Saturday, March 13, 1999Scott County nears Ky. boys title
The Associated PressLEXINGTON, Ky. — Scott County's dreams of a state title repeat are alive going into the final day of the Sweet Sixteen.
The Cardinals' heavyweight slugfest with Madison Central turned into a runaway when Central star Marquis Estill went down with a knee injury, and the Cardinals advanced to the state semifinals with an 80-67 win Friday.
Rick Jones had 26 points and A.W. Hamilton added 20 on a near-perfect shooting performance. The Cardinals opened the second half with a 12-2 run and coasted from there. They will face Paducah Tilghman, which beat Pleasure Ridge Park on a late basket by Chris Wilson, in this morning's first semifinal.
The other semifinal will pit Henderson County, a double overtime winner over Muhlenberg North, vs. Ballard, which pulled away from undersized Pikeville in the second half of their quarterfinal.
The winners meet in the state championship game at 8 p.m. tonight.
The Cardinals (35-1) are looking to repeat as state champions for the first time since Fairdale turned the trick in 1990-91.
A crowd of 23,965, the second-largest in tournament history, showed up for the battle between state powerhouses and were rewarded with a first half that featured 11 lead changes and a 33-32 Scott County lead at the break.
But Estill left the game with just over 2:30 left in the second quarter after feeling a pop in his left knee and didn't return from the locker room for the start of the third quarter.
Sports Stories
UC 72, GEORGE MASON 48
UC NOTEBOOK
Owls' Chaney respects UC
Hey, Saddam: This is how to win a war
UC women run out of rallies
UC WOMEN'S NOTEBOOK
Posey gets chance to pose at slam dunk competition
XU WOMEN 85, FLA. INTERNATIONAL 71
Bengals close to signing Ball
Harnisch gets roughed up
REDS NOTEBOOK Bowden looking at Rays' reliever
Devil Rays 5, Reds 2
Scott County nears Ky. boys title