By: Matt Cizek/Winchester Sun

Cardinals 63, Indians 57

GRC’s most recent trip to Mount Sterling had ended in heartbreak, as the Indians delivered on a last-second buzzer-beater to win the 10th Region title and end the Cards’ season last March.

While the Cards were determined to win, the Indians were likely determined not to fall on their home court.

Early, led by junior Tyce Jarvis’ game-high 18 points, the Indians showed no signs of letting up as they took a four-point lead into halftime.

However, the second half would tell a different story.

The Cards, who had already won four games this year by less than ten points, took the lead and held a three-point advantage after the third quarter.

With big plays from Gay, senior Malachi Ashford, and sophomore Ryder Akins, who each scored in double figures, the Cards built a lead as large as eight and went on to a 63-57 victory.

Gay led the Cards with 17 points.

“It was a war. We had to come together in the end, especially with our defense,” he said. “We fought together, and we trusted in each other, trusted Coach Cook, and we got it done.”

Lady Cardinals 89, Lady Indians 59

After the Lady Cards burst out to a strong ten-point lead to open the first quarter, the Lady Indians responded with a strong second quarter, cutting the GRC lead to just one point, and – with the Lady Cards leading by just five points to end the third quarter, the outcome was still very much in question.

The Lady Cards started chipping away in the fourth quarter, scoring multiple points off turnovers.

And, aided by an impressive 20-0 fourth quarter run, they pulled away for an 89-59 victory in a game whose final score deceives how closely contested it truly was.

“Give them the credit. They made some shots,” said GRC Head Coach Robbie Graham. “We had to make some shots there when we needed to…the last five minutes I told [our team], ‘let’s play the last five minutes like we’re capable of’.”

After a ten-point performance in Tuesday’s game against Bourbon County, GRC’s Annette Miller had one of her best performances.

The senior tied with a team- and game-high 15 points, and also denied Montgomery County points with a blocked shot in the opening quarter.

“I just try to do the best I can wherever the team needs me, and I feel like, tonight, my number was called. I didn’t want to shy away from it,” she said, also noting what helped empower the team to go on a large run in the fourth quarter. “We [regrouped] and [took] a step back and [reminded] ourselves who we are and what we pride ourselves on.”

With six minutes remaining in the contest, the game was stopped as Montgomery County’s Addison Terry was tended to and taken away on a stretcher after what appeared to be a neck injury.

Fortunately, as confirmed following the boys’ basketball game, Terry was found to be okay and medically cleared to return to practice starting on Friday.