Highlands stops McCracken to reach state semifinals for third time ever
Highlands knew it would face a very different Ashland Blazer team when they met again at the state tournament semifinals in Rupp Arena on Saturday afternoon than the one the Bluebirds beat in their season opener .
But Highlands has gotten better, too, Coach Kevin Listerman said.
“Their best players are still their best players. Our best players are still our best players,” Listerman said of Ashland after the Bluebirds defeated McCracken County 63-53 Friday night in the quarterfinals of the KHSAA Boys’ Sweet 16. “(But) we’ve grown a ton, and our team is very different than we were on Jan. 4. ... It’s a little bit of irony that we circle back here. We’re very excited to play them again.”
Highlands put Ashland Blazer in an 18-4 hole at the outset of that game in January on its way to an 84-75 victory.
Friday’s win advanced Highlands to the state semifinals for only the third time in school history, also having made it in 1924 and 1997.
“We know this hasn’t happened in a long time,” senior forward Luke Muller said. “I think that’s fueling us a little bit to keep playing hard. I’m just telling the guys out there to stay steady. We’ve got a great team and we really handle ourselves under pressure well, and it’s showing out there.”
Against McCracken County, Highlands had a hot-hand from three-point range, making 11 long-range bombs, seven from Muller, as they put the Mustangs down by as many as 12 points in the third quarter. The Bluebirds made five of seven threes in the decisive third quarter with Muller nailing three of them in succession.
“One of our strengths is three-point shooting,” Listerman said. “We’ve shot very well these last two games and we’ve got to continue to do it.”
But McCracken rallied and forced Highlands to grind out the win with free throws and defense down the stretch.
“These guys don’t have a lot of quit in them,” McCracken County Coach Burlin Brower said. “They’ve always fought … And they don’t try to do it individually. They’ll move and get good shots.”
Highlands and McCracken shot the ball well throughout the game, both well over 50 percent at times, and the Mustangs took their only lead early in the fourth quarter before Muller’s three-point barrage.
Down 52-50 midway through the fourth quarter after a 12-2 Mustangs’ run, McCracken point guard Noah Dumas drove into the lane to try to get or set up the tying score, but as he reached the free throw line, Highlands’ Sam Vinson snatched the ball from almost out of Dumas’ lap and sprinted the other way. His contested shot missed, but Vinson was fouled in the skirmish for the loose ball and he went to the free throw line where he made both for a 54-50 lead with 2:52 to play.
“Sam has a knack for just making winning plays,” Listerman said. “That’s a huge play.”
Vinson’s steal was the first of four McCracken turnovers and three missed shots down the stretch that helped set up Highlands’ win. The Bluebirds went without a field goal in the fourth quarter, but hit 13 of 17 free throws during the period to seal it.
Muller led all scorers with 29 points and Vinson added 15 for Highlands (28-4). Ian Hart, Dumas and Brant Brower had, 15, 14, and 11 points, respectively for the Mustangs (23-7).
This story was originally published April 2, 2021 at 11:49 PM.
