03-07-2014, 10:39 AM
Zack Klemme The Independent The Daily Independent
MOREHEAD â Even if Cinderella stories are what captivate basketball observers during March, thereâs no room to complain with Ashland and East Carter facing off in tonightâs 16thRegion Tournament final, either.
The first time the Lady Raiders, ranked eighth in Kentucky by the Associated Press, and the two-time defending region champion Kittens faced off this season, East Carter coach Hager Easterling likened the game to a heavyweight boxing match.
Thatâs what fans should figure to see tonight, not only because thatâs the oft-used simile or metaphor for a contest between expected contenders, but because East Carter and Ashland have both displayed a willingness and ability to win physical basketball games when necessary.
The Kittens slogged through a 49-45 defeat of Lewis County in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, then powered to a 57-39 victory against Fleming County in the semifinals on Wednesday.
Toughness, physicality and intestinal fortitude helped Ashland win those games. Coach Bill Bradley has suggested at times this season the Kittens needed to âget a little meanerâ too, and he said they have begun to show that.
Easterling, for his part, said Ashland will present a physical challenge for his team, specifically mentioning Haley-Sue Foutchâs work inside.
âItâs gonna be a big key because thatâs what kept them in the game over at Ashland last time we played, was offensive rebounding,â Easterling said. âThey just killed us on the offensive glass. A lot of times in the postseason it is who plays the most physical that does win.â
The Lady Raiders are guard-oriented and shot 26 3-pointers in their 51-38 defeat of Russell in the semifinals Thursday. But that doesnât mean theyâre soft.
âTheyâre so well-rounded,â Bradley said. âThey all shoot 3s, they all can handle the ball, theyâre very smart (and) theyâre the most experienced team in the region right now.â
Despite its relative lack of size â aside from Kelsey Stumbo, the only listed center on its roster â East Carter can play sticky pressure defense, which has gotten Bradleyâs attention.
âLewis and Fleming are very physical teams, and theyâll get after you,â the Ashland coach said. âEast is just as physical, and we have to match that tomorrow night or we donât have a chance.â
East Carter has won both games between the teams this season, prevailing 48-47 on Jan. 30 in Grayson and 71-60 on Feb. 20 in Ashland.
That amounts to nothing tonight, obviously. Itâs just one game with a trip to Diddle Arena on the line.
âThereâs no secrets,â Easterling said. âThey know what weâre gonna try to do; we know what theyâre gonna try to do. Itâs how you play tomorrow night. Itâs who gets out there and does what they do best and imposes their will on the other team that is gonna walk away with the win.â
If nothing else, though, those games did show East Carter what it can do successfully against Ashland, and consequently gave the Kittens an idea what they needed to shore up to play well tonight.
âWe have to be more aggressive going to the basket,â Bradley said. âI thought we got a little passive the first game. I thought our second game we did go to the basket a lot better, and I thought our defense wasnât very good the second half.â
The 60 points Ashland put up on East Carter the second time were nearly 20 more than what the Lady Raiders are yielding on average per game.
âTheyâre very talented. They present so many problems offensively,â Easterling said of the Kittens. âYou start with (point guard Alexis) Robinson, who can just break you down in the lane and get to the free throw line. The other Robinson, Mykasa, sheâs coming on now, she made some 3s tonight, (Chelsea) Woodson can knock down shots, and (Shelby) Gransberyâs looking to take the ball to the basket more.
âYou have to be tough every possession and try not to give them easy baskets and make them take tough shots.â
Putting all that together, Ashland and East Carter look forward to playing a classic tonight.
âIâve said this all year, this group has seemed to embrace the big stage and the spotlight and playing against good teams, and I think weâll do that tomorrow night,â Easterling said. â(East Carterâs players) really didnât care a lot, but I think in the back of their minds they wanted to play Ashland again, and theyâve answered the bell.â
The Kittens pined for another shot at the Lady Raiders, too.
âItâs good because weâve all wanted to get back at them,â Mykasa Robinson said. âWe want to show them that we can beat them.â
Alexis Robinson, a two-time region tournament MVP, and Foutch are the only Kittens left who played significant minutes for Ashlandâs region champions the past two seasons.
âThey have to be very calm tomorrow night, try to be the leaders,â Bradley said of his junior stars. âBut weâre very confident right now. Mykasaâs very confident, Shelbyâs playing well, you got Chelsea doing a great job, Alex (Young) has been around a little bit.
âSo if we can just do things we know we can do, then I think itâll be a great game.â
MOREHEAD â Even if Cinderella stories are what captivate basketball observers during March, thereâs no room to complain with Ashland and East Carter facing off in tonightâs 16thRegion Tournament final, either.
The first time the Lady Raiders, ranked eighth in Kentucky by the Associated Press, and the two-time defending region champion Kittens faced off this season, East Carter coach Hager Easterling likened the game to a heavyweight boxing match.
Thatâs what fans should figure to see tonight, not only because thatâs the oft-used simile or metaphor for a contest between expected contenders, but because East Carter and Ashland have both displayed a willingness and ability to win physical basketball games when necessary.
The Kittens slogged through a 49-45 defeat of Lewis County in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, then powered to a 57-39 victory against Fleming County in the semifinals on Wednesday.
Toughness, physicality and intestinal fortitude helped Ashland win those games. Coach Bill Bradley has suggested at times this season the Kittens needed to âget a little meanerâ too, and he said they have begun to show that.
Easterling, for his part, said Ashland will present a physical challenge for his team, specifically mentioning Haley-Sue Foutchâs work inside.
âItâs gonna be a big key because thatâs what kept them in the game over at Ashland last time we played, was offensive rebounding,â Easterling said. âThey just killed us on the offensive glass. A lot of times in the postseason it is who plays the most physical that does win.â
The Lady Raiders are guard-oriented and shot 26 3-pointers in their 51-38 defeat of Russell in the semifinals Thursday. But that doesnât mean theyâre soft.
âTheyâre so well-rounded,â Bradley said. âThey all shoot 3s, they all can handle the ball, theyâre very smart (and) theyâre the most experienced team in the region right now.â
Despite its relative lack of size â aside from Kelsey Stumbo, the only listed center on its roster â East Carter can play sticky pressure defense, which has gotten Bradleyâs attention.
âLewis and Fleming are very physical teams, and theyâll get after you,â the Ashland coach said. âEast is just as physical, and we have to match that tomorrow night or we donât have a chance.â
East Carter has won both games between the teams this season, prevailing 48-47 on Jan. 30 in Grayson and 71-60 on Feb. 20 in Ashland.
That amounts to nothing tonight, obviously. Itâs just one game with a trip to Diddle Arena on the line.
âThereâs no secrets,â Easterling said. âThey know what weâre gonna try to do; we know what theyâre gonna try to do. Itâs how you play tomorrow night. Itâs who gets out there and does what they do best and imposes their will on the other team that is gonna walk away with the win.â
If nothing else, though, those games did show East Carter what it can do successfully against Ashland, and consequently gave the Kittens an idea what they needed to shore up to play well tonight.
âWe have to be more aggressive going to the basket,â Bradley said. âI thought we got a little passive the first game. I thought our second game we did go to the basket a lot better, and I thought our defense wasnât very good the second half.â
The 60 points Ashland put up on East Carter the second time were nearly 20 more than what the Lady Raiders are yielding on average per game.
âTheyâre very talented. They present so many problems offensively,â Easterling said of the Kittens. âYou start with (point guard Alexis) Robinson, who can just break you down in the lane and get to the free throw line. The other Robinson, Mykasa, sheâs coming on now, she made some 3s tonight, (Chelsea) Woodson can knock down shots, and (Shelby) Gransberyâs looking to take the ball to the basket more.
âYou have to be tough every possession and try not to give them easy baskets and make them take tough shots.â
Putting all that together, Ashland and East Carter look forward to playing a classic tonight.
âIâve said this all year, this group has seemed to embrace the big stage and the spotlight and playing against good teams, and I think weâll do that tomorrow night,â Easterling said. â(East Carterâs players) really didnât care a lot, but I think in the back of their minds they wanted to play Ashland again, and theyâve answered the bell.â
The Kittens pined for another shot at the Lady Raiders, too.
âItâs good because weâve all wanted to get back at them,â Mykasa Robinson said. âWe want to show them that we can beat them.â
Alexis Robinson, a two-time region tournament MVP, and Foutch are the only Kittens left who played significant minutes for Ashlandâs region champions the past two seasons.
âThey have to be very calm tomorrow night, try to be the leaders,â Bradley said of his junior stars. âBut weâre very confident right now. Mykasaâs very confident, Shelbyâs playing well, you got Chelsea doing a great job, Alex (Young) has been around a little bit.
âSo if we can just do things we know we can do, then I think itâll be a great game.â