Forty-four has been something of a magic number in sports over the years. Hank Aaron, Jerry West, Reggie Jackson, Willie McCovey, Dan Issel and Jim Brown all wore uniform number 44. Baseball stars Gaylord Perry, Rickey Henderson, Dennis Eckersley and Tony Perez all retired at age 44. Tom Brady turns 44 this year.
For the Logan County Lady Cougars this season, 44 has played a role. Coach Dedra Adler’s team has scored 44 points four times. They’ve held their opponents to 44 points or fewer in eight games. Here’s the kicker: 44 is the highest the Lady Cougars have scored in any game this year except one. The exception was in a 57-54 loss at Clinton County a month ago.
That’s what makes Logan’s win over Edmonson County Thursday so impressive. They’ve scored 44 points twice against the Lady Wildcats. In their season opener at Brownsville on Jan. 5, the Lady Cougars lost 66-44. Thursday against the same team, 44 was enough. Logan won 44-43.
Just to show it wasn’t a fluke, the next evening Adler’s team scored 44 points again, this time sending Cumberland County on the long trip home with a 44-33 loss.
The bottom line: The Lady Cougars are still having a tough time getting shots to fall. But they are playing good enough defense, controlling the ball and flow of the game well, and rebounding enough missed shots to put themselves in position to win.
The Lady Cougars had no trouble scoring in the early going Thursday. They went ahead 16-10 two-thirds of the way into the first quarter, mainly on the strength of four 3-pointers made, a pair of them by Emily Borders.
Gracie Borders’ rebound goal at the buzzer made the Logan lead 18-12 at the first stop. Abby Hinton scored after rebounding her own shot, and Gracie Borders’ two free throws built the lead to 10 at 22-12 with 6:30 remaining in the half.
Turns out those 22 points were exactly half of what the home team would score in the game as things returned to somewhat normal on the offensive end.
Behind the scoring of Katie Lindsey, ECHS cut the lead to 26-23 at the half.
Logan rebuilt most of its lead late in the third quarter. Hinton scored on an assist from Kaelyn Perdue, Kadyn Costello scored and then blocked a Lady Wildcat shot and got the rebound. Hinton hit a free throw and Costello added another bucket to make it 38-28.
But when Paige Wolfe hit a shot for ECHS, that margin went down to one as the visitors scored nine straight points. Edmonson took the lead at 41-39 on consecutive baskets by Lily Jane Vincent.
The Lady Wildcats led 43-39 before Logan came back. Sierra Sieber hit the second of two free throws with 27 seconds. Gracie Borders forced a held ball, and Perdue made a steal. Costello’s two free throws with 14.6 seconds proved to be the winning points.
Edmonson star Lindsey got off a shot, but it missed. The visitors got the rebound and put up another shot at the buzzer, but it fell off for the Lady Cougar victory.
Costello scored 13 points, and Seiber hit a trio of treys for 9 points to lead a balanced Lady Cougar attack. Gracie Borders grabbed 7 of the winners’ 21 rebounds. Lindsey scored 15 points and Macie McCombs 11 for the visitors. Vincent pulled down 10 of Edmonson’s 28 rebounds with Lindsey adding 7 boards.
Logan County 44, Cumberland County 33
Not only were the 44 points enough Friday, but the Lady Cougars’ defense cut down on the drama. Logan led all of the way.
The Lady Cougars used effective 3-point shooting and foul-drawing aggressive offense to build the margin. They were 4 of 9 from long range with Hinton hitting 2 of 3, Perdue 1 of 2, and Gracie Borders 1 of 3.
The free throw difference was staggering. Logan hit half of their foul shots, going 16 of 32. The Cumberland Panthers were 4 of 5. Maggie Morgan was the only Lady Panther going to the goal figuratively and literally. She shot the only five free throws her team was awarded. Costello went 6 for 8, Hinton 3 for 5, and Gracie Borders 4 for 8 at the line.
Gracie had 8 and Hinton 6 of the winners’ 24 rebounds.
Costello was the leading scorer again with 14 points. Hinton added 11 and Gracie 9. No one else was above 2.
Score by Quarters: 1) LCHS 18-12, 2) 26-23, 3) 38-30, Final) Logan County 44, Edmonson County 43
ECHS (43) Katie Lindsey 15, Macie McCombs 11, Paige Wolfe 6, Lily Jane Vincent 6, Hallie Cassady 3, Shea VanMeter 2
LCHS (44) Kadyn Costello 13, Sierra Seiber 9, Abby Hinton 8, Emily Borders 7, Gracie Borders 6, Kaelyn Perdue 1, Emerson McKinnis, TaKylah Mason
Logan County 44, Cumberland County 33
CCHS (33) Maggie Morgan 14, Caity Patterson 9, Cora Craft 4, Kaylen Franklin 2, Carly Nettles 2, Danielle Cooper 2
LCHS (44) Costello 14, Hinton 11, G. Borders 9, Perdue 2, McKinnis 3, E. Borders 2, Seiber 2, Mason, Samarah Dowell, McKenzie Robinson, Ali Garrett, Avery Benson