BARBOURVILLE — The 13th Region girls All “A” tournament has been little more than a coronation for the Middlesboro Lady Jackets. They defeated Williamsburg by 46 points, Cumberland by 29 and advanced to the finals with a 78-24 romp over Red Bird Thursday.
With the win, Middlesboro not only moves on to tonight’s championship game against Harlan, they also extend the program’s best-ever start to 17-1.
“We’ve been here 13 years and we’ve never had a start like this,” said Lady Jacket coach Elgie Green. “We’re just a happy bunch right now. We’re excited and hope we can keep the train going.”
Lady Jacket sophomore Samantha Coleman scored ten of her team-high 12 points in the first quarter as Middlesboro jumped out to a 26-10 lead.
The lead soon grew to 20 and Green started going to his bench. Ashley Mason hit a pair of 3-pointers on her way to eight points in the quarter and Mallory Shoffner added five as Middlesboro stretched their lead to 52-15 by halftime.
Shoffner had to be helped off the court after banging her injured knee. She didn’t return to the floor, but was in good spirits on the Lady Jacket bench in the second half.
Middlesboro’s starters never returned to the game after halftime. Sidni Schneider and Kristen Davis combined for 13 second-half points as the Lady Jackets continued to pull away for the 54-point win.
Kelsey Dickerson led Red Bird with 12 points and Whitney Elam added six.
With the Middlesboro bench logging more minutes than the starters, the scoring was very balanced for the Lady Jackets. Coleman was the only scorer in double figures, but 13 other players dented the scoring column. Mason finished with eight points; Davis, Shanice Gilbert and Carissa Overbay had seven apiece; while Shaleesha Coleman, Broklynn Jimison and Schneider all added six.
“We jumped out on them quick and I was able to start subbing in the first half. Our starters played well, they got to run up and down the floor some but they should be well-rested for tonight’s game,” Green said. “Our younger kids came in and ran the offense, played good solid half-court defense and we had everybody but one score. We tried to get her the ball, but it just didn’t happen.”
Harlan got past host Barbourville 44-33 in the other semifinal. The Lady Dragons and Lady Jackets will meet for the championship tonight at 7 p.m.
Middlesboro won an earlier meeting between the teams 84-40, but Green said his girls weren’t taking anything for granted.
“We had beat Cumberland pretty easily, then the other night they came out and it was a five-point game at halftime,” he said. “After this game we really stressed that the same thing could happen if they don’t come ready play. We need to be focused and we need to come out with four good, solid quarters.
“Harlan’s got good kids. They’re the defending (regional) class A champions and they probably feel like that first loss at our place was a fluke.”
Red Bird (7-10) returns to action Monday at Evarts.
— — —
Red Bird 10 5 5 4 — 24
Middlesboro 26 26 9 17 — 78
RED BIRD (24): Kelsey Dickerson 12, Whitney Elam 6, Kendra Slusher 2, Diana Smith 2, Sierra Nantz 0, Lindsey Hamilton 2, Kayla Berry 0, Kaitlyn Kreitzer 0.
MIDDLESBORO (78): Samantha Coleman 12, Ashley Williams 2, Brooklynn Jimison 6, Shaleesha Coleman 6, Sophie Robinson 2, Ashley Mason 8, Shanice Gilbert 7, Carissa Overbay 7, Kristen Davis 7, Sidni Schneider 6, Mallory Shoffner 5, Katie Maiden 4, Taylor Hatchell 4, Daven Hart 2, Whitney Ellis 0.
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