Lady Titans Run Out Of Time Against The Cardinals In Shot Clock Classic
The Harrodsburg Herald/Wesley Bird
Sophomore Maddi Baker finished the three point play from the free throw line in the Titans overtime loss to Wayne County on Saturday, Dec. 13.
Wesley Bird
Herald Staff
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The Mercer County Titans girls basketball team lost a heartbreaker in overtime to the Wayne County Cardinals, 49-52, Saturday, Dec. 13. The Titans hosted the AmeriPro Health Shot Clock Classic, presented by the Harrodsburg Mercer Tourist Commission, which included a four-game slate with a 35-second shot clock. KHSAA is introducing a 35-second shot clock to the high school level starting next year.
Mercer started the game with a full-court press defense into a zone and created a shot clock violation on Wayne County’s first offensive possession. The Titans were first on the scoreboard with two free throws from Junior Izzie Carlton and Wayne County answered with a putback layup on the other end, 2-2. The Titan jumped out to a five-point lead from Carlton getting fouled again in the paint and made both, followed by sophomore Alexa Wade hitting a 3-pointer, 7-2.
The Cardinals found a hole in the Titans’ defense, made a foul-line jump shot, and scored off a Mercer turnover to cut the lead to one, 7-6. The first quarter came to an end with eighth grader Karis Wilham stealing the ball and finding freshman Annie Releford for a fast break layup, 9-6.
The Titans scored early in the second quarter with sophomore Maddi Baker driving into the paint and kicking it back out to Olive Frisby for a triple, 12-6. Releford added another two points with a steal and layup and Baker scored her first basket with a tough shot in the paint and was fouled, she completed the three-point play to put the Titans up by 11, 17-6. Wayne County fought back with a quick five points from a corner three and a mid-range shot, 17-11.
Carlton split a pair at the line as the Cardinals stayed hot on offense, scoring on an inbounds play, 18-13. Carlton scored at the rim and Wilham made a layup on a fast break, but the Cardinal ended the half with back-to-back layups, 22-17.
The Titans won the battle on the boards in the first half, and their zone defense worked well to create turnovers. Mercer struggled to limit their own turnovers with long passes that were intercepted, and they had a few chances to finish plays at the rim, but couldn’t get them to go.
