With their two best players on the bench, and trailing by two points, the Madisonville Maroons were in need of someone to step up and help them keep alive their dreams of repeating as 2nd Region champions. If they were a boat at sea, they would be looking for a tow boat to pull em in to shore. The Maroons got that tow boat, or more specifically a Zach Tow boat to win a 64-61 epic with Christian County in the first boys regional semfinal Monday night.
Tow scored from underneath and drew the foul for the three point play to put the Maroons up 60-59 in the final 45 seconds. The Maroons then hit 4 of 4 free throws to close out the win.
The opening quarter got off to an ominous start for the Colonels. On the first trip down court, just 8 seconds into the game, Olajuwon White picked up a foul trying to guard Maroon big man Ksuan Casey. The good news for Colonel fans was that would be the only foul White would pick up in the opening quarter. From there, the opening quarter was a battle between Christian County’s Stephen Bussell and Madisonville’s Ksuan Casey.
Christian County scored the first five points of the game, only to see Madisonville score the next five to tie the game at 5-5. The Colonels, behind Bussell, ripped off a 9-2 run to take a 14-7 lead. The Maroons scored the final 5 points of the quarter to cut the lead to 14-12 at the end of the opening quarter. Bussell had 10 points for the Colonels in the first 8 minutes, while Casey scored 6 for the Maroons.
The second quarter saw the “foul bug” bite the Christian County Colonels, and it wasn’t just a nip. Less than two minutes into the 2nd quarter, Stephen Bussell picked up his second and third fouls and had to leave the game. Over the next two minutes, Olajuwon White picked up his second and third fouls and had to take a seat as well. Despite the foul issues, the Colonels found a way to extend the lead out to 27-19 late in the quarter.
The Colonels got a little impatient on offense down the stretch of the half, and saw Madisonville score the final 7 points of half to cut the lead to 27-26 at the break. The Colonels were able to escape the half with the lead, despite Olajuwon White and Stephen Bussell both sitting out for the final four minutes of the half.
Ksuan Casey and Kenny White combined to score 21 of Madisonville’s 26 first half point. Stephen Bussell had 10 and Mikeon Mathis 7 in the opening half for Christian County.
Madisonville opened the second half with a 3-pointer from Deljuan Johnson to take their first lead of the game at 29-27. After a Christian County turnover, Ksuan Casey scored off the block to push the lead out to 31-27, prompting Coach Kerry Stovall to take a timeout, less than a minute and a half into the third quarter.
While there is usually no lack of intensity in a regional semifinal, the intensity meter hit tilt in the third quarter. Both teams cranked up the defense and players were all over the floor after every loose ball.
The Maroons looked to be taking control of the game as they extended the lead out to 34-28 and then later in the quarter at 41-34. However, the Colonels kept battling back. Big plays from Mikeon Mathis late in the quarter enabled Christian County to cut the Madisonville lead to 44-41 headed into the final eight minutes.
A three pointer early in the 4th quarter from Stephen Bussell tied things up at 46-46. Madisonville would moments later get to three big baskets from Kenny White and a massive block from Ksuan Casey to take a 54-49 lead with just under four minutes to go. Stephen Bussell decided the Colonels were not quite ready to go away. Bussell scored five straight points, including a corner three to tie the game at 54-54 with 2:11 to go.
After a miss by Madisonville, Qua Chambers converted an old fashioned three point play to make it 57-54. Christian County missed a chance to extende the lead further and Keshawn Stone converted a 3-point play at the other end to tie it at 57-57 with 1:13 to go. Over the next 20 seconds, Madisonville would see Ksuan Casey and Kenny White both foul out of the game. Casey, the last of the two to foul out with 1:03 to go.
Olajuwon White made one of two at the line to put the Colonels up at 58-57. Mikeon Mathis got a tie up on the rebound to give the Colonels the ball back. Qua Chambers hit one of of two free throws to make it 59-57.
With White and Casey both on the bench, the Maroons needed someone to step up. That “step” came from Zach Tow. Tow scored under the basket and drew a foul with 44.3 seconds to go to put Madisonville on top 60-59. After a miss by Christian County, Deljuan Johnson drained two free throws with under 30 seconds to go to make it 62-59 Maroons.
Mikeon Mathis drove to the basket to cut the lead to 62-61 with 16.9 seconds left. The Colonels fouled Marquise Parker with 10 seconds to go. Parker drained both to make it 64-61.
Christian County pushed the ball up court, but Kobe Dillard’s long three came up short, and the Maroons held on for an electric win and a trip to Tuesday night’s championship game.
Kenny White led the Maroons with 19 points. Ksuan Casey was right behind him with 18 and 10 rebounds. Deljuan Johnson finished with 13 points, including two late key free throws.
Christian County was led by Stephen Bussell with 20 points. Mikeon Mathis added 16 for the Colonels. Kobe Dillard also reached double figures with 11.
TEAM SCORING
MNHHS (30-3) 12 14 18 20 — 64
CCHS (13-19) 14 13 14 20 – 61
INDIVIDUAL SCORING
MNHHS: White 19, Casey 18, Johnson 13, Stone 3, Parker 6, Tow 3, Vaughn 2
CCHS: Bussell 20, Mathis 16, White 7, Dillard 11, Chambers 4, Leavell 3