The Crittenden County Lady Rockets picked a pretty good time to have one of their best performances of the season. The Lady Rockets grabbed firm control of the game in the middle of the first quarter and did not loosen their grip one fiber for the rest of the night as Crittenden County stormed their way past the Christian County Lady Colonels 63-47 in the semifinal round of the Girls 2nd Region Tournament.
The win earned the Lady Rockets their second trip to the championship game in the last three years.
Crittenden County got on the board first Friday night when Anna Boone was fouled attacking the basket in the first 30 seconds of the game. Boone made both free throws to give the Lady Rockets the first lead of the night at 2-0. It did not take long for the Lady Colonels to respond.
Christian County hit a quick 7-0 run, with two of the baskets coming off Crittenden County turnovers, as the Lady Colonels took a 7-2 lead with 5:35 left to go in the opening quarter, and that got a time out from Coach Shannon Hodge for her Lady Rockets.
Whatever medicine Coach Hodge dished out during the timeout took quick effect. The Lady Rockets, sparked by Anna Boone, went on a 9-0 run of their own to take an 11-7 lead. The Lady Rockets closed out a great first 8 minutes with an 8-4 spurt than finished out with a run-out basket from Andrea Federico that made it 19-11 Crittenden County after one.
The Lady Rockets got big first quarters from Anna Boone and Bristyn Rushing, who combined to score 14 points in the first 8 minutes of the game.
In their first matchup this season, it was the Christian County defensive pressure that was a problem for Crittenden County. Friday night, in the first quarter, it was the other way around as the Lady Colonels struggled at times against the Crittenden County defense. That same Crittenden defense limited Christian County’s two leading scorers, Anaysia Bagwell and NeVaeh Day, to a combined four points in the quarter.
The Lady Rockets continued their momentum to start the second, scoring the first six points to run the lead out to 25-11. The Crittenden County defense also continued to be a big part of the game, holding the Lady Colonels without a field goal for more than five minutes of the second.
The usually devastating Christian County press was not having the desired effect in the first half against the Lady Rockets. In fact, the Lady Rockets were finding ways to beat the press and convert for easy layups as the lead grew to 20 points at 35-15.
A shot from the left side of the lane for Anna Boone capped off a near-perfect half for Crittenden County as the Lady Rockets took a 37-19 lead into the locker room.
Boone ended the half with 16 points, just three fewer than Christian County. Jordyn Hodge and Bristyn Rushing added 6 points each.
Lazarie Daniel had 6 at the break for the Lady Colonels. Anaysia Bagwell, Carliah Hobson, and NeVaeh Day had four points each. Bagwell’s all came from the free throw line.
Needing a run to try and get back in the game, the second half got off to a bumpy start for the Lady Colonels. Two turnovers on offense and the Lady Rockets beat the press twice for close in scores, and the lead was out to 41-20 just two minutes into the third. Another turnover made it 43-20, and Crittenden County just missed converting on a fourth turnover in the first three minutes of the half.
And then the Lady Colonels got shots, they simply could not get them to go down. On two possessions in the first four minutes of the second half, Christian County had three shots down low in the paint and came away empty both times.
That four-point run early in the half turned into a 13-0 run that extended the Crittenden County lead to 50-20. The Lady Rocket defense continued to vex the Lady Colonels, holding them without a field goal in the third quarter until Lazarie Daniel drained a three with 2:33 to go in the third.
The quarter ended with Crittenden County up 57-31 and headed for a Saturday night championship showdown with the six-time defending region champion Henderson County.
Christian County got a basket from NeVaeh Day and a three from Anaysia Bagwell to open the 4th quarter, making it a 57-36 game and getting a quick timeout from Crittenden County coach Shannon Hodge with 6:56 to go in the game.
Give the Lady Colonels their due. They did not pack it up at this point; they kept on coming, but the deficit was just too big for the amount of time left in the game. Christian County would get as close as 14 points, but in the end, it was the Lady Rockets’ night to celebrate and move on.
A big night for Crittenden County’s Anna Boone, who scored 20 points, 16 of them coming in the first half as the Lady Rockets built their lead. Jordyn Hodge helped out with 16 points. Bristyn Rushing, who battled all night long down in the lane, scored 12 points. Andrea Federico just missed double figures with 9.
Anaysia Bagwell led the Lady Colonels with 14 points. Lazarie Daniel added 11. Region player of the year, NeVaeh Day, was held to 10 points for the game.
Crittenden County goes to 23-7 with the win and moves into Saturday night’s championship game against Henderson County at 6:00 in Lyle Dunbar Gym.
Christian County, the champion of the 8th District, ends the year at 18-10.
