By JAMES BROWN
WCLU Sports
It took two overtimes Friday night to decide the 15th District Tournament champion. Glasgow beat Barren County, 75-67, after trailing late in the fourth quarter.
With 3:16 left in the fourth quarter, the Trojans took a 61-56 lead on a pair of free throws by Weston Shelton. Barren did not score again in regulation, and scored only six more points in the game.
Glasgow coach Brandon Stockton said he told his players to just keep up the pressure.
“The message was just to keep playing and we had to step up our defense. Let your defense become your offense,” he said after the game.
Barren County coach Warren Cunningham agreed his players’ fatigue may have been a factor down the stretch.
“We knew the pressure would come at some point, and we tried to work on that. But that was a problem,” he said. “I didn’t think [Glasgow’s] energy or anything like that ever lacked. And I thought our guys got tired.”
With 3:02 left in the game, Jackson Norris buried a 3-pointer. Away from the shot a foul was called against the Trojans. Jaylen Bradley stepped to the line and made both free throws to tie the game at 61-61.
Both teams were more deliberate on offense in the final three minutes of regulation. Glasgow had a chance to take a lead, but missed two free throws.
The Scotties held the ball after the Trojans missed a shot with under 30 seconds on the game clock. That possession eventually ended when Jaxson Byrd drew a charge on Jerrick Martin, fouling him out of the game.
There were 2.4 seconds left on the clock. Bradley intercepted a three-quarter court pass and heaved a shot before the buzzer that went over the back board.
They headed to the first overtime still tied, 61-61.
Barren struck first in the overtime when Byrd put back a missed shot. Bradley answered with a driving layup at the other end. Weston Shelton got behind the Scotties’ press defense and hit a layup with 25 seconds left in the extra time.
With just under 12 seconds left, Bradley drew a foul and hit both free throws. The game was tied, 65-65, and headed to another overtime.
Glasgow scored the first six points in the second overtime by getting into the heart of Barren’s defense and getting easy baskets.
Stockton said he told Bradley, “Shots aren’t falling. So when you get to the lane … everybody’s picking you up, so you gotta be ready to pass.”
He said the other players had to be ready for the pass and to finish at the rim.
“That’s exactly what he did,” Stockton said of his point guard. “I think he made two or three big passes. Jackson made a big pass, and they all finished. And ultimately, that became the difference in the game.”
Cunningham said he knew when Glasgow tied the game, his team was at a disadvantage.
“When it was tied, they would hold the ball. So we couldn’t do anything besides play man [defense],”he said. “You’ve gotta start doing some stuff that you don’t really want to do” on defense.
Earlier in the game while the Trojans were able to keep the game pace slower, and mix in zone defenses, they built as much as a 12-point lead.
Barren was ahead 12-10 at the end of the first quarter, and led by 10 at halftime, 30-20.
Kade Hardy hit a shot off an offensive rebound to start the second half and the Trojans were ahead 32-20.
From there the Scotties chipped away at the lead, and trailed only 46-43 with 22 seconds left in the third. Hardy finished the quarter with a 3-pointer when an offensive rebound was kicked out to him behind the arc.
Prior to Glasgow’s run to open the second overtime, the only other time Barren trailed in the game was 8-6 with 2:14 left in the first period.
Bradley led the Scotties with 25 points, while Norris scored 17 and Martin finished with 13.
Hardy led the Trojans with 21 points, while Shelton added 17, and Byrd finished with 12.
Both teams play in the Boys Fourth Region Tournament that begins Tuesday at WKU’s Diddle Arena. The draw is Saturday morning.
GLASGOW SCORING
Bradley, 25; Norris, 17; Martin, 13; Jeremiah Moore, 8; Carter Hodges, 6; Grayson Bartley, 6.
BARREN SCORING
Hardy, 21; Shelton, 17; Byrd, 12; Gavin Nunn, 6; Carson Browning, 4; Maddox Griggs, 2; Kataviun Fryar, 2; Cameron Pippen, 1.
