Beacon Ladies Hoops: March 7, 2023
James Collier
The Ashland Beacon
ASHLAND 67 BOYD COUNTY 50
Ashland combined a suffocating defensive effort with a record setting performance by Ella Sellars to secure the Kittens 14th regional championship with a 67-50 win over the Lions.
Sellars drained six 3s—5 in the first half—to tie the region record of most triples in a game while becoming only the second to do so in a regional championship since West Carter’s Cathy Day did so against Ashland in 1999.
Ashland opened the game on a 5-0 run after Kenleigh Woods splashed home a 3 and Sellars finished at the rim for her first of her game-high 26 points. Boyd County answered with six straight behind a pair of Jasmine Jordan buckets and a layup from Audrey Biggs to start a teeter-totter first eight minutes of action.
Ashland led 17-16 after one but a 15-4 run in the second put the Kittens in front for good as Boyd County would get no closer than four in the half and eight after the break.
Woods added 18 in the win for the Kittens. Jaidyn Gulley tacked on eight points and grabbed 10 boards. Jordan had 24 points and 13 rebounds for the Lions. Emilee Neese added 10.
Sellars was named the 16th Region Tournament MVP and were joined on the All-Tournament team by teammates Gulley, Woods and Jenna Delaney. Boyd placed Jordan, Neese and Taylor Barturm on the All-Tournament team.
Ashland will meet Region 14 Champion Knott County Central (23-9) Thursday at 11 a.m. in the Girls Sweet 16 at Rupp Arena.
SEMIFINALS
ASHLAND 45 RUSSELL 44
After coughing up an early 7-0 lead to start the contest, Ashland found itself in desperate need of a stop and score in the final 30 seconds of the contest. Trailing 44-43, the Kittens forced a Russell turnover and Kenleigh Woods finished in transition to surge Ashland back in front with 10 seconds to play. Shaelyn Steele raced the length of the court and appeared to have put Russell back in front with a bucket off the window only to have the basket waived off after Jenna Delaney rotated into Steele’s path for a charge to seal a 45-44 win.
Ashland led 25-24 at the break but a quick start to the second half by Russell gave the Devils a 33-27 lead midway through the frame. Russell took a 34-32 lead to the final stanza as the teams volleyed for the lead several times in the final eight minutes.
Jaidyn Gulley led the Kittens with 17 points and nine rebounds. Woods added 14. Ella Sellars had 11.
Steele finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds and was named to the 16th Region All-Tournament Team. Kennedy Darnell and Josie Atkins added eight points. Russell closes its season at 22-12.
BOYD COUNTY 83 MORGAN COUNTY 39
Boyd County used a record-setting first half to secure a berth in the regional championship with an 83-39, running clock thrashing of Morgan County.
Boyd County tallied 57 first half points, broke the previous best of 56 set by Morgan County in 1994. The Lions outscored the Cougars 31-7 in the second period behind an 18-0 run to start the frame.
Boyd County led 26-17 after one but the second quarter surge sent the Lions to the locker room with a 33-point lead. Emilee Neese put the clock in motion with 5:11 to play in the third with her 13th point of the game. Jasmine Jordan paced the Lions with 17 points and seven rebounds. Taylor Bartrum added 12 points and seven assists. Audrey Biggs and Jada Ray each kicked in nine.
OPENING ROUND
ASHLAND 71 ROWAN COUNTY 61
Ashland led wire-to-wire while withstanding several second half surges by Rowan County to secure a 71-61 victory in the opening game of the regional tournament. Kenleigh Woods led the Kittens with 25 points while going 12 for 13 from the charity stripe. Ashland hit 23 of 26 freebies in the contest.
Ella Sellars kicked in 14 points and Jaidyn Gulley added 13. Gabby Karle grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.
RUSSELL 58 ELLIOTT COUNTY 30
Russell used a suffocating defensive attack on Elliott County in the Devils 58-30 win in the opening round of the regional tournament. Russell forced 22 Elliott County turnovers and recorded 17 steals. Bella Quinn led the Devils with 17 points. Shaelyn Steele had 15 points and 14 rebounds. Kennedy Darnell added 10.
BOYD COUNTY 53 LEWIS COUNTY 41
Boyd County led by 18 with 6:08 to play in the final stanza in its opening game with Lewis County. That, however, would be the final field goal Boyd County would net the rest of the way. Fortunately, Boyd County took advantage of its late game free throws to hold off Lewis County, 53-41.
Jazmine Jordan led Boyd County with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Emilee Neese added 15 while going 3 of 6 from downtown and recorded four steals.