Sports
Monday night at Livingston Academy it was the Lady Bobcats vs. Jackson County, the team they upset last year in the Region semi-finals which propelled them into the state tournament. With a 27-19 lead in the second half and Jackson Co. in big foul trouble, it looked for a while like the Lady Bobcats were about to pull the second upset of the night, (Red Boiling Springs upset Clarkrange) and second upset of Jackson Co. in the Region, but Jackson Co. came back to end the season for our talented team.
The Lady Bobcats struck first after both teams struggled to score early. The Lady Bobcat defense was at their best and it was Hannah Davidson making one of two free throws for the 1-0 lead. Jackson Co. then came back making two free throws, followed by a three pointer to go up 5-2. Aspen Smith then went to the line and made one of two. 2009 Miss Basketball and 2010 nominee Laken Leonard was then called for a charge. A great pass from Kayla Gibson to Mindy Green resulted in Green scoring to cut it to a 1 point JC lead. Neither team could score again before the 1st quarter ended.
The huge turnout of Lady Bobcat fans roared their approval as the buzzer sounded. Not only were the Cats sticking with Jackson Co. but Jackson’s Stafford and Leonard were in foul trouble.
The second quarter started with Montana Tuck scoring to put the Lady Bobcats back in front 6-5. But Jackson Co. came right back with a three pointer to retake the lead. Montana then struck again to tie the game. The Lady Blue Devils then were hit again with a charge call, but regained the ball to score to go up 10-8. Hannah tied it on free throws and with 3:32 to go Terrah scored to put the Cats up by 2.
Jackson County’s third three of the night put them up 13-12, but Kayla tied it on a free throw. Jackson Co. struck again with a three, but Terrah scored to make it 16-15. Another Blue Devil three made it 19-15 and it appeared that Jackson Co. may begin to pull away. But Kayla was fouled and hit both to make it 19-17. Laken Leonard then received her 3rd foul of the night. Montana scored at the buzzer for a 19-19 halftime lead. The Pickett County fans were very loud while Jackson Co. was very quiet!
Terrah scored first to put the Lady Bobcats ahead. JC then missed two shots and two free throws, Kayla rebounded the second missed shot and Terrah hit a three for a 24-19 lead and the Lady Bobcat fans came to their feet!
Jackson Co. was clearly rattled and Laken Leonard walked with the ball. Terrah then hit a three to give the Lady Bobcats an 8 point lead. JC missed their next shot and the Lady Bobcats had a chance to pull away but were called for a foul and JC hit a three to cut it to 27-22. The Lady Bobcats then began missing shots and turning the ball over. With yet another JC three it was 27-25. Another turnover gave JC the ball and they went to the free throw line to tie the game. They then went up 29-27 to end the quarter. The Lady Bobcats missed a three to start the final quarter with JC soon going to the free throw line and going up by 3. Montana then scored to end Jackson Co’s 11-0 run. Jackson Co. then hit a three and eventually went ahead by 8. A Kayla Gibson 3 cut it to 46-41 but time ran out on the game and season.
The Lady Bobcats gave the highly ranked Lady Blue Devils one of their toughest games of the season. Seniors Terrah Garner, Kayla Gibson, Kaitlyn Beaty and Brittany Garrett have provided Pickett Co. fans with outstanding years of basketball. Next week…season wrap-up and projections for next season.
Scoring: Gibson 10, Davidson 5, Green 2, Tuck 8, Smith 1, Garner 15
The Bobcats met Clay Co. in the District Championship game at Livingston and lost 65-49, after playing the Bulldogs closely in their first two matchups this year.
The first quarter saw the Bobcats take a 7-4 lead after Ben Aaron hit a three pointer, but they couldn’t take advantage of a number of opportunities to pull ahead further. Clay Co. was called for a charge, but then the Bobcats fouled. The Bulldogs threw the ball away and the Cats missed two shots. Joseph Dowdy then stole the ball, but the next Bobcat layup was off. Clay Co. then scored to cut it to 1. Nick Cross was then fouled and made one of two for an 8-6 lead. The Bobcats then missed several more opportunities missing shots and turning the over. Clay Co. scored to tie the game at the end of one quarter.
The 2nd quarter opened badly when Clay Co. hit two threes in a row when left unguarded, putting them up 14-8. The Cats cut it to 4 points but the Bulldogs hit another 3 to go up 18-11. After three missed shots by the Bobcats, Clay Co. scored to take an 8 point lead. The Bobcats managed to cut it to 21-15 at the half.
Sam Cummings stole the ball to start the second half and after both teams turned the ball over Heath Elder scored to cut it to 21-17. But Clay County pulled away to 26-17 and by the end of three quarters it was 35-28 Bulldogs.
In the 4th quarter the closest the Bobcats would come to Clay Co. was 41-33 on a Brannon Roop basket. Ben Aaron and Chase Ferrell each hit a three pointer late in the game for the Bobcats. Clay Co. pulled away at the end on free throw shooting.
Scoring: Aaron 7, Cross 6, Dowdy 11, Cummings 5, Roop 7, Penticuff 4, Elder 6, Ferrell 3
With the loss the Bobcats hosted Friendship Christian Saturday night in the Region Tournament.
The Lady Bobcats traveled to Friendship Christian Friday night to face the 2nd seeded Lady Commanders for the 3rd time this season. Their 5 previous meetings over the last 2 seasons were all Lady Bobcat victories, but this time it took heroics by Kayla Gibson and Terrah Garner to pull out the overtime win.
The Lady Commanders got out to an early lead. Down 10-4 Terrah Garner stole the ball and scored. Then Mindy Green’s basket cut it to 10-8. Friendship then went back up by 4 with the quarter ending 12-8. The surprising Lady Commanders outscored the Lady Bobcats to go up 17-9. Free throws by Terrah cut it to 17-11, followed by a drive to the basket for a 17-13 score. Down by 7, 21-14, with 3:53 to go in the half, Coach Smith called a time out. The Lady Bobcats responded with Terrah scoring 6 point and Hannah 2, and holding Friendship to just 2 points. The half ended 23-22 Friendship.
Friendship had the ball to start the 2nd half and scored but Terrah scored and after a missed Commander 3, Terrah was fouled and put the Cats ahead 26-25. The game then sea sawed as one team and then the other took the lead with the quarter ending 36-35 Friendship.
Hannah put the Lady Bobcats ahead but Friendship came back to go ahead 41-39. Kayla’s huge three pointer lifted Pickett Co. ahead 45-43. The Lady Bobcats then went up 47-44 on Garner free throws. With 1:53 to go it was 47-46. Friendship turned it over on a charge and with 23.2 seconds to go Mindy went to the line. Her free throw made it 48-46. Friendship drove in to tie the game and a three point shot, going 3 three quarter’s the length of the floor by Terrah went in, spun around the rim and went out! The game went into overtime!
Friendship scored first on a basket and free throw. Kayla was fouled and made one of two. Then Kaitlyn was fouled a tied the game. With 2:21 to go Kayla hit one of two free throws making it 52-51. Friendship then scored and the Lady Bobcats turned the ball over, but Friendship gave it right back and fouled Kailyn. She tied it at 53 all. Then with less then a minute to go Friendship hit a three to take a big 56-53 lead. The Lady Cats brought it down, Terrah called for the ball and hit an NBA three to tie the game! Friendship then began to run down the clock to go for the winning shot but Terrah stole the ball and time was called with 11.1 to go. The ball was knocked out of bounds with 7.4 seconds to go. It was thrown in to Terrah, who drove in for the winning basket as the buzzer sounded, sending them to the Region Semi-Finals!
Terrah Garner scored 33 points with Union University’s (the top women’s team in NAIA at 29-1 and defending NAIA National Champions) coach on hand to watch Terrah, Tennessee’s top scorer in all classes!
Scoring: Garner 33, Davidson 6, Gibson 5, Beaty 5, Green 5, Tuck 4
Three Bobcats named to District All Tournament Team
Joseph Dowdy, Nick Cross and Heath Elder were all selected to the District All Tournament Team.
Also selected were David Goad of Jackson Co., Steven Jones of Clarkrange, Mason Hensely of Jackson Co., Trent Boles of Clay Co., Caleb Allen of Jackson Co., Caleb Lynn of Clay Co., Brian Korth of Clay Co. and MVP was Shawn Garrett of Clay Co.