[Stardust]

BOWLING GREEN, KY. — Her team out of sync for much of the second half, LeAsia Wright saved the day — and the season — for the Manual High School girls’ basketball team.

The 5-foot-7 senior scored a team-high 18 points, including a key 3-pointer in the fourth quarter, as the Lady Crimsons beat Perry County Central 50-41 Wednesday in the first round of the Houchens Industries/KHSAA Sweet 16 in E.A. Diddle Arena.

Wright was just 3 of 12 from the field but hit all 11 of her free throws and helped the Lady Crimsons overcome a cold-shooting night (28.6 percent).

“I told the bench, ‘We’re not losing as long as LeAsia is on this team,’ ” Manual coach Stacy Pendleton said. “She played with so much heart, and I’m so proud of her. She’s a gamer, and she’s a stud. My goodness. She made so many big plays when we needed them.”

Manual (34-2), No. 1 in The Courier-Journal’s Litkenhous Ratings, ran its winning streak to 19 and advanced to Friday’s 2:30 p.m. EST quarterfinal against Montgomery County.

Purdue signee April Wilson had nine points, seven steals and four assists for Manual. Kayla Styles and Kara Wright each added seven points.

Kayla Rankin (18 points, 13 rebounds) and Kendall Noble (10 points, 11 rebounds) posted double-doubles for No. 4 Perry County Central (30-3), which lost to Manual for the second time this season. The Lady Commodores won the rebounding battle 43-28 but couldn’t overcome 23 turnovers.

“We didn’t play quite as well as we’re capable, and that’s really disappointing,” coach Randy Napier said. “It’s frustrating, because I love these kids so much.”

Perry County Central fell into a big hole early, missing 14 of its first 15 shots and committing 12 turnovers as Manual jumped to a 17-5 lead early in the second quarter.

Manual had six steals through the first 11 minutes, including three by Wilson.

“We had a lot of ball pressure,” Wilson said. “That’s Coach P’s main focus since the beginning of the year is ball pressure, ball pressure, ball pressure. When you do that, it creates turnovers.”http://saxo.highschoolsports.net/article...le&Avis=B2