13th District Girls Basketball Tournament Preview
March 16-19 – Franklin-Simpson High School
2020 Champion – Logan County
#1 seed Logan County defeated #2 seed Russellville, 45-40, behind 15 points from Kennedy Nichols and 13 points from Paige Vanzant. Nichols and Vanzant each grabbed 13 rebounds in the victory as well. It was the Lady Cougars’ third-consecutive district championship.
Last Five Championship Games
2020 – Logan County over Russellville
2019 – Logan County over Russellville
2018 – Logan County over Todd County Central
2017 – Franklin-Simpson over Russellville
2016 – Logan County over Franklin-Simpson
Schedule
Tuesday, March 16 @ 7:00pm – #1 Franklin-Simpson vs. #4 Todd County Central
Wednesday, March 17 @ 7:00pm – #2 Russellville vs. #3 Logan County
Friday, March 19 @ 7:00pm – Championship Game
#1 – Franklin-Simpson (11-7)
How they can Win
The Lady Wildcats went 5-1 in district play this season, their only loss coming in overtime at Todd County Central in January. Franklin won eight of its final eleven games to clinch the #1 seed in the 13th District Tournament for the first time since 2017. It went on to win the championship that season. The Lady Wildcats are again the favorite in 2021 and hope to make noise in the 4th Region Tournament next week if they qualify for the event. The Lady Rebels will face off with F-S on Tuesday evening, eight days after Franklin blew by TCC, 51-23. Hadley Turner scored 15 points and 10 rebounds in the victory.
Players to Keep an Eye on
The trio of Turner, Alera Barbee, and Kate Norwood average 35 points per game, which accounts for 75% of the team’s scoring. If Franklin is to win its first district title in four seasons, it will be behind the efforts of these three players.
#2 – Russellville (9-9)
How they can Win
Coach Ryan Davenport’s club is peaking at just the right time, winning five of its final six games to finish .500 on the season and claim the 2-seed in the 13th District Tournament. The Lady Panthers are arguably the most balanced team in the district as four players average at least 6.5 points per game. Russellville can win if their stars – Anastasia Dowlen and Amiyah Collier – continue to play well. Collier leads the team in scoring at 13.8 points per game, while Dowlen is just behind at 13.1 points and leads the team with 12.1 rebounds per contest. RHS has not won a district title since 1999.
Player to Keep an Eye on
Eighth grader Lareesha Cawthorne returned to the lineup in late February and helped spur a five-game win streak for the Lady Panthers. In only nine games of action, Cawthorne is averaging 7.4 points and 4.8 rebounds. Her effectiveness makes this team even deeper.
#3 – Logan County (5-21)
How they can Win
Three-time defending district champion Logan County has had a rough year but closed the regular season with back-to-back wins. The final victory came over district rival Todd County Central and secured the 3-seed for the Lady Cougars in this event. Logan can win a fourth-consecutive district title if they play solid team defense. The team is giving up only 33.5 points per game in its wins.
Player to Keep an Eye on
Abby Hinton is the only senior on a very young roster. She nailed 5-of-6 three-pointers in a 41-30 win over Todd County Central last week. Coach Dedra Adler’s club will need more shooting like that to take home another title.
#4 – Todd County Central (7-12)
How they can Win
Todd County Central will look to return to the 4th Region Tournament for the first time since 2018 when it takes the court on Tuesday evening. Three players average in double figures for the Lady Rebels led by Lucy Chester at 12.8 points per game. The sophomore also leads the team in rebounding at 10.3 rebounds per contest. However, Chester missed the last two games of the regular season and it is unclear whether she will return to the lineup for the district tournament. She missed some action early in the season after being in concussion protocol. However, if she does play, double-doubles from Chester will go a long way in helping TCC spring an upset over the Lady Wildcats and make it back to Diddle Arena.
Player to Keep an Eye on
With or without Chester, Coach Lee Quarles and his staff will be looking for production from eighth-grader Alexis Taylor. She is the team’s third-leading scorer at 10.7 points per game and second-leading rebounder at 7.4. The Lady Rebels only have one senior on the roster.
Prediction
I predict that Franklin-Simpson will punch its ticket back to Diddle Arena with a win over Todd County Central. On Wednesday, Russellville will be tested by Logan County before they, too, advance to the district title game. On Friday night, the Lady Wildcats and Lady Panthers will do battle as a championship hangs in the balance. Norwood’s ability to score from outside, Barbee’s ability to score in transition, and Turner’s talents in the post will be too much for RHS to handle. Franklin will win its first district title since 2017, this one coming on its homecourt just like it did that season.
Champion – Franklin-Simpson
