Final.

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[TD=colspan: 2]12/26/2012[/TD]

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[TD=colspan: 2]Henry Clay 75[/TD]

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[TD=colspan: 2]Butler 60[/TD]

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[TD=colspan: 2][TABLE]

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[TD=colspan: 2]Butler[/TD]

[TD=colspan: 2]14[/TD]

[TD=colspan: 2]14[/TD]

[TD=colspan: 2]12[/TD]

[TD=colspan: 2]20[/TD]

[TD=colspan: 2] [/TD]

[TD=colspan: 2]60[/TD]

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[TD=colspan: 2][TABLE]

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[TD=colspan: 2]Henry Clay[/TD]

[TD=colspan: 2]21[/TD]

[TD=colspan: 2]23[/TD]

[TD=colspan: 2]17[/TD]

[TD=colspan: 2]14[/TD]

[TD=colspan: 2] [/TD]

[TD=colspan: 2]75[/TD]

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[TD=colspan: 2]Republic Bank Holiday Classic at Lexington Catholic

Butler -- Bell 11, Harbin 2, Blanks 2, Farrell 2, Whetstone 7, Bradley 1, Johnson 14, McReynolds 16, Malone 5.[/TD]

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[TD=colspan: 2]Henry Clay -- Cunningham 16, Grundy 6, Green 19, Tisdale 3, Tichenor 17, Ware 10, Newby 4.

Read more here: Latest high school boys' basketball scores | High school basketball | Kentucky.com

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Henry Clay, ranked No. 5 in the state in the Herald-Leader's pre-season poll, continued its hot streak the day after Christmas by whipping No. 25 Butler 75-60 in the Republic Bank Holiday Classic at Lexington Catholic.

"We all know we have a target on our back now, so we have to come out and play hard every game. No letdowns," Henry Clay's Jordan Green said after getting 21 points, six rebounds and three assists against Butler.

The 6-foot-4 junior got plenty of support from 6-5 senior Darien Tichenor (17 points, eight rebounds), junior point guard Christen Cunningham (16 points, four assists), junior Teddy Ware (10 points) and 6-6 junior Trey Grundy (14 rebounds, four points).

 

Brown also likes the way his players are listening. Going into the Butler game, for example, Brown wanted his team to exploit its size advantage by attacking the rim and crashing the boards.

Henry Clay did both, getting 48 points in the paint and out-rebounding Butler 46-27.

"We did what we wanted to do," Brown said. "It's always good when your team listens to the scouting report and executes the game plan."

Henry Clay took control midway through the first half. Trailing 12-10, it scored 11 straight points — punctuated by a Tichenor dunk — to go up 21-12.

The long and athletic Devils stretched their lead to 44-28 by halftime, and they continued to dominate in the second half.

Butler, which had a hard time scoring inside, was led by Demetrius McReynolds' 16 points. William Johnson had 14 points and six rebounds.

Henry Clay advances to Friday's quarterfinals. It will play the winner of Thursday's game between Johnson Central and John Hardin.

Read more here: Henry Clay beats Butler in Holiday Classic boy basketball tournament | High School Sports | Kentucky.com