11 points each and steadied the attack.
“Playing Maddie and Jaiden (Douthit), the seniors, they are really hard on you, but at the same time it just gets us better,” Eubank said of their practices. “The practice helped us so much that in the games, it’s not much different. We’re playing against top people in the nation, like, Maddie’s like 20th (in the recruiting rankings), or something. Playing against her has us ready for these games.”
Letcher County Central got 13 points and 10 rebounds from forward Kaylee Banks in the first half, but Ryle limited her the rest of the way. She finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds.
“They did a good job of coming out and trapping our ball screens and making us throw harder passes,” Letcher Coach Keith Baker said. “We knew how athletic they were. They’re better athletes than us … We probably haven’t played another team as athletic as them.”
Next, Ryle will face 6th Region champion Bullitt East, a 66-55 winner over Elizabethtown in the first game of the day. Ryle defeated the Chargers 82-73 on Jan. 31 in the Louisville Invitational Tournament.
“They are very similar us in a lot of ways,” Haitz said. “I think it will be a good game. I think it will be all about the defensive side, … boxing out and rebounding and taking care of the ball.”
Notes
Show of respect: With about a minute left, Letcher County Central subbed in senior guard Mackenzie Craft, who was lost to an ACL injury early in the season, but able to move around with a brace for her Rupp Arena moment.
Craft’s three-point attempts missed, but Ryle’s players helped rebound for her to get her on the stat sheet. She decided to settle for a layup to cap her Cougars career.
“The coach at Ryle, she’s won a state title. They’re a class act,” Baker said. “(Haitz) knew the players and she knew we were going to get (Craft) on the floor. Kenzie was our three-point shooter and we were hoping she could nail a three … I said if there’s a chance, I would get you on the floor and the chance came around.”
A referee first: For the first time in tournament history, three female referees — Michelle Gardner, Hannah Reynolds and Jennifer Hilton — worked a Sweet 16 game.
Coronavirus: Commissioner Julian Tackett said the KHSAA is continuing to evaluate the situation, but there is no change to the stance they announced Sunday, which is to continue hosting the event.
“There’s no urgency to do something, nor is there an urgency to copy anybody else,” Tackett said. “We’ll keep listening to the CDC and the governor.”
Girls’ Sweet 16
What: Kentucky’s state high school basketball tournament
When: Through Sunday
Where: Rupp Arena
Sweet 16 scores, schedule
Wednesday
Bullitt East 66, Elizabethtown 55
Ryle 59, Letcher Co. Central 36
Casey Co. vs. Pikeville (n)
Franklin Co. vs. Anderson Co. (n)
Thursday
Noon: South Laurel (26-6) vs. Sacred Heart (32-2)
1:30 p.m.: Marshall Co. (24-9) vs. Henderson Co. (22-7)
6:30 p.m.: Bowling Green (28-6) vs. Russell (26-8)
8 p.m.: Clark Co. (22-10) vs. Owensboro Catholic (25-10)
Friday
Quarterfinal games at noon, 1:30, 6:30 and 8 p.m.
Saturday
Semifinal games at 6:30 and 8 p.m.
Sunday
2 p.m.: Championship game
This story was originally published March 11, 2020 at 5:15 PM.
