Fairdale edges Spencer County, reaches King of Bluegrass semis for first time since 2006
When it comes to recent history of the Chad Gardner Law King of the Bluegrass Holiday Classic, Fairdale High School’s role has been more of outstanding host than championship contender.
But behind the hot hand of Jacob Tucker and a classic play called “Hubie,” the Bulldogs are King of the Bluegrass contenders for the first time in years.
Tucker scored a game-high 23 points and Dalton Hicks scored the final five points as Fairdale rallied for a 69-67 victory over Spencer County on Thursday in the KOB quarterfinals.
Fairdale won its tournament three times during its glory days in the 1980s and 1990s but hadn’t reached the semifinals since 2006. The Bulldogs (9-1) will face Great Crossing at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
“This tournament is so special … and we’ve watched all the legends and the great players,” first-year Fairdale coach John Hunt said. “But it’s so much better to be in this position. Absolutely.”
Fairdale seemed destined for another quick trip to the consolation bracket when Spencer County (4-5) took a 62-56 lead on two Keaton Baird free throws with 2:39 remaining.
Luke Erhardt gave the Bears a 67-64 lead on a free throw with 46.9 seconds left, but Fairdale went to an old standby to tie the score.
In a timeout, Hunt called “Hubie,” a play named for legendary coach Hubie Brown. Hicks nailed a left-corner 3-pointer to tie the score at 67 with 28 seconds left.
“We’ve always saved that play for a last-minute deal,” Hunt said. “We hadn’t run it this year, but we practice it quite often. I thought, ‘Why not?’”
After a Spencer County miss, Hicks was fouled with 7.9 seconds left. He nailed both free throws for the game-winning points.
“It’s a big deal to show everybody we’re still able to be in this and that we deserve to be in it,” Hicks said.
Hunt was in tears after the victory.
“Anything I’ve asked them to do, they’ve done,” he said. “They don’t quit and play as hard as they can. We look like a rag-tag bunch out there sometimes. But as long as they play hard, that’s all we’re asking.”
Erhardt (17 points) and Baird (16 points) led Spencer County, which got its first KOB victory Tuesday over Male.
Coach Jason Burns was impressed with Fairdale.
“They’re physical … and Hicks is a stud,” Burns said. “They can post their guards up, which hurts us a little bit, and they can shoot it. They have a really good team.”
SPENCER COUNTY 8 18 15 26 - 67
FAIRDALE 14 16 15 24 - 69
Spencer County (4-5) – Luke Erhardt 17, Keaton Baird 16, Carter Walters 2, Drew Barron 8, Jack Armstrong 9, Camden Cox 15.
Fairdale (9-1) – Cameron Croney 15, Damon Howard 2, Dalton Hicks 11, Jake Dewboys 4, Joseph Hurt 8, Jacob Tucker 23, Brandon Smith 6.
Bowling Green 56, Trinity 54
M.J. Wardlow posted 17 points, 12 rebounds and four steals to lead the No. 7-ranked Purples (7-2) over the No. 3 Shamrocks (6-2) in a physical game that featured 15 lead changes and five ties.
Mason Ritter, a 6-foot-8 senior who has signed with Columbia University, added 16 points for the Purples. They will face Little Rock Central in Friday's 9 p.m. semifinal.
Jayden Johnson’s 3-pointer pulled Trinity within 55-54 with 15.4 seconds left before Bowling Green’s Braylon Banks made 1 of 2 free throws for a 56-54 edge with 8.6 seconds remaining.
The Shamrocks had two shots to tie in the final seconds but couldn’t convert.
Drae Vasser led Trinity with 13 points and eight rebounds. Jayden Johnson and Alex Johnson both added 12 points.
Trinity coach Mike Szabo missed his second straight game with an illness. Bret Saxton served as acting head coach for the second straight game.
BOWLING GREEN 16 6 21 13 – 56
TRINITY 13 10 18 13 – 54
Bowling Green (7-2) – Jace Wardlow 2, Deuce Bailey 10, Braylon Banks 10, Mason Ritter 16, Kadyn Carpenter 1, M.J. Wardlow 17.
Trinity (6-2) – Julius Edmonds 2, Lance Chandler 6, Drae Vasser 13, Josiah Lawson 9, Jayden Johnson 12, Alex Johnson 12.
Little Rock Central 89, DeSales 78
Missouri signee Annor Boateng posted 28 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Tigers (10-0) to a double-overtime victory over the Colts (8-3).
Daniel Culberson added 16 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals for Little Rock Central, the No. 1-ranked team in Arkansas.
DeSales, ranked No. 14 in Kentucky, trailed, 55-40, early in the fourth quarter but rallied to force overtime — thanks in part to the Tigers’ struggles at the free-throw line.
Damone King’s baseline jumper with 2.1 seconds left tied the score at 67, forcing the first overtime. King hit two free throws with 1.2 seconds left in the first overtime to tie the score at 74.
The Tigers closed the second overtime with an 11-2 run to clinch the victory.
King scored 21 points and Logan Tharp added 19 points and four assists to lead DeSales.
LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL 13 17 22 15 7 15 – 89
DESALES 16 12 12 27 7 4 – 78
Little Rock Central (10-0) – Chris Washington 11, Daniel Culberson 16, Annor Boateng 28, Chase Allen 10, Luke Moore 23, Clay Blair 1.
DeSales (8-3) – Prince Kahnplaye 16, Brady Cummins 9, Logan Tharp 19, Damone King 21, Will Gibson 13.
Great Crossing 48, Newport 46
Vince Dawson’s 3-pointer with 10 seconds remaining was the difference as the No. 2 Warhawks (8-0) beat the No. 9 Wildcats (7-2).
Newport committed just eight turnovers but had two in the final 20 seconds, including on the final possession following Dawson’s 3-pointer.
Dawson finished with 20 points to lead Great Crossing, last year’s King of the Bluegrass runner-up to Warren Central. Malachi Moreno, a 7-1 junior, added 13 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks.
Sophomore Taylen Kinney scored 29 points to lead Newport. His basket with 48.6 seconds left gave the Wildcats a 46-45 lead.
GREAT CROSSING 15 10 12 11 - 48
NEWPORT 8 13 12 13 - 46
Great Crossing (8-0) – L.J. Holman 4, Vince Dawson 20, Jaylen Warren 2, Junius Burrell 4, Gage Richardson 2, Jeremiah Godfrey 3, Malachi Moreno 13.
Newport (7-2) – Taylen Kinney 29, Jabari Covington 4, DeShaun Jackson 4, James Turner 5, Griffin Starks 2, Noah Silverton 2.
Consolation-bracket linescores
CHICAGO DE LA SALLE 18 18 21 20 - 77
FREDERICK DOUGLASS 20 17 18 9 - 64
Chicago De La Salle (8-3) – Aidan Horton 5, Bryant Hedrik 14, Dylan Clark 3, Remi Edwards 1, Charles Barnes 11, Tavariyuan Williams 8, Richard Lindsey 26, Ali Mbaye 9.
Frederick Douglass (4-3) – Armelo Boone 31, Aveion Chenault 16, Travis Jones 2, Logan Busson 7, Dakari Talbert 8.
MALE 18 13 28 21 - 80
TAYLOR COUNTY 14 10 12 28 - 64
Male (6-2) – Cole Edelen 19, Keashawn Jordan 8, Cornelius Barnett 5, Max Gainey 6, Jordan Mitchell 14, Terrance Hall 11, Jayson Gasaway 17.
Taylor County (6-5) – Jalen Gribbins 6, C.J. Johnson 6, Layken Lyons 21, Carter Wise 2, Kobe Colvin 6, Jackson Wise 3, Keeton Clements 18, Bruten Close 2.
NORTH OLDHAM 20 13 13 21 - 67
WASHINGTON COUNTY 10 7 21 22 – 60
North Oldham (8-1) – Jack Fischer 10, Grant Neal 20, Jakobi McRoberts 8, Ryan Howard 17, Ryan Sanders 2, Brooks Cargould 2, Gray Schmittel 8.
Washington County (6-2) – Kamar Phillips 1, Noah Reynolds 17, Camden Abell 3, Gabe Weis 15, Beau Baker 19, Lance Coulter 2, Jon Tate Smith 3.
HARLAN COUNTY 27 25 25 16 - 93
BUTLER COUNTY 22 7 20 25 - 74
Harlan County (8-1) – Trent Noah 28, Maddox Huff 30, Caleb Johnson 9, Jaycee Carter 13, Reggie Cottrell 11, Brody Napier 2.
Butler County (5-3) – Ty Price 30, Lawson Rice 22, Trever Deweese 11, Justin Castlen 7, Case Hooten 4.
More King of the Bluegrass: No. 3 Trinity wins tournament opener despite playing without coach
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This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: King of Bluegrass: Fairdale basketball in semis for 1st time since '06
