Kensley Feltner was all smiles after Lawrence County won the 15th Region title Sunday.
So how did Kensley Feltner celebrate helping Lawrence County win its first 15th Region championship Sunday with a 50-49 victory over Pikeville, the four-time defending regional champion?
She went out to eat with friends and ordered a Dr. Pepper, her first soft drink in over two months.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Feltner about getting a chance to advance to this week’s state tournament in Rupp Arena. “It’s no secret we got the worst draw we could get (against defending state tournament champion Sacred Heart) but ending my career getting to play in Rupp Arena is truly an honor.
“Every girl in eastern Kentucky dreams of going to play in Rupp Arena. Only 16 teams are left dancing and we are fortunate we are one. It’s a lot better to be there even playing Sacred Heart than not being here. It’s a great day.”
Feltner is the state’s leading scorer at 29 points per game and recently became only the fourth girl in state history to reach 4,000 career points. She’s a Belmont signee and Miss Basketball finalist.
She had 24 points Sunday, including 10 in the fourth quarter, to help Lawrence overcome a 36-23 third quarter deficit and 42-32 deficit going into the fourth quarter. Lawrence went on a 14-0 scoring run in period four but needed a basket in the paint by Feltner to make it 48-46 and then hit two free throws with seven seconds remaining to make it 50-48.
“I couldn’t think about the actual moment (at the foul line). I had to picture that I was back in the gym just shooting free throws,” Feltner said. “I did not think this was the end-all. I just focused and shot.”
Pikeville had two free throws with about three seconds to tie the game and force overtime. Pikeville made the first free throw and that prompted Feltner to give her teammates a pep talk.
“No. 32 (Rylee Theiss) kills the offensive glass. That girl plays her tail off. Kudos to her and I knew she was going to give it all she had whether that meant going over the back or not if they missed,” Feltner, the regional tourney MVP, said. “We had to be ready for that. We gave a good effort and they knocked the ball out of bounds.”
Lawrence (30-5) lost 46-43 to Pikeville in overtime in the regional final last year when it held Pikeville scoreless for 12 minutes to get back in the game before losing. This time the Bulldogs finished the job Sunday — the first time in six years Feltner had been on the winning end of a game against Pikeville.
“That is a big deal beating Pikeville finally,” Feltner said.
She got messages from a lot of friends/fans after the win.
“I am a person who cannot stand notifications on my phone so I have been answering them all,” she said Sunday night.
Her mother, Lawrence coach Melinda Feltner, had a different problem. She lost her voice after the Bulldogs’ semifinal win.
“All the community members came to the gym and welcomed us back to Bulldog Lane when we got back. She was trying to give a speech but couldn’t. Her voice is gone. Hopefully she gets it back,” Kensley Feltner said.
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Lawrence will play 7th Region winner Sacred Heart (32-3) Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. at Rupp Arena.
