WHITLEY’S FIRST WIN

 Whitley County Coach Jerry Overbey knows something about a rivalry. As a player at North Laurel he was always going up against South Laurel. And, Friday night he took his Colonels into hostile territory at the Mountjoy Gym in Williamsburg.

Starting the season with seven straight losses and two players missing from action, Overbey knew it was going to be an uphill battle for his Colonels. But, when Corey Shelton missed a jump shot with two seconds left and the horn sounded he had his first victory as the Colonels coach, 57-56.

“Anytime you can get a “W” after losing seven, it’s gotta do something for your confidence,” Overbey said. “Aaron (Petrey) came up big. He came out in the fourth quarter and took care of the ball and showed he could handle it with the pressure they were giving us especially without a point guard.”

The Colonels were able to cut down on their turnovers and hit the boards hard, which was a key to the win according to Overbey.

“We didn’t have as many turnovers as we have had in the last several games and rebounding. We out-rebounded them 35-16. That was the key factor, we limited them to one shot.”

“Some of our older kids stepped up and took on some leadership,” Overbey said.

Junior Michael Powers led the Colonels with 25 points while Petrey added 13 points.

“Powers is going to get his points, he has a nose for the ball,” Overbey said. “He needs to do a little bit better job defensively. Matt Lawson did a tremendous job on the boards, I couldn’t ask any more of him. He came in and did what we needed for him to do.”

However, the big scorer of the night was Williamsburg’s Jared Barton, who poured in 31 points.

Barton, a senior guard, scored Williamsburg’s first five points. The game was close throughout with three ties in the first quarter. However, a basket in the paint by Williamsburg senior Cameron Smoak gave the Yellow Jackets a 12-10 lead at the first stop.

The game was tied three times in the second quarter as well with the last being 22-22 when Smoak picked up a loose ball and stuffed it home with just under two minutes left in the half.

However, Whitley County went on a 5-0 in the final minute of the half as Petrey hit one-of-two from the line followed by a Powers 3-pointer. Powers added a free throw with two seconds remaining as the Colonels took a 27-22 lead to the dressing room.

It was all Barton and Smoak in the third quarter as the two Williamsburg seniors scored all 15 points for the Yellow Jackets. Smoak went inside the first three trips down the floor as he tied the game with five minutes left in the period.

The lead changed hands four times in the final three minutes. Barton gave the Yellow Jackets a 37-34 lead, but Powers answered with a 3-pointer to end the quarter. The game was tied 37-all going into the final eight minutes.

Lawson scored the first basket of the quarter to give the Colonels the lead for good. The Colonels stretched the lead to five on a basket by Petrey, but the Yellow Jackets quickly cut the margin back to one (48-47) on a pair of Corey Shelton free throws.

However, Powers hit a 3-pointer and Petrey went inside after a Devin Rutherford steal to push the Colonels back on top, 53-47.

Williamsburg (1-6) got the Whitley County lead back down to two on a free throw by Smoak and a 3-pointer by Barton with 1:18 left in the game. After a miss at the Williamsburg end of the court the Yellow Jackets fouled Devin Rutherford, who hit both free throws with :27 left. Barton answered with 12 ticks left on the clock and a turnover by the Colonels gave the ball back to Williamsburg.

Barton was fouled with seven seconds left. He missed the first, but hit the second, getting the Colonels’ lead down to one, 57-56.

Powers went to the line for a one-and-one with six seconds left in the game. The junior forward missed and Williamsburg grabbed the rebound, which allowed Shelton to get off the final shot that hit the rim and bounced off.

Both teams will be in action this week. Whitley County will play Frankfort, Bethlehem and Bullitt Central in the Bethlehem Holiday Classic while the Yellow Jackets will play in the Cumberland Falls Invitational.

Whitley Co. 57, Williamsburg 56

Whitley Co.            10  17  10  20- 57

Williamsburg            12  10  15  19- 56

Whitley Co. (57) – Devin Rutherford 7, Powers 25, Lawson 4, Petrey 13, Zach Rutherford 4, Sulfridge 4.

   Williamsburg (56) – Barton 31, Sizemore 4, Smoak 13, Bowlin 1, Shelton 7, Griffith 0, Lowrie 0.