The Ashland Blazer girls’ basketball team defeated Knott County Central in the Sweet 16 State Tournament with a final score of 46-34. The game started off strong for Ashland, with them taking a commanding 21-1 lead in the second quarter. Knott County Central fought back in the second half, outscoring Ashland 28-25, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit.
Ashland was led by Kenleigh Woods, who scored a game-high 21 points, while Jaidyn Gulley contributed 11 rebounds. The team struggled from beyond the arc, going 0-12 on three-point attempts, but they made up for it with solid performances at the free-throw line, making 12 of their 22 attempts.
Knott County Central had a tough time finding their rhythm, shooting only 32% from the field and turning the ball over 20 times. Kaylee Gibson led the team with 9 points, while Faith Pollard grabbed 5 rebounds. The team did have some success from beyond the arc, making 5 of their 20 three-point attempts, but they struggled at the free-throw line, making only 5 of their 15 attempts.
The game was close for much of the first quarter, but Ashland took control in the second quarter and never looked back. Knott County Central struggled to keep up, going 0 for their last 5 field goal attempts and not making a single field goal in the last 2 minutes and 47 seconds of the game. Ashland, on the other hand, finished strong with a layup from Sellars to seal the victory.
Overall, Ashland’s strong start and solid performance at the free-throw line proved to be the difference in the game. Despite struggling from beyond the arc, they were able to rely on their defense and ability to get to the free-throw line to secure the win. Congratulations to the Ashland Blazer girls’ basketball team on their Sweet 16 State Tournament victory.
