For the Elizabethtown Panthers, yesterday’s 5th Region Tournament meant an opportunity to return to the KHSAA State Basketball Tournament, but this time with a totally different team. The squad that longtime head coach James Haire hoisted a trophy on back-to-back trips in 2020 and 2021 were composed of different faces and household names in Panther lore and this season’s team is a group of senior transfers and several game breaking underclassmen led by outstanding All Area center Ayden Evans. It was, also a bunch that had never experienced a Region Championship run after last year’s team came up short against John Hardin in overtime. Haire had won a State Tournament and several Region Titles, so a return trip meant another chance to add to the legacy.
For the LaRue County, it meant an opportunity for the Hawks to experience a Region Title for the first time (like the current Panthers, these Hawks also haven’t won one) and a chance for current coach Paul Childress to win one for the Blue and White as the head man. True. He was part of a Region Champ during LaRue County’s Region run in 1997-1998 and actually coached Caverna in 2004 which won a Region Championship but had not experienced it recently. Also, it would be a chance to do it with his youngest son Carson in his senior year.
So, with a packed Hart County gym as the background, one team would get the chance to experience that winning feeling while the other would go home empty.
The two teams had actually met back in February at LaRue County and the Hawks survived a low scoring affair winning 55-46 and many felt that their best chance to pull this one out would another defensive battle.
It certainly didn’t start out that way, though.
Elizabethtown came right out of the chute with an offensive attack that looked to end this game quickly. Ayden Evans got things started with a turnaround jumper to make it 2-0. Obian Howard hit a three after a LaRue County miss, Trey Durbin got in the scoring column with a drive before Jaxson Thomas got the Hawks on the board finally and then Howard got his second three to make it 10-2 with 4:11 left in the opening period.
LaRue County fought back and Luke Trumbo’s three tied it at 10-10 with 1:45 left, before the Panthers closed out the first period scoring leading 15-14.
Then things got very interesting especially for the Hawks as they scored 17-points in the second quarter thnaks to Jagger Mardis’ hot shooting as he would hit a jumper and then three three-pointers, while Daniel Allen scored six of his 15-points in the same quarter. Howard and the Panther offense cooled off considerably but thanks to diverse scoring by Durbin, Jujuan Williams, Howard and Evans free throws, they only trailed 31-29 at the half.
LaRue County was getting the pace they wanted keeping the score down after the opening Panther outburst and the Hawks zone which collapsed on Ayden Evans forcing him to take shots further outside and not allow him inside freedom to roam and dominate was a key. Meanwhile, the Panthers were keeping the dangerous Hawk shooters like Childress under wraps and except for Mardi’s second quarter explosion, they had.
At this point, the first team to reach fifty would most likely win.
That turned out to be true.
Evans got things started for Elizabethtown in the third quarter with a dunk and a layup after a Hawk turnover to make it 35-33, LaRue County and finally retook the lead with 2:27 left, 36-35. LaRue County went out in front again, but the Panthers countered to make it 38-37 with 1:26 left. After a Jujuan Williams layup made it 40-37, the Hawks cut it to 40-39 after three quarters.
Childress gave LaRue County it’s last lead at 6:56 left in regulation with a three (his only points of the game), 42-40, but then Jujuan Williams, who would finish with 11-points, hit a three and then after LaRue County turned the ball over, followed up with a jumper to increase the lead at 45-42 with 4:38 left.
It was frustration time for the Hawks as they would make only one other basket other than Childress’ three and that came with a little less than a minute remaining on Allen’s layup to make it 51-44.
Meanwhile, Elizabethtown would finish the game strong with 15-points in the fourth quarter and an outstanding defensive effort which limited the hot shooting Hawks to just 13-total second half points. Although they held Evans to 10-points, they were unable to score themselves and it was the tall center, who held the 5th Region trophy high after the game as they became the third Elizabethtown team to celebrate a trip to Rupp Arena.
For the Hawks, another disappointment in the Region Tournament. Childress’ teams always play hard and come close, but have struggled with some of the worst luck in the past. Still, he knows that the future is bright for this team as another talented group of youngsters are waiting in the wings for their turn.
For the Panthers, there is another Region Championship to celebrate and another buisness trip to Rupp Arena for some unfinished buisness. When Howard, the Evans brothers and the Williams brothers as well came to Elizabethtown, they knew that the goal was to win the 5th Region Tournament, and nothing less would be acceptable. With that accomplished, an even bigger task awaits them as they must survive the gauntlet that they call the Sweet Sixteen to reach and finish on Saturday.
“Ever since we came to E-town, it’s been nothing but Love and I kind of owed the city because we failed last year, but this year we have the Region Title,” said Evans.
One thing is for sure. If the Panthers make it and win it all Saturday, there will be plenty of love to go around for everybody.
