54 th District Boys- Perry County Central defeats Leslie County 72-58. Perry Central advances to the Championship game of the 54 th District. / David Leveridge- Bluegrass Sports Nation- High School Basketball / February 20, 2018 Hazard’s Memorial Gym
Hazard, KY- In the opening game of the Boys 54 th District Defending 14 th Region Champion the Perry County Central Commodores begins their quest on defending the Region Title against The Leslie County Eagles from Hyden, Kentucky. The game tonight is the third time all season the two teams has took the court against each other. Perry Central has been victorious both times.
In the WYMT classic Perry
Central cruised to an easy 24- point victory Leslie County 47- Perry County Central 71. The teams met one week later and the game was much closer, as Perry County Central pulled away late with a five
point victory 63- 58. First Quarter- Perry Central gets the tip, but unable to score on the first possession. Sam Turner of Perry
Central scores the first basket with a strong post move. Perry County Central leads 2-0. Perry Central
stops Leslie County from scoring and go back to Sam Turner who scores his second basket of the quarter
with another post move. Leslie County gets on the board as #4 Darron Whitaker scores two on the mid-
range jump shot. Perry Central scores on the next possession, leads 6-2 over Leslie County with 5:20
remaining in the quarter. Leslie County #33 Tyler Dixon finds the basket with another 2 Pt FG. Leslie
makes a free throw and the lead is cut to 3 pts 8-5. PCC goes back to Sam Turner who scores another
2Pt FG, Turner 6 th point of the night. Leslie County gets hot and the game is tied at 10 with 2:55
remaining in the quarter. PCC Noah Back connects with a three, only to be answered by a 2 PT FG from
Leslie County. Perry Central lead 13-12 with 1:55 remaining in the quarter. Noah Back of PCC increases
the lead with another made 3pt basket. On the next possession Leslie County answers with a 3 PT
basket. The lead is cut to one- point Perry 16- Leslie 15. PCC # 35 Noah Caudill makes a 2 PT basket as
time expires in the quarter. At the end of the first Quarter Perry County Central leads 18-15 over Leslie
County.
2 nd quarter- Leslie County has the ball to start the quarter, Leslie County is unable to score the ball as the
Eagles commit an early turnover. Leslie stops Perry from scoring on the first possession and #41 Skyler
Mitchell scores 2 pts on the offensive rebound. Leslie takes the lead with 5:55 remaining in the game as
#3 Nick Hoskins scores 2 pts on the jump shot. Perry answers with a scoring possession, only to be
answered with a 2pt FG by Leslie County #4 Darron Whitaker. Leslie County leads 21- 20 with 4:55
remaining in the half. Leslie County adds to the lead as # 33 Tyler Dixon scores 2pts in transition. Perry
Central ties the game at 23 as #22 Jayden Neace scores with a 3 PT basket. Perry Central #33 Jacob
Woolum drives to the basket scores 2 pts with a great post move. Perry County Central adds 2 more pts
and the lead is increased to 4 pts PCC 27- Leslie County 23 with 3:23 remaining in the half. Perry Central
#2 Chandler Caudill adds 2 pts to the lead as he takes the ball the length of the court, scoring with a 2 PT
basket in transition. Leslie County cuts the lead on the next possession with a 2 PT scoring field goal. As
the half approaches the final minute Perry Central leads 31-28. Leslie County ties the game with a made
3PT basket by #25 Cullen Pennigton. Perry County Central scores 2 pts at the end of the first half and
takes a two- point lead to the locker room. Perry County Central 33- Leslie County 31.
3 rd Quarter- Leslie County has the ball and scores on the first possession with a layup by #33 Tyler
Dixon. The game is tied at 33 with 7:10 remaining in the third quarter. Perry Central #3 Richard Cornett
is fouled and connects on both free throws, PCC retakes the lead with the made Free throws. The game
slows down as both teams slow down the ball, and the defense begins to tighten up. Perry Central # 24
Noah Back scores the next 5 points. Perry Central leads 40-33 with 4:20 remaining in the quarter. Leslie
County breaks the scoring drought with a 2 PT scoring possession on the next series. Perry Central leads
40 -35 with 2:26 remaining in the quarter. Richard Cornett of Perry Central scores 2 pts as time expires
in the forth quarter. Perry County Central leads 42- 35 at the end of the third quarter.
Fourth quarter- Perry Central has the ball to start the fourth quarter, the Commodores work the ball
around the perimeter finding Jacob Woolum who scores with a 2 PT basket. Perry Central begins to
press Leslie County who commits three consecutive turnovers. The Commodores add to the lead with
another scoring possession by Jacob Woolum. Perry County Central leads 46- 35 with 6:51 remaining in
the game. Perry Central adds to the lead with a 3PT basket from Noah Back. The lead grows to sixteen
as Noah Caudill scores 2 pts. Leslie County breaks the scoring drought as #33 Tyler Dixon scores 2 pts
and is fouled. 5:21 remains in the game Perry County Central 51- Leslie County 38. Leslie County goes
back to Tyler Dixon who scores again, reducing the Commodore lead to eleven points. Perry County
Central 51- Leslie County 40. Perry Central Richard Cornett adds to the lead with one made free throw.
Perry forces a turnover, resulting in a fast break opportunity. Leslie Counters with a basket in transition.
Perry Central begins to force turnovers and the lead quickly grows to 20 pts with 2:57 remaining in the
game. Perry County Central 62- Leslie County 42. Leslie County #33 Dixon reduces the deficit with a 2
PT FG. Although, Perry Central has a significant lead late in the game, the Commodores continue to trap
and press the Leslie County Eagles resulting in turnovers and easy baskets. Perry County Central goes on
to defeat the Leslie County Eagles 72-58.
Perry County improves on the season with an overall record of 18 and 7. Perry County Central advances
to the District Championship, where they will meet the winner of the Buckhorn Wildcats and the Hazard
Bulldogs played tomorrow February 21, 2018. Leslie County season is now over as the Eagles fall to the
defending 14 th Region Champ. Leslie County Finishes the season with an overall record of 17 and 8.
Perry Central’s Noah Back was the leading scorer of the game with 21 pts. Leslie County’s Tyler Dixon
lead the Eagles with 20 pts.
Girls 54th District Championship Hazard Lady Bulldogs vs Leslie County Lady Eagles: Hazard defeats Leslie County 65- 39 / February 22, 2018 / David Leveridge- High School Basketball / Hazard, KY
Memorial gym- The 54th district will crown the girls tournament champions. Tonight’s game features two of the best teams in the Region with the Hazard Bulldogs hosting the Leslie County Lady Eagles. Leslie County enters tonight’s contest with 24-5 record overall, 11-2 in Region play and 4-0 in district play. Leslie County has been very successful the last couple of years as the team is coming off consecutive Regional Runner up appearances. Hazard is also a great team with an overall record of 21-7, 8-2 in Region play and 2-2 in district play. Tonight’s contest is the third time this season the 2 teams will take the hardwood, Leslie County has won both meeting’s but the games have been close, as Leslie has only won by 11 combined points in the 2 meetings.
Entering tonight’s contest Hazard defeated the Buckhorn Lady Wildcats 66-43 in the opening game of the District. The game was a lot closer than the final score indicates, as the Bulldogs pulled away late in the game and sealed up the Hazard Victory. Leslie County advanced to the District championship by defeating the Perry Central Lady Commodores 84-82 in overtime. The Leslie vs Perry County girls game was one of the best girl’s game I’ve ever witnessed. The game was fast paced, a large ecstatic crowd and featured 2 teams that played with a lot of heart.
1st Quarter- Hazard gets the tip and scores 2 pts on the opening possession with a driving layup by #12 Destiny Walker. Leslie County ties the game @ 2 with the 2 Pt basket by #34 Kayley Horton. Hazard’s Haley Turner scores 2 pts giving the Bulldogs and early 4-2 lead. Hazard adds to the lead with a 3Pt basket. Hazard leads 7-2 with 4:30 remaining in the quarter. The game is being played at a high intensity as both teams are aggressive and battle for position. Hazard connects with another 3 Pt basket by #5 destiny Sturgill, Leslie Counters on the next possession with a made basket by # Kelsey Harvey. Hazard leads 14-7 with 1:57 remaining in the quarter. Hazard exploits a mismatch and attacks the smaller Leslie county defenders, scoring 2 pts with a post move by #21 Hayley Turner. Hazard continues to attack the 2-3 zone of Leslie County scoring 2 pts. Hazard grows the lead to 11 pts 18-7 at the end of the first quarter.
2nd Quarter- Leslie county opens the quarter with the ball, but is unable to score on their first three possessions. The score remains Hazard 18- Leslie 7 with 6:23 remaining in the first half. Leslie County breaks the scoring drought with a 2 Pt basket by #14 Kesley Harvey. Leslie County #25 Hayley Simpson scores 2 pts on the cut from the inbound pass. Hazard counters on the next possession and the Bulldogs regain a nine- point lead 20- 11 with 3:30 remaining in the half. Hazard develops a comfortable lead and attempts to slow down the ball, and get away form the run and gun offense, which suits Leslie County better. Hazard’s #11 Alyssa Muha is fouled, she connects with consecutive free throws and the Lady Bulldogs regain an 11 point lead 22-11 with 1:16 remaining in the quarter. Leslie County #13 Hailee Mullins is fouled she makes both free throws and the lead is cut to 9 pts. Hazard 22- Leslie 13 with 18.2 seconds remaining in the first half. Hazard adds one PT at the free throw line, and takes a 10 Pt lead to the locker room. Hazard 23- Leslie County 13 at the half.
3rd Quarter- Hazard #11 Allyssa Muha scores 2 pts with a jumper in the lane to open the scoring in the third quarter. Hazard takes a 12 Pt lead, the Bulldogs largest lead of the game. Hazard continues to look for the mismatch in the post working the ball inside and allowing the guards to but to the basket. Hazard adds the next four pts of the game and leads 29-13 with 5:27 remaining in the third quarter. Leslie is a good 3PT shooting team, but struggles to get any type of flow to their game, resulting in contested 3 PT FG’s. Hazard is playing with a lot of confidence and continues to build the lead, The Bulldogs lead 31-14 with 5:20 remaining in the quarter. Leslie County gets on the scoreboard with a 2 Pt basket by #30 Lexie Myers. Hazard scores 2 pts on the next possession and lead 33-16 with 4:20 remaining in the third quarter. Leslie County finally connects with a 3 PT basket, but is answered on the opposing end with a 2 Pt basket by the Bulldogs. Hazard’s #12 Destiny Walker adds to the lead with a made 2 PT FG. Leslie County answers on the next possession with a corner 3 Pt bakset by #30 Lexy Myers. Hazard leads 38- 24 over Leslie County with 1:51 remaining in the quarter. Hazard’s #2 Hayley Caudill adds to the lead with 2 Pt FG. Hazard adds to the lead with a made field goal by #21 Hayley Turner. Hazard has a 20 pt lead, Hazard 44- Leslie County 24 with 30 seconds remaining in the quarter. At the end of the third quarter the score remains Hazard 44- Leslie County 24.
Fourth quarter- Hazard continues to add to the lead with a made 2 Pt FG #2 Hayley Caudill. Leslie counters on the other end with a 2 Pt field goal by #30 Lexy Myers. Hazard increases the lead to 22 pts with 7:03 remaining in the game. Hazard 48- Leslie County 26. Leslie Scores 2 pts in the paint with a post move by #25 Hayley Simpson. Hazard scores on the next possession and the Bulldogs regain a 22 PT lead. Hazard 50- Leslie County 28 with 5:50 remaining in the game. Leslie County is playing out of sync and the shots are not falling for the Eagles tonight. The Bulldogs get the ball in transition and increase the lead to 24 pts with 4:59 remaining in the game. Hazard 54- Leslie County 30. Leslie County #30 attempts to keep the lady Eagles in the game, scoring several 2 Pt baskets. The Lady Eagles trail the Lady Bulldogs by 20 pts with 3:42 remaining in the game. Hazard 58- Leslie County 38. Hazard continues to force the ball down low to #21 Hayley Turner, Turner takes advantage of the smaller defenders and adds to the lead with a 2 Pt scoring basket. Hazard leads 62-38 over Leslie County 2:56 remains in the game. Hazard has the game in hand and again slows down the ball, limiting the Eagle possessions. Hazard defeats the Leslie County Lady Eagles 65 – 39, capturing the 54th District girl’s championship.
Both teams will advance to the Regional Championship next week played at Estill County High School in Irvine, KY. The teams have a good chance at meeting again in Regional Competition. Hazard improves on the season with an overall record of 22 and 7. Leslie County drops on the season to an overall record of 24 and 6. Good luck to both teams on your quest of capturing the KHSAA Girls Regional Championship.
Stats-
Hazard 65-
- #2 Hayley Caudill- 21 pts
- #5 Desiree Sturgill- 7 pts
- #12 Destiny Walker- 5 pts
- #11 Alyssa Muha- 8 pts
- #21 Hayley Turner – 16 pts
- #33 Simone Beverly- 5 pts
- #1 Libby Danner- 3 pts.
Leslie County 39-
- #13 Hailee Muliins- 2 pts
- #25 Haley Simpson- 5 pts
- #3 Kailee Mullins- 2 pts
- #30 Lexy Myers- 19 pts
- #34 Kaley Horton- 4 pts
- #14 Kelsey Harvey- 4 pts
- #33 Hannah Gay- 3 pts
