George Rogers Clark responded to a slow start with its strongest stretch of the game.
After Johnson Central erased a nine-point deficit and took a 31-29 halftime lead on Mason McKenzie’s 3-pointer just before the break, the Cardinals came out of the locker room in control and rolled to a 75-60 win Thursday in the first round of the UK HealthCare Boys Basketball Sweet 16® at Rupp Arena.
The turning point came in the third quarter, when GRC outscored the Golden Eagles 27-9. The Cardinals turned a two-point halftime deficit into a 56-40 lead entering the fourth, using their size, interior scoring and rebounding edge to take over the game.
“(We did) a much better job in the second half, being able to get stops and not getting unsettled,” said GRC Head Coach Josh Cook. “We were able to execute our stuff as well and get some high percentage shots.”
George Rogers Clark, the 10th Region champion, showed those strengths on both ends. The Cardinals finished with a 50-18 advantage in points in the paint, outrebounded Johnson Central 39-27 and outscored the Golden Eagles 19-6 on second-chance points. GRC also shot 32 of 58 from the field for 55.2 percent, compared with 20 of 56 for 35.7 percent for Johnson Central.
The Cardinals set the early tone by taking a 19-10 lead after one quarter, with sophomore Ryder Akins scoring seven first-quarter points. Johnson Central answered in the second, outscoring GRC 21-10 behind timely perimeter shooting to move in front by halftime.
“It is a team game, but we know individually…we have to attack, because that’s what our team needs, especially in the postseason,” said Akins. “Not every three is going to be a good three, so getting downhill…is what we need.”
That downhill approach paid off after the break, especially for junior Montez Gay. After a quiet first half by his standards, Gay scored nine points in the third quarter and helped spark the run that put the game out of reach.
“Personally, I didn’t think I played to my capabilities in the first half. So, coming out in the third quarter was very important to me,” he said. “(I) credit my teammates for getting in my head and telling me that they need me…it was easy from there.”
Amari Bartelson led GRC with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Gay added 15 points and 11 rebounds for a second double-double. Akins finished with 13 points, CJ Thomas scored seven off the bench, and Jamilyn Johnson added six points, four rebounds and four assists.
“All I want to do is rebound and finish my open layups. That’s what I did tonight. Nothing special. I just did my job,” said Amari Bartelson.
Johnson Central, the 15th Region champion, was led by Mason McKenzie with 18 points, including 2 of 7 from 3-point range. Austin Slone added 19 points and five rebounds, and Brayden Shepherd scored eight points with six rebounds. But the Golden Eagles could not sustain their second-quarter momentum, going just 4 of 12 from the field in the third and finishing 8 of 23 from 3-point range overall.
“We knew exactly what we were coming up against,” said Johnson Central Head Coach Tommy McKenzie. “I thought that we did a great job defending the three-point line. We just didn’t do (a) very good job cleaning up the glass…our best rebounder was in foul trouble all night…when we went to ur bench, obviously, we got a lot smaller, so I think that really hurt us.”
Cook also credited GRC’s depth for helping maintain control once the Cardinals regained the lead.
“Our bench was phenomenal coming in and giving (us) great minutes,” he said.
With the win, George Rogers Clark advanced to the state quarterfinals against Marshall County.
You must be logged in to post a comment.