Crestwood – The Shelby County boys’ and girls’ basketball teams travelled to South Oldham High School on Friday night, and the results weren’t pretty for the inexperienced Dragon teams.

Shelby County 74, South Oldham 62 (boys) - Coach Steve Simpson’s Dragons took to the floor three nights after losing to Jeffersontown by eleven. In that game, the young Dragons saw their fire extinguished by 31 (unofficial) turnovers that negated a fine shooting night from the field. Against Shelby, the Dragons unofficially turned the ball over twenty-two times – a vast improvement – but were gunned down by a 13-0 Shelby County run midway through the first quarter and never recovered.

For the second game, the Dragons got out of the blocks well, jumping to a 9-4 lead. T. J. Beisner, who was held scoreless against J-Town, opened the South Oldham scoring with two field goals, including a three-pointer.

That’s when the roof caved in.

The Rockets’ Brian Silverhorn scored five of his fourteen points during a 13-0 Shelby County run that pulled the Rockets from a five point deficit into an 8 point lead at 17-9. The two teams traded baskets until South’s Matt Kennedy hit a three at the buzzer ending the first quarter, cutting the lead to 22-17, but the damage was done. South would get no closer.

The Rockets opened the second quarter with a 9-0 run to build a double-figure lead at 31-17. South went scoreless for the first thee minutes of the quarter, finally breaking the ice when freshman Brad Cofer hit a shot to make it 31-19. After a bucket by Shelby’s Robert Daniels, who led all scorers with 24 points, the Dragons made their last significant rally, scoring six straight points to reduce the margin under ten points for the last time at 33-24. But Shelby outscored the Dragons 5-2 to go into the locker room on top by a dozen, 38-26.

If the Dragons entertained any notions of a comeback, they were dispelled early in the third, as Shelby went on a 14-5 tear to start the second half, pushing the margin to 21 at 52-31. Josh Popp and Robert Daniels each scored six points during the run, primarily on the inside where the more physical Rockets began to dominate. Daniels was particularly unstoppable. When the quarter was over, Shelby led, 63-43, and the 6-3 junior forward had scored eleven points, hitting three two-point field goals, two of two free throws, and a three-pointer to end the period.

Shelby County Champ Ligon substituted freely throughout the second half, and few starters saw action in the final quarter. Still, the Rockets scored 10 of the first 15 points scored in the final frame, and when Cory Miller hit a bucket, was fouled, and hit the free throw, Shelby had their biggest lead of the night at 73-48. At that point, Ligon emptied his bench – fourteen Rockets played and ten scored – and the Dragons took advantage. Matt Kennedy’s third three-pointer of the night triggered a 12-0 rally, which was powered by the South subs, as Steve Simpson pulled his starters as well.

With 1:13 to go and the margin suddenly a surmountable 13 at 73-60, Ligon called time out and put his starters back in. South still trimmed the lead by two more when Patrick culver hit two free throws, but that was it for the Dragons. Josh Popp of the Rockets wrapped up the scoring with a free throw at the :09 mark.

Unofficial Dragon scoring:

Beisner 12, Kennedy 11, Foley 9, Richard 6, Hay 5, Jaracz 5, Combest 4, Losik 3, Culver 3, Cofer 2, Watson 2

Field goal %: 45.3% Three point FG%: 35% Free Throw %: 50%
 
 

Shelby County 91, South Oldham 46 (girls) – When it rains it pours, and a collection of freshmen and sophomores against the fourth-ranked team in the state isn’t necessarily a good mix. South Oldham coach Kim Messer said on Tuesday her defense would suffer as the many freshmen and sophomores that populate the roster learned the schemes, and the top-ranked team in the 8^th Region exposed the Lady Dragons’ inexperience.

South never led in the game, although the Lady Dragons’ lone senior, center Melissa Hayes, did everything in her power to keep them in it. After scoring only five points against J-Town on Tuesday, Hayes scored South's first six points of the game to keep it close at 7-6 in the early going. But Shelby scored the game’s next seven points to begin pulling away, and when reserve guard Emily Anglin hit two free throws with about three minutes left in the first period, Shelby was already up by double digits at 20-10.

Six Lady Rockets scored in the first period, which ended with a 24-14 Shelby County advantage. Meanwhile, Hayes (six points) and freshman guard Ashley Trosper (7 points) accounted for nearly all of the Lady Dragons’ production.

The Lady Rockets put together an 11-0 run to start the second quarter and put the game away. South went scoreless until 5:39 remained in the half, when Hayes hit a bucket. Hayes would score ten straight South points, but without much offensive support around her, the Lady Dragons steadily fell behind. Defensively, the Lady Dragons continued to struggle against the inside power and size of Shelby County’s Dana Crittenden, Carrier Kerchner (who also hit two threes), and Toni Slaughter. And when South did deny the inside power game, the Rockets hit seven three pointers.

Junior Emily Cobb hit a buzzer-beating layup for South to end the quarter, but the damage was done, and Shelby’s lead had ballooned to 21 at 50-29.

The Rockets continued to pour it on in the final frame, outscoring South, 24-7. Many of Shelby’s starters were still in the game when, with the score 67-39, the Lady Rockets went on a 12-0 run to balloon the lead to 40 at 79-39 with 5:39 left. Coach Jim Wright of Shelby County pulled the last of his starters midway through the fourth period, and the Shelbyville squad coasted to their second victory in as many games.

UNOFFICIAL WYKY stats:

Hayes 25, Trosper 10, Cobb 5, Tucker 3, Vaughn 2, Bray 1, seven others played but did not score.

Field goal %: 17/43 39.5% Three point %: 2/10 20% FT %: 10/16 62.5%

NEXT BROADCAST:

Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, Friday 12/8 and Saturday 12/9/2000:

Friday, South Oldham vs. Owensboro Catholic, pregame show begins at 5:30 on WYKY 105.7 FM

Friday, Oldham County vs. Grayson County, immediately following the South Oldham game

Saturday morning – Opponents and broadcast times TBA, broadcast on 940 AM WCND

Saturday evening – Opponents and broadcast times TBA, broadcast on WYKY 105.7 FM

Return to Oldham County Online  or use the Browser BACK Button to return to previous page.