No. 22 Ashland Blazer avenges last year’s first round loss with 81-64 win over No. 4 Calloway County
No. 4 Calloway County has already faced one opponent from the 16th Region this season — a 68-42 win over Rowan County on January 17th — but the one the Lakers would face on Wednesday posed a much bigger threat. That team? No. 22 Ashland Blazer.
The Tomcats rode into the KHSAA Boys’ Sweet 16 winners of 10 straight. They started the season on a rocky 3-5 start due to some injuries, but they’ve been amongst the best in the Bluegrass since Christmas.
In the end, Ashland Blazer would walk away from Wednesday’s matchup with an 81-64 win over Calloway County — avenging last year’s first-round loss to the eventual state champs, Lyon County.
The game began with Ashland Blazer getting off to a fast start, making 10 of their first 14 shots to start the game. Additionally, the Tomcats forced five turnovers and recorded nine points off those turnovers, whereas Calloway County had a goose egg in both columns. Boasting a 23-14 lead through one, Ashland’s shooting and ability to capitalize in transition was winning them the game.
Calloway County lessened the deficit a bit in the second quarter, making it a 38-32 game at the break. Senior forward Jonah Butler had 16 points on 5-8 (2-4 3PT) at the half, and he’d end with 23 total points on the night.
In the third quarter, the Lakers would fight back to tie things at 44 apiece before Ashland Blazer would retake a 49-46 lead heading into the final period of play. The Tomcats banked in a halfcourt shot as time expired to make it a six-point game, but the officials ruled that the release came after the horn sounded.
Ashland Blazer put the finishing touches on the game, getting key stops down the stretch when it mattered the most. Senior guard and Liberty signee Zander Carter had a team-high 29 points, also tallying eight assists and eight rebounds in the win.
Ashland Blazer will take on No. 14 Bowling Green at 11 a.m. on Friday in the quarterfinals. They’ll seek revenge on the Purples, who beat them 61-55 on February 1st.
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