Isaac Wilson’s Lady Redhounds keep pressure on GRC in season-ending loss

Photo by Crystal Roberts

The Corbin Lady Redhounds’ run to Rupp Arena ended Thursday with a 42-35 loss to 10th Region Champion George Rogers Clark in the first round.

“We just played, arguably, a top three team in the state. I thought we took them to the ropes,” said Coach Isaac Wilson.

Photo by Crystal Roberts

“My kids, if you look at us, we were a little undersized in that game, but we have been the underdog up to this point, and they continued to fight.”

Wilson said that his team was prepared for the size difference the Lady Redhounds would face against GRC.

Corbin led by three early in the game and while trailing, remained close to the Lady Cardinals throughout the first half.

The Lady Redhounds went into the locker room trailing GRC, 18-16.

However, the Lady Cardinals took advantage of a shooting slump by Corbin that included missing several layups to stretch the lead to nine at the end of the third quarter, 30-21.

“Their length and athleticism, I feel like really bothered us throughout the game and made scoring kinda hard,” Wilson said. “I do think that we missed some buckets that we typically make that the length kinda altered us and we ended up missing.”

However, Darcie Anderson and Kallie Housley, who led the Lady Redhounds in scoring with 13 and 10 points, respectively, had back-to-back layups to cut the lead to five in less than a minute.

After GRC turned the ball over on a charge, Anderson scored on a third consecutive layup to bring Corbin to within three, 30-27.

“What we lack in size, we do not lack in heart,” Wilson said of the way the Lady Redhounds continued to battle back throughout the game. “That’s hats off to these kids.”

“My kids are never going to say die. Are never going to quit,” Wilson said. “That makes me, as their coach, proud.”

With 3:41 remaining, Shelby Stewart hit a three-pointer that cut GRC’s lead back to four, but that and Stewart’s second three-pointer with 18 seconds remaining would be the last offense from the Lady Redhounds.

“I’m just very proud of this team,” said Stewart who played her final game as a Lady Redhound, scoring eight points grabbing five rebounds and picking up two steals. “There is no better way to go out than at Rupp Arena with these girls who are my best friends and family. And I’m so proud of them. They are going to have a great future.”

With the loss, the Lady Redhounds ended the season with a record of 25-7, as runner-up in the 50th District Tournament, and 13th Region Champion for the first time since 2014.

“We have got to remember what we did,” Wilson said. “Not only today but this season. We were a very special team. We came together. I’m very happy for this season that these girls had.”