‘I’d rather win than score 30.’ Unselfish McCracken holds off feisty Bullitt East
McCracken County bent but didn’t break in its first-round win, 68-56, over Bullitt East on Thursday.
Max Blackwell had 13 points in 16 minutes off the bench to help propel the Mustangs into the quarterfinals of the KHSAA Boys’ Sweet 16. They’ll play Highlands in the final game scheduled Friday night at Rupp Arena.
BOX SCORE: McCracken County 68, Bullitt East 56
Blackwell, a junior, averaged 3.3 points per game this season and had only scored more than four in a game five times. His previous high was 10 points, scored in a win over Mayfield on Jan. 23.
“Just confidence,” Blackwell said regarding his performance. “The coaches and all my teammates had my back the whole way. They just told me to go in there and do what I do, so I give all thanks to them.”
Bullitt East quickly jumped out to a 4-0 lead but ceded 11 unanswered points and failed to ever get back on top despite getting within one possession on multiple occasions. The Chargers cut the Mustangs’ lead to 24-22 with 2:53 left in the first half on a pair of Collin Powell free throws. McCracken County (23-6) used a trio of triples — a couple by Blackwell on back-to-back trips and a third by Jack McCune — to build another 11-0 spurt to close the half; Dumas hit a runner as time expired to cap it.
McCracken’s lead grew to 15 in the second half but Bullitt East slowly chipped away again, getting to within 51-48 on a Will Blanford layup with 5:51 to play before the Mustangs pulled away for good; they ended the game on a 17-8 run.
Powell finished with a game-high 22 points, five rebounds and two blocks to lead the Chargers.
“It seemed like every time we would feel like we were kind of gonna do some separation, the Powell kid would step up and make a big ol’ three,” said Mustangs Coach Burlin Brewer. “Those guys are physical. They got to the rim some. I gotta give those guys some credit, but we were able to handle that run.”
Noah Dumas, the 1st Region’s finalist for Mr. Basketball, matched Ian Hart with a team-high points 14 points on 5-for-9 shooting with five rebounds and three assists.. He didn’t take a shot in the fourth quarter but kept the Mustangs steady throughout. Dumas went the full 32 minutes, the only player to do so for either team.
Brewer noted that Dumas, who averages 15.4 points per game, wasn’t among the top-five scorers in the 1st Region but that coaches recognized the totality of his contributions to the Mustangs and overall attitude.
“I’d rather win than score 30,” Dumas said. “That’s how I like to play.”
Bullitt East was one of the hotter teams in the field; the Chargers (15-8) won six straight after entering the postseason barely above .500 on the year. The Mustangs now will face the hottest: Highlands owns a state-best 18-game win streak.
“They shoot the ball awfully well,” Brewer said of the Bluebirds, who connected on 12 of 18 three-point attempts in their win over Muhlenberg County on Thursday. “We’ve gotta figure out a way to stay out on their shooters but also be able to keep them from getting us to the front of the rim.”
Boys’ Sweet 16
What: Sixteen-team tournament to decide Kentucky’s high school basketball state champion
When: Through Saturday
Where: Rupp Arena
Tickets: Seating is limited because of COVID-19. Tickets available for purchase at KHSAA.org.
Boys’ Sweet 16 scores, schedule
At Rupp Arena
Wednesday
Elizabethtown 87, Knott Co. Central 59
Bowling Green 85, University Heights 57
Ballard 70, Madison Central 61
Clark Co. 54, Oldham Co. 47
Thursday
Highlands 88, Muhlenberg Co. 60
McCracken Co. 68, Bullitt East 56
Boyle Co. vs. Paintsville, (n)
Knox Central vs. Ashland Blazer, (n)
Friday
11 a.m.: Elizabethtown vs. Clark Co.
2 p.m.: Bowling Green vs. Ballard
5 p.m.: Boyle Co.-Paintsville winner vs. Knox Central-Ashland Blazer winner
8 p.m.: Highlands vs. McCracken Co.
Saturday
11 a.m., 2 p.m.: Semifinal games
8 p.m.: Championship game
