Published: March 05, 2008 03:09 pm            

16th region tournament: One & done

West had chances but Ashland survives, gains semifinal with 48-38 win

After a disappointing 48-38 loss in the opening round of this week’s 16th Region Tournament, the Lady Comets have to be thinking ‘what if?’ If West Carter had been at all effective from three-point range (0-11), they average nearly 30-percent… normally at home on the free throw line, the Lady Comets made just 4-12…

“The stuff that we usually count on, we just didn’t do,” lone West Carter senior Sydnie Cox told the local media after the 10-point loss to Ashland Monday night at Morehead State’s Wetherby Gymnasium.

“We had too many defensive letdowns and we just didn’t do the things that got us here.”

With just seven wins in the regular season, Von Perry’s bunch from Olive Hill knocked No. 1 East Carter out of last week’s 62nd District Tournament in the opening round. But that effort was not duplicated in either the championship loss to Morgan County or this week’s foray into the regional draw.

Although West took a 6-0 lead to start the clash with Ashland, the Kittens, ranked No, 2 in the final season poll behind Rowan County, reeled off the next 13 points to take a lead they would not relinquish.

“The three-point factor was a big difference,” Lady Comet leading scorer Monica Stevens said. “Ashland only made three of their attempts but we didn’t hit any. When we don’t get off to a good start shooting, it really affects our confidence.”

Stevens fared well inside banging against the bigger Kittens and she finished with a game-best 21 points and 11 rebounds. Cox, in her final game as a Lady Comet, netted nine points and also grabbed 11 boards.

Ashland went up by as many as 16 in the second half but West cut it to a half-dozen and outscored the Kittens, 19-14, in the final quarter.

Laisha Ward finished with 15 points for Ashland and Ali Wilcox followed with 14. The Kittens picked up a dozen points off 14 West Carter turnovers.

In the other first-round matchup Monday, Raceland held off Bath County. Ashland and Raceland moved into Friday’s semifinals with last night’s Morgan County/Russell and Rowan County/Boyd County winners.

Look for 16th Region Tournament recap in next week’s sports section of The Journal-Times.

        

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