2018 5th Region Girls Basketball Tournament
Elizabethtown wins the Cat Fight!
You could say that for second year head coach Donnie Swiney, his first 5th Region Championship was a long time coming (even though he was just there last season at this time), but unlike the 2017 game which the Lady Panthers lost to Nelson County, this one had a happier ending for him. Elizabethtown used a smothering defensive effort to nullify the Bardstown Lady Tigers and punch their ticket to another KHSAA State Tournament appearance. It was Elizabethtown’s fourth in five seasons.
After losing to these same Lady Tigers near the end of the regular season, Swiney and the Lady Panthers had learned their lessons well as they tried to limit Bardstown’s rebounding ability and stop giving them second and third opportunities. Elizabethtown did that and after a slow start finally took advantage of what scoring chances they had early and finally took control, while the Lady Panther defense did what it has done all season long holding Bardstown to under twenty points in the first half and constantly pressured them into bad shots and constant turnovers and turned a 4-4 tie into a 12-4 first quarter lead and then closed out the half with a 16-9 run.
Sophomore guard Whitney Hay helped supply the offense with a game high 23-points and was a threat on both ends with her darting ability and long arms. After the Lady Panthers too-close-for-comfort overtime win against Nelson County the previous night in the semi-finals, one might wonder which Elizabethtown team would show up in the championship. It became evident quicky when they got up by ten points in the second half and continued to smother the Lady Tigers on defense. For Bardstown coach Amber Courtney, who’s team won their first Region Tournament game and was embracing the Underdog role, it was a tough loss, but they will be back. Elizabethtown will now prepare for a State Tournament game this Wednesday afternoon against Bowling Green and a chance to hoist another trophy by the end of the week for a state championship.
REGION TOURNAMENT BRINGS IN THE CROWDS. After a lackluster attendance in 2016, the Girls’ 5th Region Tournament once again had people showing up in droves during the four day tournament. The Championship had a loud and energetic crowd for the Bardstown-Elizabethtown Final as both fan bases showed up to support their teams.
OVERTIME DRAMA! Easily the best game of the tournament was the rematch between Nelson County and Elizabethtown, last year’s Region title game. After December’s destruction of the Lady Cardinals, you had to wonder whether the game wouldn’t be on a running clock in favor of Elizabethtown in the second half, but low and behold Nelson County came out and gave them their best shot. With points at a low premium, Nelson County held a five point lead late, but Whitney Hay’s layup and then Karson Knight’s three tied it up sending it to overtime at 39-39. That was it for Nelson County, which failed to score a single point while Elizabethtown finished out the game to advance, 50-39.
MAKING HISTORY! Probably the biggest surprise of the four day tournament was Bardstown. While everyone was watching Elizabethtown, Nelson County and Nelson County, no one saw the Lady Tigers whom slipped under the radar. Yes! They had some weird losses to Green County and twice to John Hardin, but they did finish up with wins over Bardstown and Nelson County and they started things by winning their first 5th Region Tourney game against Marion County and took out another good defensive team in John Hardin reaching the final. What’s great for head coach Amber Courtney is that despite the loss of two senior starters (three all told), there are still plenty of talented players returning.
The STARS COME OUT! The 5th Region Tournament certainly didn’t lack for star power and it was also an opportunity for you to see some for the last time before you have to do some traveling to catch another look at their college venues. Presley Brown (LaRue County), Marly Walls (Nelson County), Rayven Peeples (John Hardin), Hannah Judd (Green County), Destanie Love (Bardstown) and Whitney Hay (Elizabethtown). All but Hay are seniors and most will be playing college ball next season.
LADY BULLDOGS come up Short! When Bardstown beat John Hardin in the second round of the 5th Region Tournament, it ended the most successful senior class in the team’s short history. Just three years ago, John Hardin finally got into the Region Tournament for the first time EVER and actually reached the Final against the Erin Boley-led Elizabethtown Lady Panthers. Since then in the last two seasons, the Bulldogs would reach the tourney both times losing to Nelson County and now Bardstown in the semi-finals. Still, head coach Caleb Smith returns three of five starters and should be a challenger next season.
KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR! One would have to wonder what would have happened to Elizabethtown, if senior guard Karson Knight had chose not to return for her final varsity season in basketball like she had originally planned to do. After she talked of sitting out her final season and moving on to other things, she changed her mind and returned. Yet, if she hadn’t, who would have made the steal and fired a three pointer with less than a minute remaining in regulation with her team trailing by three in the semi-finals against Nelson County. No doubt, it turned out to be a huge play and one that extended her team’s chances of returning to the State Tournament.
