Shanissa Douglas stole an inbounds pass and laid it in with seven seconds left Friday, lifting Bardstown to a 56-54 win over Nelson County and giving the Tigers their first district championship since 1996. "It was a tough game simply because Nelson County is a great team," Bardstown coach Paul Stone said. "Samantha Drake is one of the hardest working players I ever coached against and Kelly Wood put together a great game plan. They pushed us all the way to the wall but we pushed back enough to win." Both teams advance to the 5th Region tournament, which begins Monday at North Hardin. Douglas' eighth steal and 23rd point of the night made the score 56-52 not even a full second after Daizah Kimberland snapped a 52-all tie with a driving layup. Following Kimberland's bucket and a time out, Sarah Beth Hutchins was set to inbound the ball. She fired it to Sarah Beth Gillis, who was also standing out of bounds, to try and cross up Douglas. Gillis tried to get it back to Hutchins as she sprinted up court, but Douglas leapt to her left, intercepted the pass and scored to seal the win. "When they did the reverse, I just read Gillis and I just got the pass," Douglas said. In the teams' regular-season meeting at Nelson County, Douglas displayed similar heroics by getting a steal and layup in overtime to lead Bardstown to a win. "Douglas just made a great play," Nelson County coach Kelly Wood said. "She is so quick, you don't expect it. She's like a cat." At first, it didn't look like any last-second heroics would be needed. After the teams were tied 4-4 in the early going, the Tigers forced a handful of Cardinal turnovers and went on a 15-0 run to take control. Jordan Ball started it with a three from the wing and Candyce Lewis, who had 12 points on the night, finished it with a basket off an offensive rebound. When the dust had cleared, the Tigers were up 19-4 and looked to be ready to run the Cardinals out of the gym. "They are so quick and so athletic, you just got to give them credit - they are a good basketball team," Wood said. "I think we are a good basketball team and they beat us three times." Nelson County (16-14) stood strong and finished the quarter on a 9-2 run to get back into the game at 21-13. The second quarter was more to the Cards liking. They were able to hang on to the ball and work it inside to Drake. After a slow first quarter, the sophomore post player fought her way through the double teams for 13 first-half points, she finished with 28 to go with 15 rebounds. Gillis found her shooting touch for the Cards when she dropped in a couple of threes and the Cards were able to cut the Bardstown lead to four points at the half at 29-25. The second half started a lot like the first as Bardstown (25-5) scored the first six points to stretch its lead back into double digits at 35-25. Next it was Nelson County's turn to make a run as the Cards took advantage of five Tiger turnovers to get back into the game. By the end of the quarter, the Cards had cut the 10-point lead down to one at 38-37 going into the decisive fourth quarter. Wood credited the Nelson crowd - which combined with the Bardstown crowd to pack the Bardstown gym - for a lift. "They were awesome," he said. "It meant a lot to me and the girls." Nelson County got its first lead of the game at 43-42 on two Drake free throws with 5:31 left to play, and extended it to 45-42 when Gillis found Drake on a fast break. They had a chance to extend it when Bardstown misfired on one possession and turned it over on another, but the Cards could not take advantage. Kimberland made it a one-point Cardinal lead at 45-44 with a driving layup at the 3:34 mark. Lacy Hagan answered for the Cards, going baseline for two to make it 47-44 with 3:18 left. After Blanford missed a trey, Douglas came up with a steal and a layup to make it 47-46. Hutchins missed the front end of a one-and-one and Lewis got Bardstown the lead back on a 12-footer to make it 48-47 with 2:20 to play. On the other end, Drake found Hutchins loose on the baseline to put the Cards back into the lead at 49-48. Nelson extended its lead when Hagan came up with a steal and found Kelsey Robinson for a layup to make it 51-48 Nelson County. "We really wanted the game and we had it until the end, and good players make good plays and (Douglas) made a good play," Robinson, a junior guard, said. Douglas came through again, driving baseline for two and getting fouled. The senior guard missed the tying free throw, but came up with another steal and a bucket 10 seconds later to put the Tigers back up 52-51. Drake tied it at 52 apiece by making one of two free throws with 52 seconds left in the game. A held ball gave the ball back to Nelson County, but Hagan misfired on a three attempt and the Tigers held the ball for the last shot. Kimberland came through with her driving layup to make it 54-52 on her 16th point of the night, and then Douglas sealed the deal. "I think in a close game like this, somebody has to step up and make big plays," Stone said, "I think with that last play Shanissa Douglas showed why she is a great player."
Bardstown 56, Nelson Co. 54 NC 13 12 12 17-54 B 21 8 9 18-56 NC (54) - Drake 28, Gillis 6, Hagan 4, Watson 2, Hutchins 8, Filiatreau 4, Robinson 2. B (56) - Ball 3, Kimberland 16, Lewis 12, Douglas 23, Lagerroos 1, Ahern 1
NATIONAL
KENTUCKY
