By ST’s Jim Mashek, Photos by Marlow Hazard
RUSSELL COUNTY 40, GLASGOW 36 — Glasgow led for nearly the entire game until the Lady Lakers’ Star Marcum hit two clutch free throws with 24.9 seconds left.
Glasgow missed two shots, one from 3-point range, on its next trip down the floor, and Markum hit two more free throws to lift Russell County into the second round.
“We just started being aggressive, and the shots started falling,” Russell County coach Brett Blankenship said. “We’ve always been a resilient bunch.”
Russell County will take a record of 23-7 into Friday’s game with Bowling Green.
Glasgow limited the Lady Lakers to 10 percent shooting in the first half, but Russell County it 11 of 22 shots the rest of the way. Marcum finished the game with 16 points, eight rebounds and five steals.
Glasgow finished its season 21-8. Lady Scotties coach Justin Stinson said his team’s 17 turnovers were critical down the stretch.
“We just turned it over too many times,” Stinson said. “We missed some easy shots. We missed some free throws. It was kind of the perfect storm for them.
“They made the plays when they had to.”
Dynasti Page led the Lady Scotties with 17 points. Teammate Ashanti Gore had nine points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
Shiaynne Elkins and Sophie Shearer had eight points each for Russell County.
“They didn’t start to shoot the 3 until they got desperate,” Stinson said. “They only made three 3s the whole game, all of them in the fourth quarter.”
