Fraley with 29, Taulbee with 28 to pace Bobcats to District Win.
Campton, Kentucky – January 25, 2019 David Leveridge, Bluegrass Sports Nation
Breathitt County (12-6) traveled to Campton to take on Wolfe
County (6-11) in a huge 55th District Battle tonight. The two teams are currently the top two teams
in the 55th District. With the
55th District only having three teams competing in the district this
year, tonight’s contest was crucial as the winner would receive a bye in the
District Tournament and an automatic ticket to the 14th Regional
Basketball Tournament. Both teams like
to play a fast-paced game and rely heavily on the three-point shooting for
scoring. Entering tonight’s contest, Breathitt
is playing their best basketball of the season going seven and one in their
last eight games, and winning their last four.
Wolfe is starting to peak as the Wolves are 2-1 in the last 3 games.
1st Quarter- Breathitt won the tip and the track
meet was on. Breathitt’s Kyle Fraley lit
up Rose Gymnasium by connecting on two early three pointers. Jalen Taulbee of the Bobcats also opened with
a hot hand adding to the three point barrage. Breathitt opened with a 9-4 lead. Wolfe County countered with Sophomore Guard
Jaz Johnson with slashing drives and threes. Wolfe County was able to slow down the Bobcats
three-point shooters and take a one- point lead with 2:11 remaining in the
quarter, at 20-19. Breathitt’s Fraley
continued his impressive shooting connecting on two more threes, giving him his
fourth made three of the quarter. End of
the First, Breathitt 29 – 23.
2nd Quarter- Wolfe opened the second quarter with
a seven to one run, with stellar play from Johnson and nifty passes from Point
Guard Wilgus Tolson. The tempo continued
to increase with both fan bases on their feet.
Breathitt then cooled down for a few minutes of the quarter and Wolfe built
its lead to seven points leading 42-35 with 1:48 remaining in the half. Breathitt’s Jack Fugate the heated up from three-land,
and the Bobcats started to force the Wolves into turnovers cutting and cut the lead
to two points with under a minute left in the half. Breathitt scores late in the quarter tying
the game at 42 entering intermission.
3rd Quarter- Breathitt opened the second half
with a 7-0 run leading Wolfe County 49-42 with 6:18 remaining in the
quarter. Wolfe the quickly responded
with an 8-0 run of its own, to take the lead 50 – 49. Out of a timeout, Breathitt heated up again
with threes from Fugate and Fraley, to build the lead back up to eight, at
61-53 with 1:08 remaining in the quarter.
Breathitt then hit the gas with another eight unanswered to build the
lead to as high as 16. End of the third,
Breathitt 70-56. The Bobcats outscored
the Wolves 28-14 in the Quarter.
4th Quarter- Wolfe continued to press and hustle
in the fourth quarter, trying to cut into the Bobcat double digit margin. The Bobcats held the margin with Fraley knocking
down his sixth three of the night to tie the Bobcat single game record, end extend
the lead to 80-62 with 5:44 remaining in the game. Wolfe made a 6-0 run but were not able to cut
the deficit to single digits. Final –
Breathitt 98-Wolfe 86.
Breathitt County improves on the season to 12-6, and finishes 55th District play undefeated at 4-0. The win was the storied Breathitt programs’ 1800th all time win. Breathitt County’s back court of Jack Fugate, Jalen Taulbee and Kyle Fraley combined for 76 of Breathitt’s 98. Fraley lead all scorers with 29 points with his six made three’s. Jalen Taulbee finished with 28 points and Jack Fugate added 19. The win tonight secured Breathitt a first round bye in the 55th District Tournament which automatically puts Breathitt County into the 14th Regional Basketball Tournament.
Wolfe County drops on the season to 6-12, and is also finished with 55th District play at 2-2. Wolfe will take on Jackson City in the semi-finals of the upcoming 55th District tournament. Wilgus Tolson and Jaz Johnson are two phenomenal players and are the leaders of the team. Both are Sophomores, and along with Freshman Sawyer Thompson, the future of Wolfe Basketball looks bright. Johnson poured in 28 points and Sawyer Thompson contributed 17, and Tolson scored 12.
Thanks to our Game Sponsors of the Breathitt-Wolfe Game: Whitaker Bank of Campton and Wolfe County Farm Bureau, (Susan Cable and Roy Kelley, Agents) on the Wolfe side and First National Bank of Jackson and Variety Pizza on the Breathitt side. Let them all know you appreciate their support of our Wolfe and Breathitt young people!!!!!
Full photo by Brendon Miller below in separate post here on web and on our Bluegrass Sports Nation Facebook Page!!!!
