Recap: South Laurel (65) @ Scott County (96)
Opening week of high school basketball brings excitement from all across the state. Especially the boys from Georgetown who come in at preseason #1 for all the teams in Kentucky. Tuesday night was a battle of the Cardinals and who brought the better squad to the table for the 2018-19 season. Here is a recap of how the night went…
The JV game took place before the varsity tip off and it was a telling sign of how prepared both teams were. Scott County just seemed more athletic and ready to get up and down the court. Junior wing KJ Tucker received most of the looks in the JV game, scoring at ease and showing off his range from beyond the arch. He also contributed during the varsity game hitting a couple of 3 pointers.
Once 7:30pm hit the clock, the long-haul of a season got underway for these two programs. Scott County got off to a hot start, the Cardinals went up 21-6 late into the 1Q and were just firing on all cylinders. 2019 F Michael Moreno didn’t start the game off too hot, but his presence forced South Laurel to take bad shots and uncontested rebounds. From the beginning of the game, I went in thinking it was going to be the Moreno show but I was proven wrong. 2019 G Diablo Stewart absolutely was on fire tonight, hitting almost every three he shot; finishing with 25 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists. Also, Scott County had big time contributions from 2019 stretch guard Lorenzo Williams, who finished with 20/2/1. Moreno didn’t shock you on offense but he had his moments, early foul trouble meant he didn’t get a lot of touches, he still capped off a couple dunks and fast break opportunities to finish with 11 points, 8 boards, 5 assists and 3 blocks. When he gets to the next level he has a very high ceiling and could make a great college player.
On the other hand, the Cardinals from southeast Kentucky had trouble keeping up with the fast pace and forcefulness of Scott County. South Laurel started off slow only putting up 10 points in the 1Q. From that moment on, the Cards had to play catch up which didn’t help their case. 2020 G Matt Cromer was one of the best players on the court tonight, just doing everything his team needed to do. He finished the game with 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. Also, senior wing JJ Ramey added a nice touch with 14 points and a couple flashy dunks. South Laurel might have lost this game but they have nothing to hang their heads on. Coach Davis is in a good position with next years senior class as well, he returns 3 juniors who put up 44 of their 65 points. Juniors Alex Hostettler (11 points) and Brett Norvell (10 points) will be special next year and they are players to be on the lookout for going into their senior year.
Takeaways
Scott County could have won this game by a lot more. Shooting around 62% from the floor will usually get you a win against any team. Coach Hicks is in a position to win the 11th Region and get his team back to the state championship. The Cardinals return to action Friday night against a very good Ballard team.
South Laurel will improve drastically from this game. Playing the preseason top ranked team in the state boosts your confidence down the stretch and gets experience for your guys. Coach Daniels should be pleased with performances from his junior class and they will be big for South Laurels success this year. This team is also in position to win the 13th Region and maybe even get a lucky draw to get a rematch with Scott County at Rupp Arena.
Final Stat-line
Scott Co (96): Stewart 25, Williams 20, Fluker 12, Moreno 11, McKenzie 10, Tucker 6, Long 4, Hamilton 4, Baker 2, Barber 2.
South Laurel (65): Cromer 23, Ramey 14, Hostettler 11, Norvell 10, Anders 3, Breeding 2, Allen 2.