INDIANS ADVANCE WITH 56-42 WIN OVER LARUE

The Adair County Indians began defense of their Fifth Region title with a 56-42 victory over LaRue County yesterday evening at Hart County.
The Indians jumped out to a 7-0 lead and never trailed, but could never quite put away a stubborn Hawks team until the final minute of the game.
Adair’s top two scorers all season, Darren Ballou and Kalen Kimberland, again were the big guns for the Tribe, each scoring 21 points and both hitting key shots toward the end of the game.
Buckets by Kimberland and Ballou followed by a three-pointer by Corey Helm staked the Tribe to a 7-0 lead to start the game and forced a quick LaRue County timeout.
The Hawks scored their first basket following the timeout, but the Indians went on a 7-2 run to take a double digit lead at 14-4 before Christian Seymour  hit a long three-pointer for LaRue at the end of the first quarter to cut the lead to 14-7.
The Indians had trouble scoring at the start of the second period, and another three-pointer by Seymour at the five minute mark cut the lead to 16-14.
Kimberland scored to put the Indians back up by four, then the Indians defense limited LaRue County to only one basket – another Seymour three-pointer – over the final five minutes of the half, and a basket by Kyle Sandusky staked Adair to a 26-17 half-time lead.
Two quick three pointers by Kimberland and a layup by Ballou to start the second half quickly pushed the Tribe’s lead to 17, 34-17, which proved to be their largest of the evening.
An 8-1 run by LaRue cut the margin back to single digits at 35-26, but a three-pointer by Ballou pushed the margin back to 13,  a layup by Helm put the Indians up 39-26 going into the final eight minutes of play.
Seymour and Ballou swapped three pointers to open the final quarter, and Adair’s lead stayed in the low double-digits for most of the quarter until another three-pointer by Seymour sliced the margin to 45-38 with 2:10 left in the game.
Kimberland’s three pointer seconds later pushed the lead back to 10, but LaRue’s Alan Vass answered with a three-pointer to cut the lead to 48-41 with 1:30 to go.
But, four free throws by Kimberland, a powerful dunk by Ballou and two more free throws in the final minute pushed the lead back to 56-41 before a late LaRue free throw made the final score 56-42.
In addition to Ballou’s and Kimberland’s 21 points each, Kyle Sandusky came off the bench to score six, Helm added five and Fudge 3. Christian Seymour led LaRue County with 19.
For the game, the Indians shot  52.7 percent from the field and hit 11 of 16 free throws. Ballou grabbed seven rebounds and Kimberland six to lead Adair in that category.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game,” Coach Mark Fudge said after the game. “But, I thought the kids showed a lot of confidence and poise."
“LaRue County kept battling back, but we were able to make key plays when we needed them on both ends of  the floor,” he continued.
“We had too many turnovers, especially unforced ones, but overall it was a good effort, and we’re pleased to come out with a win.
The Indians will take on the winner of the Central Hardin-Nelson County game in the regional semi-final on Monday. The game will get underway at 4:30 p.m. CDT.

 

Photo:Adair County High School senior guard Kalen Kimberland nails a floating jumper in the lane to give the Indians an 18-14 lead in the second quarter against LaRue County in the 5th Region first-round game on Wednesday night. (Photo By Duane Bonifer)