JokersWild24

Clay County dropped down around 7-9 points but are coming back. Half about to close and I'll give an update.

Delonte Graham gets a cutback to give KC a 9 point lead late in the first half.

Another rough shooting night for CC, but Blake Smith is going tonight.

Cool. Then at least there aren't 8 separate threads for the entire first round, there are just 4 now I guess. Sorry if I didn't do well enough plugging the video links in each of the game updates because I tried to leave a watch link on each page of the update threads. Even had already posted a thread in advance to let people know links they could watch the tournaments. Do your thing though.

18-11, Panthers lead after 1. Farmer and Marsee with 6 apiece.

15-11 after a Trey Farmer jumper as we near the end of Q1.

Farmer draws foul #2 on Wells, last nights' MVP, and Delonte Graham checks back in for KC.

55.5 left in Q1. Marsee at the line. First misses. Second is off. That's 4 missed FT's for him already. Those might be costly.

16-9, KC leads. Ryan House 3 rims out, fight on the boards, ball goes out, KC gets possession.

14-7, KC leads with 2:45 left in Q1.

Marsee gets another two and Clay Co has yet to find an answer for him.

Blake Smith gets his first 2 and it's 10-7.

KC leads 10-5

Charge on KC's Barger.

KC 3 and they take a 5 point lead.

Marsee gets behind the D and gives KC a 7-5 lead.

KC answers back with a Delonte Graham 3 and we're tied at 5.

Trey Farmer with the patented Farmer turnaround for a 2.

Marsee 2 makes it 3-2, Tigers.

KC's Marsee is fouled by Farmer but misses both FT's.

3-0 Clay Co leads after a Ryan House triple.

Llllllllllleeeeeegggggggoooooooooo

Final from the Arena at Corbin. Clay County and Knox Central on deck.

Bump.

Honestly, I felt like you couldn't have made a tougher draw for Clay County. Corbin and Knox Central in back to back nights with the possibility of a fresh Williamsburg playing close to home and not taking on nearly as much travel as CC waiting in the finals. The rivalry is fun, though it's had moments where it's just been completely out of hand too (I'm looking at you 70's and 80's), but the rivalry has been healthier lately and not marred by fights and the like. I really respect Coach P's ability, what he's been able to survive in the program and do with it when there was a time early on that some of their own fans were talking about him being over his head and wanting him gone, and where he's been able to take their program. Knew tonight would be a war coming in and really thought that tonight was just one of those nights where it was going to go down as a great Clay County team that just had their worst game of the year at the worst possible time. I listened to a Clay County call of the game, and their announcers were pretty complimentary of Corbin's kids most of the night. They talked about their game plan, their hustle, their technique blocking out and more. If Corbin were in the upper bracket, this game could have been a regional final (if Clay could/will get by Knox Central tomorrow, which will be another war). As a Tiger fan, there's a sense of relief. Championship teams usually have that one game where they don't really play well enough to win, but they find a way to do it. If you'd have told me at the beginning of the night that Smith would be held to 4 points, and that Taylor and Maguet would have their moments, then I'd have been really worried about our chances to win. I think Blake comes out tomorrow and has a great game. Nothing to do but shake this one off and don't dwell on it. Nothing was dropping but your team survived and advanced just the same as if he'd have scored 50 in a win. The 11th/BBA official's MO is usually to let a lot go, but one thing they are pretty tight on is hand-checking, at least in terms of putting a hand or two up on a ball-handler. That's an auto whistle. I'm sort of worried about what that means for Clay County, a smaller team that lost 6'7 Jake Allen from last year when they're going up against Marsee tomorrow and have to contend with Knox Central's shooters. I think KC probably looks at themselves as being fortunate to have won tonight as well, so it's like they've taken the same "survive and advance" path that Clay County did.