[Stardust]

GLASGOW — The Barren County Trojans are the No. 2 seed going into next week’s Boys’ District 15 Basketball Tournament at Allen County-Scottsville High School. The Trojans open play in the tournament against No. 3 seed Allen County on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

Because Barren County is the higher seed and beat the Patriots twice during the regular season, some have gone ahead and put the Trojans through to the regional tournament.

Don’t tell BCHS coach Warren Cunningham that.

“The only game I am worried about right now is our game with Allen County. It is going to be an extremely tough game because we’ve been in tight games with them this year,” Cunningham said. “The game at their place was tied with less than a minute to play and we hit a 3. At our place, we were up three with less than a minute to go and they missed a three.

“It is going to be a good game. I know there is probably nothing else they would like to do than knock us out of going to the regional tournament. And we’re going to have to go over there and play really well.”

Cunningham said he may try to switch some things up on the Patriots, a little different look for Allen County than what they saw earlier in the season.

“The majority of the stuff you do in a tournament setting is what you’ve done all year, the things your team has to do to be successful,” Cunningham explained. “We may change some things, put in a wrinkle here and there. But overall, you’re going to do what your team is familiar with and what you’ve been successful with all year. That’s what it comes down to, execution.”

And the Trojans will need to execute really well on Tuesday as the Patriots and top gun Josh Jones will give Barren County problems, if the Trojans are not ready.

“Their two guards, Josh Jones and Thaxton Spears, are a big part of their offense. When it comes down to it, we know Jones is going to take over the game late and he’s capable of doing that,” Cunningham explained. “You have to make sure he’s taking contested shots. He will score, but you have to make him make contested shots and not give them anything easy.”

Both teams know each other really well and Cunningham said the game will come down to which team is able to execute what it wants to do on offense and defense.

That’s what the Trojans have been working on in practice.

“You want your guys to approach the game like they’ve approached every game throughout the season. You want to try and keep it as normal as possible,” Cunningham relayed.

“You want to emphasize over the entire season that you want intensity every game. You want to play with a sense of purpose, so when tournament time comes around you have the mindset that you’ve had all year, but it is the mindset you need to win in those games.”

http://glasgowdailytimes.com/sports/x143...with-Allen