03-02-2012, 01:52 AM
03-02-2012, 01:56 AM
West Jessamine stuns Pulaski, 73-66
By DOUG EADS, CJ Correspondent
Commonwealth Journal
Somerset — The Boy’s 12th Regional Tournament’s first round continued last night at Pulaski County High School, but as far as Al Gover was concerned in the aftermath, Thursday night’s game might has well have been played in Nicholasville.
To say that West Jessamine — PC’s opponent in the final first round game of the tourney last night — lived at the charity stripe would be a gross understatement.
Pulaski County outscored the Colts from the field last night by 14 points, but West Jessamine countered that stat by outscoring PC from the free throw line by a mind-boggling, 21-point margin.
The Colts made 30 of 35 free throw attempts for the game, while PC hit on just nine of 12 from the charity stripe, and as a result, it was West Jessamine downing the host Maroons 73-66, ending PC’s season with a 21-11 record.
“That is a tough pill to swallow,” noted Gover, after his club’s season came to an end last night when talking about the huge disparity from the free throw line.
“No bones about it, when a team outscores you by that much at the foul line you’ve got to take a look at that obviously,” continued the PC head coach. “I don’t know if a lot of it contributed to — we’re standing around reaching I guess — but there was a whole lot of contact out there. Taylor (Gover) I thought was physically beat on all night long and not many fouls to show for it against them.”
Despite the fact West Jessamine made over twice as many free throws (30) as Pulaski County attempted for the game (12), the Maroons had their chances in this matchup of two of the top teams in the 12th Region.
Early on, the game was a see-saw back and forth affair, that saw the Colts go into the intermission with a five-point cushion over Pulaski County, 36-31.
At the half, Pulaski County’s dynamic duo of Taylor Gover and Kody Johnson had been held in check by the Colt’s ‘D’, scoring a combined seven points in the opening half of play.
However, Tyler Goins and Sean Ross helped pick up the slack for Pulaski County.
Goins scored 11 of his 18 points in the first half of play, while Ross hit a pair of treys early on to help keep his club within striking distance of West Jessamine.
“We didn’t really dwell a whole lot on Taylor and Kody’s scoring at the half,” stated coach Gover.
“I knew they hadn’t scored a whole lot between them at the half, but I didn’t realize it was that low,” continued the PC coach. “West (Jessamine) really focused on them, and we had some kids that had some open looks there in the first half that came through and delivered for us. Sean Ross stepped up and hit a couple of huge shots, and then after he hit a couple, he passed some shots up.”
West Jessamine didn’t seemingly pass up any shots in the third quarter of play, as Damon Kelly’s club came out of the locker room in the second half and attempted to knock PC out.
The Colts methodically began to build up their lead, and with Kody Johnson, Blake Burton, and Tyler Goins all saddled with four fouls each by the end of the third quarter, West Jessamine looked to be in great shape, leading the Maroons by double figures — 58-48 — headed in the fourth stanza.
However, if PC was going to go down easy, somebody forgot to tell the Maroons — namely Taylor Gover.
The PC junior point guard — held to just four points at halftime — almost single-handedly brought his club back from the dead in the second half, displaying a will to win regardless of the cost to himself physically.
Gover along with Goins, were the only two players to score for the Maroons in the second half of play, scoring 28 and seven points respectively after the intermission.
Taylor Gover drained four of his five-three pointers in the second half in the fourth period, capping a furious PC comeback.
With 2:54 remaining in the game, Gover’s third trey of the fourth stanza had pulled PC to within two points of West Jessamine — 64-62.
After a West Jessamine miss on the Colts next possession downcourt, Gover was fouled, and went to the charity stripe with a chance to tie the score with a one and one.
Gover made his first free throw, but missed the second, and the Colts Chase Fain rebounded the ball, and was fouled, and made both of his free throws to ease the lead back up to three points, at 66-63.
After PC was held scoreless on its next possession, Fain once again was fouled and made both of his attempts at the charity stripe, extending the West Jessamine lead out to 68-63.
Gover’s fourth trey of the frame brought PC to within two once again, 68-66 late in the game, but as was the case all night long, West Jessamine made its free throws down the stretch to seal the victory, winning 73-66 over the Maroons, thus depriving PC and Southwestern a chance to meet for the third time this year in the semi finals of the tournament next Monday night.
“We did get behind, and I thought defensively we didn’t stay disciplined like we needed to on defense, that led to us giving up way too many easy baskets,” said Gover.
“Again, our shot selection was kind of iffy at times on the offensive end as well,” added Gover. “We didn’t execute real well just to be honest, and this time of year, if you don’t execute your stuff, you’re more than likely going to lose. Hat’s off to West Jessamine, and I wish them the best of luck.”
Taylor Gover led PC with a game-high 32 points, while Goins joined him in double figures with 18 for the Maroons, who finished the season with a 21-11 mark.
West Jessamine got a team-high 21 points from reserve Heath Jackson, while Chase Fain added 14 points and Will Henderson chipped in with 10.
The semi finals of the tournament are now set for next Monday night at Pulaski County High School.
In Monday’s first game at 6 p.m., the (12-15) Boyle County Rebels will take on the favorite, (28-4) East Jessamine Jaguars.
In Monday’s second game, (19-13) West Jessamine will face (25-8) Southwestern.
The championship game of the Boy’s 12th Regional Tournament will be held at Pulaski County High School next Tuesday at 7 p.m.
http://somerset-kentucky.com/localsports...aski-73-66
By DOUG EADS, CJ Correspondent
Commonwealth Journal
Somerset — The Boy’s 12th Regional Tournament’s first round continued last night at Pulaski County High School, but as far as Al Gover was concerned in the aftermath, Thursday night’s game might has well have been played in Nicholasville.
To say that West Jessamine — PC’s opponent in the final first round game of the tourney last night — lived at the charity stripe would be a gross understatement.
Pulaski County outscored the Colts from the field last night by 14 points, but West Jessamine countered that stat by outscoring PC from the free throw line by a mind-boggling, 21-point margin.
The Colts made 30 of 35 free throw attempts for the game, while PC hit on just nine of 12 from the charity stripe, and as a result, it was West Jessamine downing the host Maroons 73-66, ending PC’s season with a 21-11 record.
“That is a tough pill to swallow,” noted Gover, after his club’s season came to an end last night when talking about the huge disparity from the free throw line.
“No bones about it, when a team outscores you by that much at the foul line you’ve got to take a look at that obviously,” continued the PC head coach. “I don’t know if a lot of it contributed to — we’re standing around reaching I guess — but there was a whole lot of contact out there. Taylor (Gover) I thought was physically beat on all night long and not many fouls to show for it against them.”
Despite the fact West Jessamine made over twice as many free throws (30) as Pulaski County attempted for the game (12), the Maroons had their chances in this matchup of two of the top teams in the 12th Region.
Early on, the game was a see-saw back and forth affair, that saw the Colts go into the intermission with a five-point cushion over Pulaski County, 36-31.
At the half, Pulaski County’s dynamic duo of Taylor Gover and Kody Johnson had been held in check by the Colt’s ‘D’, scoring a combined seven points in the opening half of play.
However, Tyler Goins and Sean Ross helped pick up the slack for Pulaski County.
Goins scored 11 of his 18 points in the first half of play, while Ross hit a pair of treys early on to help keep his club within striking distance of West Jessamine.
“We didn’t really dwell a whole lot on Taylor and Kody’s scoring at the half,” stated coach Gover.
“I knew they hadn’t scored a whole lot between them at the half, but I didn’t realize it was that low,” continued the PC coach. “West (Jessamine) really focused on them, and we had some kids that had some open looks there in the first half that came through and delivered for us. Sean Ross stepped up and hit a couple of huge shots, and then after he hit a couple, he passed some shots up.”
West Jessamine didn’t seemingly pass up any shots in the third quarter of play, as Damon Kelly’s club came out of the locker room in the second half and attempted to knock PC out.
The Colts methodically began to build up their lead, and with Kody Johnson, Blake Burton, and Tyler Goins all saddled with four fouls each by the end of the third quarter, West Jessamine looked to be in great shape, leading the Maroons by double figures — 58-48 — headed in the fourth stanza.
However, if PC was going to go down easy, somebody forgot to tell the Maroons — namely Taylor Gover.
The PC junior point guard — held to just four points at halftime — almost single-handedly brought his club back from the dead in the second half, displaying a will to win regardless of the cost to himself physically.
Gover along with Goins, were the only two players to score for the Maroons in the second half of play, scoring 28 and seven points respectively after the intermission.
Taylor Gover drained four of his five-three pointers in the second half in the fourth period, capping a furious PC comeback.
With 2:54 remaining in the game, Gover’s third trey of the fourth stanza had pulled PC to within two points of West Jessamine — 64-62.
After a West Jessamine miss on the Colts next possession downcourt, Gover was fouled, and went to the charity stripe with a chance to tie the score with a one and one.
Gover made his first free throw, but missed the second, and the Colts Chase Fain rebounded the ball, and was fouled, and made both of his free throws to ease the lead back up to three points, at 66-63.
After PC was held scoreless on its next possession, Fain once again was fouled and made both of his attempts at the charity stripe, extending the West Jessamine lead out to 68-63.
Gover’s fourth trey of the frame brought PC to within two once again, 68-66 late in the game, but as was the case all night long, West Jessamine made its free throws down the stretch to seal the victory, winning 73-66 over the Maroons, thus depriving PC and Southwestern a chance to meet for the third time this year in the semi finals of the tournament next Monday night.
“We did get behind, and I thought defensively we didn’t stay disciplined like we needed to on defense, that led to us giving up way too many easy baskets,” said Gover.
“Again, our shot selection was kind of iffy at times on the offensive end as well,” added Gover. “We didn’t execute real well just to be honest, and this time of year, if you don’t execute your stuff, you’re more than likely going to lose. Hat’s off to West Jessamine, and I wish them the best of luck.”
Taylor Gover led PC with a game-high 32 points, while Goins joined him in double figures with 18 for the Maroons, who finished the season with a 21-11 mark.
West Jessamine got a team-high 21 points from reserve Heath Jackson, while Chase Fain added 14 points and Will Henderson chipped in with 10.
The semi finals of the tournament are now set for next Monday night at Pulaski County High School.
In Monday’s first game at 6 p.m., the (12-15) Boyle County Rebels will take on the favorite, (28-4) East Jessamine Jaguars.
In Monday’s second game, (19-13) West Jessamine will face (25-8) Southwestern.
The championship game of the Boy’s 12th Regional Tournament will be held at Pulaski County High School next Tuesday at 7 p.m.
http://somerset-kentucky.com/localsports...aski-73-66
03-02-2012, 01:57 AM
WJ — 19 17 22 15 — 73
PC — 18 13 17 18 — 66
West Jessamine — Heath Jackson 21, Fain 14, Henderson 10, Peters 9, Ziemann 8, Eubanks 6, Irgang 5
Pulaski Co. — Gover 32, Goins 18, Ross 6, S. Laign 4, Johnson 3, Burton 3
PC — 18 13 17 18 — 66
West Jessamine — Heath Jackson 21, Fain 14, Henderson 10, Peters 9, Ziemann 8, Eubanks 6, Irgang 5
Pulaski Co. — Gover 32, Goins 18, Ross 6, S. Laign 4, Johnson 3, Burton 3
03-02-2012, 02:05 AM
Congrats WJ.