The Todd County Central boys’ basketball team continues to turn heads.
Making their first appearance in the Region 4 Tournament since 2003 on Wednesday evening, the Rebels pulled out a 65-63 win over Monroe County at Western Kentucky University’s E.A. Diddle Arena.
“This is the first time we’ve been here in a while,” Todd County Central senior Elijah Bell said. “I wanted to come tonight and play for my team.”
It marked Todd County’s first win in the regional tournament since 2002, the season in which it made it all the way to the finals.
Jon Calvery led the Rebels — the District 13 champion — with a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Nolan Barrow finished with 11 points.
“We didn’t want to come out here and lose the first game,” Calvery said. “We had to come here and play hard. I wanted to go further than this. I didn’t want to win a district championship and then come to region and lose.
“That’s not what it’s about.”
With their win, the Rebels (19-12) will now meet defending Region 4 — and state champion — Bowling Green at 6 p.m. Monday in the semifinals.
Todd County Central led 16-15 after the opening quarter and later took a 29-24 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The Rebels were up 44-38 at the end of the third quarter and then were able to hold off Monroe County (19-11) over the course of the final eight minutes.
Ty Mink carried Monroe County with 19 points, while Billy Michael Dyer scored 13. Additionally, Chandler Clements recorded a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds.
–Senior writer Tyler Mansfield can be reached at mansfield.sportingtimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter at @TMansfieldST.–
