The Henderson County Lady Colonels are back in the Girls’ 2nd Region Tournament semifinals for the 9th year in a row. The Lady Colonels used a 12-0 run midway through the first half to take control of the game and then roll to a 71-23 win over the Hopkinsville Lady Tigers Tuesday night at Christian County High School in the final quarterfinal round game of the tourney.
Hopkinsville scored the first bucket of the game, but then saw Henderson score five straight to take a 5-2 lead. With the score at 5-4, the Lady Colonels hit the Lady Tigers with an 8-0 run to extend the lead to 13-4.
Hopkinsville cut the margin to 13-7, but then Henderson County delivered the early knockout blow. Over the end of the first quarter and the beginning of the second, the Lady Colonels ripped off a 12-0 lead to take a 25-7 lead in the early moments of the second quarter.
The Henderson full court pressure caused the Lady Tigers problems for the entire first half, forcing Hoptown into 18 first half turnovers. Meanwhile, the Lady Colonels, who on the season shoot better from outside the 3-point line than inside of the line, knocked down six 3-pointers in the first sixteen minutes as they blew the lead out to 49-15 at the half.
After Emilee Hope knocked down a three just a minute into the second half to give Henderson County a 52-15 lead, the running clock went into effect and the remainder of the second half played out quickly. The third quarter ended with the Lady Colonels up 63-17. Henderson County reserves saw the remaining action in the 4th quarter as the Lady Colonels cruised on out to the win.
Sadie Wurth led Henderson County with 17 points, all of them coming in the first half of play. Emilee Hope ended up with 12 points in three quarters of action. Graci Risley also reached double figures with 11.
For Hopkinsville, Shaterrea Bellamy finished with 10 points. Jakayla Epps added 5 points for the Lady Tigers.
With the win, Henderson County moves to 20-7 on the season and advances to Friday night’s second semifinal game, where they will take on 5th District champion Trigg County, who defeated Caldwell County Tuesday night 54-50 for their first regional tournament win in 30 years. In fact, it was Henderson County who met the Lady Wildcats in the 1990 regional semifinals.
Hopkinsville sees its season come to an end at 15-16, and as champions of the 8th District.
HHS (15-16) 7 8 00 00 – 70
HCHS (20-7) 22 27 00 00 – 46
INDIVIDUAL SCORING
HHS: Hinton 3, Flowers 1, Bellamy 10, Samuel 2, Epps 5, Wilson 2
HCHS: Hope 12, Wurth 17, Spaulding 5, Risley 11, Thomas 11, Lacer 3, Veal 8, Dixon 4
