By ST’s Jim Mashek / Photos by ST’s Marlow Hazard
For three quarters, Warren East was equal to the task at hand. And then some.
But this was new territory, the KHSAA Fourth Region Tournament, where the Lady Raiders had not played since 2008.
So that was Barren County’s cue, to storm back down the stretch, before a literal storm hit E.A. Diddle as the teams headed home on Monday night.
Barren County 59, Warren East 55.
First-year Warren East coach Jenny Neville brought her four seniors, including starters Hailey Hymer and Olivia Price, to the podium after the Trojanettes’ amazing comeback.
Barren County improved to 25-6 on the season while the Lady Raiders finished 17-10.
Warren East led 42-28 after three quarters, but the Trojanettes emerged with fire in the final eight minutes. They outscored Neville’s squad 31-13 in the fourth quarter.
“Down the stretch, we really didn’t take care of the ball really well,” Neville said. “We broke their press very well for the first three quarters. But we got a little frazzled in that fourth quarter.”
Senior guard Elizabeth Bertram took over for Barren Central, repeatedly driving to the basket and leading all scorers with 29 points. She was only 5 of 18 from the field, but exceptional at the free-throw line, hitting 16 of 19 foul shots.
“We were in the locker room at halftime,” Barren Central coach Piper Lindsey said, “and Elizabeth told the team, ‘We’re not losing this game.'”
Bertram went on a wild drive down the baseline before hitting the tough shot in the final minute and drawing the foul from East forward Caroline Forrester. Forrester and two teammates — Lucy Patterson and Hailey Hymer — all fouled out before it was over.
Bertram completed the three-point play with 29.8 seconds left and the Trojanettes claimed their first lead at 56-55. Barren Central’s Eve Jackson stole Price’s inbounds pass under the Trojanettes’ basket and was fouled with 11.5 seconds. Jackson went 1 for 2 at the line and Bertram added two more free throws for the final margin.
“You never want it to be your last game,” Bertram said.
Hymer hit two 3-pointers in the early going to give Warren East an early lead, but the Trojanettes trailed by only two points at the break.
Warren East had just four turnovers in the first half but 17 in the second. Patterson led the Lady Raiders with 16 points and Forrester finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Raven Ennis had 16 points for Barren County.
“We sort of played not to lose at the end,” Neville said. “They just got the ball and drove right through us … Bertram’s a great player. She gets to the basket. In the second half, she got to the free-throw line.”
Barren County will face Logan County, a 53-50 winner over Metcalfe County, at 6 p.m. Friday.
