Facing an 11-point deficit with just over six minutes to play on Thursday at Diddle Arena, a return to the 4th-Region championship game after a 33-year absence didn’t appear to be in the cards for the Todd County Central girls’ basketball team.
However, with Todd Central digging in defensively to rattle previously unflappable Metcalfe County, the Lady Rebels closed the game on a 17-5 run to pull out a 51-49 victory and advance to Saturday’s title game matchup with defending champions Bowling Green.
After capping the opening quarter with a bucket on a drive by Alexis Taylor and a three-pointer by Jordyn Shemwell to lead 12-7, the Lady Rebels seemed to tighten up in the second and were outscored 17-4 to trail by eight points at the halftime break.
Metcalfe County took its largest lead of the game at 34-22 after a layup by Jozie Allen before Todd Central climbed back to within eight after a pair of free throws for Shemwell. But the Lady Hornets wrestled back the momentum on Kassady London’s buzzer-beating three-pointer, and looked to be in control up 43-32 with a quarter to play.
After the teams traded baskets to open the fourth, Taylor hit the first of two free throws and Abby Williams put back the second to jumpstart the rally with 6:02 to play. With the Lady Hornets wobbling, Williams drilled a three out of a Metcalfe timeout and JaMya Kay scored down low to cut the lead to a point.
Williams’ jumper gave Todd Central its first lead since the opening moments of the second quarter, but London answered with a pair of free throws to regain the edge and finish with a game-high 19 points for the Lady Hornets. Zalaya Smith scored down low off a loose ball for the Lady Rebels before Metcalfe’s Bree Jolly leaked out for a layup at the other end for a 49-48 advantage.
With a chance to push the margin to three points, Metcalfe saw a layup roll off and Todd Central regained possession with :20 left. Williams drove into the lane and drew a blocking foul, and the Lady Hornets took a timeout to try to ice the sharp-shooting senior. But Williams wasn’t ready for her career to end, calmly knocking down both attempts for a 50-49 score with ten seconds on the clock.
With the Lady Rebels wary of fouling, the Lady Hornets drove the length of the floor before Taylor made the defensive play of the game, holding her ground to take a charge and give Todd Central back the ball. Metcalfe sent Taylor to the line where she hit one of two with :03.5 to play, and the Lady Hornets final heave sailed wide to send the Lady Rebels to the championship game for the first time since 1991.
Williams finished with a team-high 18 points, including 3 for 3 from behind the arc. Shemwell scored 19 before fouling out with three minutes to play, and Taylor posted a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
The game featured eight lead changes and was tied six times, with Todd Central leading for only seven minutes and 47 seconds. The Lady Rebels shot 4/9 from three-point range and finished 13/27 at the free-throw line.
To earn a first region championship since 1982, Todd Central will need to put an end to a ten-game losing streak in the series with Bowling Green. The Lady Rebels last win over the Purples came in 2006 and the teams last met in 2018, a 67-19 Bowling Green victory.
Todd County Central 12 4 16 19 — 51
Metcalfe County 7 17 19 6 — 49
Todd County Central (19-12) — Williams 18, Shemwell 14, Taylor 10, Kay 5, Collins 2, Smith 2
Metcalfe County (20-13) — London 19, Allen 14, Jolly 11, Blythe 5
