A 20-2 run to begin Monday’s 2nd-Region quarterfinal put the Crittenden County Lady Rockets in control on the way to an 87-61 victory over Hopkinsville. As a result, Crittenden advanced to the semifinal round for the second straight season while the Lady Tigers bowed out in their region opener for the fifth year in a row.
The Lady Rockets scored the first seven points of the game before Kahtahvia Fleming got Hoptown on the scoreboard with a layup. Crittenden then ripped off a 10-0 spurt to lead by 18 points with 1:43 left in the first quarter.
Taylor Guess paced the Lady Rockets with eight early points, and Natalie and Anna Boone combined for 12 over the first eight minutes.
A Fleming three-pointer and a putback by Shiyah Forte pulled the Lady Tigers to within 12, forcing a Crittenden timeout early in the second frame. However, Anna Boone answered with a three out of the break, and Guess scored nine straight to stretch the Lady Rocket lead to 21 points with 2:32 left in the half.
Fleming put up eight points in the third for the Lady Tigers, but Crittenden continued to pull away behind ten more from Anna Boone. The Lady Rockets took their largest lead of the game at 67-34 before Hopkinsville closed the quarter with a free throw by Fleming and an offensive rebound and putback for Forte.
With the game decided, Lady Tiger freshman Ma’Kaya Payton provided a glimpse of the future with 14 points over the final eight minutes, including four makes from behind the arc. Along with Payton, Hopkinsville will return all of its top-five scorers next season.
For Hoptown, Fleming led the way with 23 points, and Forte also reached double figures with ten.
Guess led all scorers with 25 and hauled do ten rebounds for Crittenden, and Anna Boone finished with 21 and five. The Lady Rockets were 28 for 43 from the free-throw line, while Hopkinsville only made 11 trips to the charity stripe.
Crittenden improved to 24-5 with its third win in a row ahead of a semifinal matchup with Hopkins County Central. The Lady Rockets’ last defeat came by eight points to the Lady Storm on February 14.
Hopkinsville 8 14 15 24 — 61
Crittenden 22 19 26 20 — 87
Hopkinsville (8-15) — Fleming 23, Payton, 14 Forte 10, McGee 4, Earthman 3, Sharber 3, Murray 2
Crittenden (24-5) — Guess 25, A. Boone 21, N. Boone 9, Hatfield 8, Hunt 5, Stewart 4, Hodge 3, McDaniel 3, Evans 2, Federico 2, Holeman 2, Rushing 2,
