Bulldogs BITE Back!
On a week in which several teams made a statement which may have resonated starting from the beginning of the basketball term. Two weeks ago Elizabethtown took John Hardin down in such a way that no one (except maybe the Panthers themselves) expected and in turn getting a step up on the top seed in the upcoming 17th District Tournament. Since then, Elizabethtown had dropped a surprise game to North Hardin giving them two losses in the District making last Tuesday Night’s game at John Hardin even more important as the team which wins the second game of the two game series, usually has the tie-breaker in seeding situations if both teams have the same amount of district losses.
So after the Bulldogs stunning 84-81 win, maybe the word revenge seemed appropriate, but both teams had several things to look back on in a positive light even though the slim margin may have surprised some.
John Hardin got started early with plays set up to senior forward Mickey Pearson to score early. Pearson was held to only two first half points in the first meeting and although he eventually finished with 20-points, he struggled some during the first and during stretches of the second half. This time, both he and senior transfer Malik Wright were locked in early as John Hardin went out to a 34-29 halftime lead. It was the third quarter when the Bulldogs stretched the lead to a 14 point advantage at 62-48 after three quarters and even pushed up to twenty early in the fourth. Aaron Scott hit a couple threes ( he would be 3-of-4 fro outside the arc) and contributed 23 points. 
It was actually the three point shot that kept Elizabethtown close as they were 15-of-31 from outside. Of course, the missed shot were also a source of concern early as a couple misfires allowed the Bulldogs to sprint out to a big lead. Still, no lead seemed safe, as the Panthers trimmed a twelve point deficit with a little less than a minute to go on a Disney Basket and Harding’s three. Both Harding and Tyler Durbin single handedly kept Elizabethtown alive with 25 and 30-points, but more importantly were 12-of-21 from outside the arc. A late three cut the lead to 84-81 which was the final score.
Pearson, who finished with 20-points and 13-rebounds felt some relief after win. Getting started early was definitely a key for him and Wright’s 23-points were a big factor, but the addition of Scott’s emergence has added a new dimension to the Bulldog attack and helped make a talented team that head coach Jared McCurry believes will be hard pressed to defense hopefully by March.
In so many ways, it was a carbon copy of the two teams previous meeting when Elizabethtown bolted out to a 20-point lead and staved off a furious Bulldogs rally, but this was for something just as important although you can argue that there may be no difference between the top seed and the fifth depending on who’s hot that day. The Panther loss puts them in an interesting position because of their two losses to both Central Hardin and North Hardin along with this Bulldog loss possibly putting them at the third seed meaning a second round meeting with Central Hardin instead of taking on the winner of Fort Knox and North Hardin at the top seed.
Also there is the distinct possibility of a third and even a possible fourth meeting between these two teams in the District and 5th Region Final and it should be interesting who’s hot then and who’s got revenge on the mind.
