Shelbyville, KY – The fourth-ranked Shelby County Lady Rockets had lost only three times going into
the semi-finals of the girls’ Eighth Region basketball tournament against the eleventh-ranked Oldham
County Lady Colonels. They owned victories over Presentation, Male, Sacred Heart, Mercy, and
DuPont Manual. Their win over Oldham County on February 2, however, had been by only one point
(40-39) in a game where Oldham had led by as many as twelve points. For some reason, these two
border rivals seemed to bring out the best in each other, and the game promised to be similar to last
season’s regional semi-final, won by Shelby at Oldham County High School, by one point.

(Interestingly, the other semi-final was ALSO a re-match of a 2000 semi-final. Scott County reprised last
year’s victory over Bullitt Central with a narrow 60-58 win over the Lady Cougars as Erin Brown scored
17 points.)

The game featured 14 lead changes and five ties as the two heavyweights slugged it out. As it turned out,
what the game lacked in beauty, it more than made up for in intensity, hard play, and suspense. In front of
a packed gymnasium of over 3,000 fans, each possession was a supreme struggle against two of the
state’s best defenses.

The first quarter featured no less than seven lead changes. Shelby County drew first blood on a shot from
Brittany Morrison, but Oldham responded quickly with a three-pointer from point guard Rebecca
Husband to make it 3-2. That set the tone for a period in which the largest lead came when Shelby
County led by four at 11-7. From that point, Oldham scored five straight points to go into the second
period ahead, 12-11.

The officials let the players play in the early going, and the first foul was called with only 14.5 seconds left
in the first, on Dana Crittenden of Shelby County.

Rebecca Husband scored to begin the second period, ending a 7-0 Oldham County run and giving the
Lady Colonels a 14-11 lead. But Shelby County took over at that point, and dominated the bulk of the
period. With Oldham County hitting just 4 of 12 shots during the period, and shooting just one free throw
(they missed), the Lady Colonels slowly fell behind. Thanks to a tremendous defensive effort by the Lady
Colonels, the Lady Rockets led just 20-14 with 1:15 left in the first half when Sarah Hadley stepped to
the line for one and the bonus.

Hadley missed, but after rebounding the miss, Shelby County promptly turned the ball over. Hadley stole
the ball near mid-court and drove for the basket, scoring with just 50 seconds left in the frame. Another
Shelby turnover led to a second straight Hadley basket to pull the Lady Colonels to within 2 at 20-18,
and when the Lady Rockets turned the ball over the third consecutive time, Rebecca Husband nailed a
three at the buzzer to wrap up a 7-0 Oldham run. That gave the Lady Colonels a 21-20 lead at the break
and a much-needed confidence boost.

At the half, the two defenses had made every offensive trip down court a thing of misery. Oldham had hit
just 9 of 24 shots for 37.5%, and had generated just one free throw attempt (missed). They were 3 of 6
beyond the arc, with Husband hitting 3 of 5 shots. At the break, Husband led the Lady Colonels with 11
points. Miss Basketball candidate Brandi Miller had just four points on 2 of 4 shooting due to constant
Shelby County double- and triple-teams.

If the defenses dominated the first half, they completely OWNED the third period. After Shelby’s
talented sophomore, 5’11" Toni Slaughter, scored in the paint and was fouled, she hit the free throw to
give the Lady Rockets a 23-21 lead. Husband scored to tie the game, only to see Dana Crittenden follow
a missed shot to give Shelby the lead again at 25-23.

All of this occurred in the first two minutes of the third period. The Lady Colonels held Shelby County
scoreless over the next six minutes plus, but to Shelby’s credit, they wouldn’t allow the Lady Colonels to
take advantage of it. A Husband free throw at the 2:54 mark, followed by a Brandi Miller basket at the
two minute mark, were the only points Oldham County could generate during those six minutes. Still,
Oldham went into the final period still ahead by one point, 26-25.

The final period brought more of the same. The Lady Colonels outscored Shelby, 4-2, in the first half of
the fourth quarter to move ahead, 30-27. A Dana Crittenden score at the 4:21 mark pulled Shelby within
one, and following a Sarah Gibson free throw for Oldham County, Brittany Morrison scored to tie the
game at 31 – amazingly, only the second tie of the game – with 3:05 to go.

A Crittenden steal and layup pushed Shelby ahead with 2:41 to go, 33-31, but Hadley hit a free throw,
and Brandi Miller scored to put Oldham back on top with a little over a minute and a half left.

The two teams then proceeded to miss a couple of opportunities that, in hindsight, might have won the
game in regulation for either squad.

Crittenden missed two free throws at the 1:29 mark. Morrison rebounded for Shelby County, but turned
the ball over.

Miller then missed two free throws at the 1:00 mark for Oldham County.

With 47.5 seconds left, Shelby missed the front end of a one-and-one, Miller rebounded, but walked
when she fell down, battling Shelby’s Crittenden for the ball. The Lady Rockets finally took advantage of
their opportunity when Toni Slaughter scored with 37 seconds left to make it 35-34.

Sarah Gibson then tied the game at 35 by hitting one of two free throws with 15.7 seconds to go.
Shelby’s Tanesha Johnson would get a great look under the basket just before time expired, but she
missed a close-in shot, and couldn’t corral the rebound before time expired.

Shelby immediately put the pressure on Oldham in the first overtime when Charlotte Marshall opened the
period with a three-pointer. But the Lady Colonels followed with a bucket by Miller and a free throw by
Sarah Gibson to tie the game again at 38 with 2:26 to play. The foul that sent Gibson to the line was
significant because it was Morrison’s fifth foul. Morrison – who scored eight points in her final game as a
Lady Rocket – had been charged with giving the weak-side help in defending Miller. Now, not only was
the game tied again, but Tanesha Johnson – Miller’s primary defender - was on much more of an island
as she tried to stop Miller.

Johnson and Miller traded baskets, and with 36 seconds left, the score was 40-all. But again, the Lady
Rockets were unable to get a last-second shot to drop, and the game went into its second overtime.

The scales finally tilted in the final overtime period. After Shelby again struck first, after two free throws
by Slaughter with 3:45 to go, Miller scored to tie the game for the last time. That keyed a 10-0 Oldham
County run. During the run, Shelby missed their first shot on three straight possessions. Each time, Brandi
Miller speared the defensive rebound.

Then, with 1:09 left and Oldham up, 48-42, Dana Crittenden committed her fifth and final foul. The Lady
Rockets’ leading scorer headed to the bench with thirteen points, and with her went most of Shelby’s
remaining hopes. When Sarah Gibson knocked down both free throws, the lead was eight at 50-42.

The Lady Colonels would hit seven of ten free throws from that point on, ultimately taking a ten point lead
at 55-45 with 15.7 seconds left. Toni Slaughter scored the game’s final bucket to account for the final
score.

By the time the game was over, the Lady Rockets’ best outside shooter (Morrison), inside player
(Crittenden), and defender (Johnson) would all foul out.

The win propelled the Lady Colonels (23-6) into the Eighth Region finals against the Scott County Lady
Cardinals (23-6) on Tuesday night at 7:30. WTHQ 101.7 FM and WYKY 105.7 FM will air the
championship, beginning with the pregame show at 7:00 pm.

The Lady Colonels did what all championship teams do: find a way to win. They shot horribly from the
floor (14 of 54 for 25.9%) and the line (14 of 30 for 46.7%, although they hit 10 of 14 in the two
overtimes), but still picked up the win. The reasons? The defense, which limited Shelby County to just 47
points in what amounted to five quarters of play (the Rockets came in averaging over 60 points per game)
and good ballhandling (the Lady Colonels only committed two turnovers after halftime). And, of course,
Brandi Miller, who simply refused to lose. Miller dominated the glass in the overtimes, and hit four of five
shots from the floor after regulation.

UNOFFICIAL WYKY 105.7 FM STATS:

Oldham County 12 9 5 9 5 15 - 55

Shelby County 11 9 5 10 5 7 - 47

Oldham County – Miller 20, Husband 19, S. Gibson 9, Hadley 7 Three-point goals: Husband 3
Shelby County – Crittenden 13, Slaughter 13, Morrison 8, Marshall 6, Johnson 5, Anglin 2
 
 

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