Lewis County 54 Russell 48 (63rd District Tournament Semi-Final)

[GOREDDEVILS]

Final.

[gchs_uk9]

It feels like Lewis County wins this game every year. 

[DevilMayCare]

The 63rd is pound for pound the toughest district in the 16th region over the last several years, and I think that's proving to be the case again this season. Greenup County was down this year, but the other three teams were all very solid with a chance to make life difficult for the region favorites in Morehead.

This is the time of year when you don't want to see Lewis County. Whether it's first year coach Scott Tackett or longtime coach Joe Hampton, the Lions are always well coached and play with tremendous effort. They always seem to make significant progress from the beginning of the season to the end, a sign of great coaching and team oriented players with a top notch work ethic. When tournament time rolls around, they're a tough out for anyone.

Kolby McCann was the best player on the floor last night, with 28 points and 11 boards, accounting for over half of Lewis' offense. Russell never surrendered, keeping the margin within a couple of possessions throughout most of the game. Lewis always had an answer whenever Russell would draw within a basket of the lead or a tie. The answer was usually provided by McCann.

The Red Devils made strides this year under Tom Barrick and the future looks very promising. Brady Bell is one of the top talents in the region and a player that any team can build success around. He'll have some quality pieces around him next year. Russell should be good again, but they'll miss Charlie Jachimczuk. Everyone at Russell will miss Charlie. It's been a privilege watching him compete at a high level on the court and football field over the last four years.