Lady Patriots down Lady Falcons, Drop Pair of Close Games

    The Allen County-Scottsville Lady Patriots were two baskets away from a 3-0 week. Rather, a pair of last second losses were the story. AC-S dropped a 44-42 decision to district rival Glasgow Tuesday and Saturday, the Lady Patriots rallied from a 10-point deficit only to come up a point shot, 59-58, against Muhlenberg County.  Sandwiched between the defeats was a win over Monroe County Friday night at AC-S.

   AC-S charged from the gate with a basket from Bailee Alderson, a 3-pointer by Mason Towery, and a three-point play by Sutton---a run that opened an 8-0 lead three minutes into the game. Buckets from Kali Mutter and Sydney Day enabled the Lady Patriots to open a 12-6 lead at the 56 second mark in the first.

   Glasgow answered with a 15-0 run over the next five minutes. As the Lady Patriots were unable to make shots and stop Ansley Atwell and Ashanti Gore from scoring, the Lady Scotties extended their lead. However, the tide switched for the final four minutes of the first half. AC-S held Glasgow without a hope. Offensively, an Alderson basket, a basket from Towery, and a Baylea Cook three-pointer in the final seconds enabled the Lady Patriots to pull to within two, 21-19, at the half.

   A jumper and two free throws from Mutter tied the game at 23 early in the third. Midway through the third, a Day jumper gave AC-S a 27-26 lead. The game see-sawed back and forth with Glasgow clinging to a 34-33 lead to start the final period.

   After Adwell connected on a three-pointer early in the fourth, Glasgow led 37-33. Sutton’s three would close the gap to one but again Glasgow answered. The teams traded baskets until Jae McReynolds’ jumper at the 2:59 mark gave the Lady Patriots a 42-41 lead. Less than 30 seconds later, Adwell sank her fourth three of the game—a bucket that lifted Glasgow to a 44-42 lead. AC-S would get the game’s final shot in the final seconds. With Sutton and Towery double-covered, Baylea Cook had a look but her three for the win bounced off the rim. 

    “I thought we were flat from the middle of the first quarter on,” noted coach Brad Bonds. “We had way too many turnovers in our offense to get into any kind of rhythm, but yet we had a shot to tie or win at the buzzer, so defensively we gave ourselves a shot to win.”

   AC-S finished the game 18-40 from the floor (45%) and three of four (75%) at the foul line. Glasgow went 18-39 from the field (46.2%) including six of 13 from three-point range. The Lady Scotties went two of eight at the foul line. Sutton led the way with 16 points for AC-S.

   “Glasgow shot the ball well, I give them credit for making shots when it mattered and we didn't,” Coach Bonds added. “We have to do a better job executing our offense and valuing the basketball whether it is the half court offense or out of bounds plays out of timeouts. We must be better and accountable in order to win big district and region games like this.”

   In another key district game Friday, AC-S put together one of the best first halves of play this season. 

  “I thought we played really inspired basketball, something that was missing from the previous game,”  Bonds noted. “The first half play was great. We transitioned well, made shots, defending pretty solid and that is why we were up 19.”

   Towery, Mutter, Sutton, Day, and Baylea Cook scored in the first eight minutes. AC-S made eight of their first 15 shots to race to an 18-6 lead after the first. In the second, the shooting nose-dived for AC-S---the Lady Patriots missed seven of their 10 shot attempts. Still, solid defense and a seven-for-seven stat from the free throw line enabled AC-S to build a 33-14 lead by the half.

   The third period belonged to Monroe County. The Lady Falcons (8-9) opened with a 10-0 run before Day took a pass from Sutton to score on a layup. A Towery three-pointer and a put back basket from Baylea Cook enabled AC-S to carry a 40-28 lead to the fourth. The Lady Patriots outscored the Lady Falcons 9-8 in the fourth to record the win.

  “We got relaxed after half and never really took it to them to deliver the knockout punch,”  Bonds said. 

“I was very disappointed in our second half play. We seem to resort back to same issues in the Glasgow game. Still, it was great to get a district win, just wish we had played better for four quarters not just 2 ½ quarters.”

   Sutton scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the win. Towery also had nine rebounds while scoring 12 points. AC-S made 18 of 42 shots from the floor (42.9%) compared to Monroe County’s 12 of 45. AC-S was eight of 11 at the line while the Lady Falcons went 11 of 14. 

   Saturday, the Lady Patriots battled the Lady Mustangs from Muhlenberg County in the Byrd is the Word Showcase at Edmonson County. Muhlenberg County---a very strong team from Region 3 escaped with the win.

   “I thought we played the best game we have played all year,” Bonds explained. “We put the pieces together for four solid quarters against a really good basketball team.”

   Led by Sutton’s nine points, a pair of baskets from Towery, and a Mutter three-pointer, AC-S led 16-15 after the first quarter. The Lady Mustangs slowed Sutton in the second, holding her to a free throw but jumpers from Alderson, Day, and Towery enabled the Lady Patriots to stay close. Still, at the break, Muhlenberg County led 30-26. 

   The Lady Mustangs (12-5) built their lead in the third frame, outscoring the Lady Patriots 21-15. Sutton was back on track with seven third quarter points, Towery added four, with Sydney Day hitting a jumper and Chloe Cook connecting on two free throws to help the AC-S cause.

   Down 51-41 going to the fourth, AC-S stormed back. Led by Towery;s nine points, AC-S battled to within one in the final seconds. However, a jumper to win the game by Day at the horn missed the mark.

   Still, Bonds liked what he saw from his team.

   “I saw passion and inspiring play from our kids under a very challenging atmosphere,” Bonds noted. “Sarah and Mason made shots and both put the team on their shoulders and led.  I actually saw some of that fight and warrior attitude in us that has been missing which is a great sign moving forward.”

   Sutton finished with 23 points with Towery adding a season-best 19 points.

   AC-S (8-9) will have a return game with Glasgow (10-4) Friday night. Due to Glasgow’s homecoming, the girls game will be the nightcap, following the boys game. The Lady Patriots will be off next Tuesday.