Adair County 70 - North Hardin 44

Adair County High School, Columbia, Kentucky
January 4, 2007

By Chris Gregory, Fifth Region Correspondent

Well, it's a new year and teams around the Fifth Region are getting back into the meat of their schedule. Friday night, I was really torn over which game to attend. There were so many district and regional match ups that I couldn't make up my mind. I was so torn that even gave Pick and Roll a call for his advice. I needed to go watch Taylor vs. Central Hardin because I haven't written anything on them yet.

So which game did I choose? North Hardin at Adair County. I've been waiting for this game since I looked at who the Indians played after the King of the Bluegrass Tournament.

North came into this game after playing the night before at district foe Central Hardin, a game which the Trojans won 64-54. I would've gone to that game, but I had to work that night.

In my Fifth Region Review, I stated that both of these teams played good in holiday tournaments. I would give Adair the nod on strength of schedule because they played three ranked team in the KOB: University Heights, Trinity, and Ballard. However, North Hardin is a very good and athletic ball team. I had seen both of these teams play and knew that this game could make an early statement in the Fifth. I thought the game was going to be a coin toss because both teams are very good.

North was 12-2 overall and 8-0 in the region coming into this game, and Adair was 11-3 and 5-0 in the Fifth. As I suspected there was a big crowd on hand, and Adair fans are true to their Indians.

North controlled the tap and got into their offense right away. They turned ball over, and I started to notice that the Trojans might not be as pumped up for the game as the Indians. Adair's Corey Helm capitalized on the turnover and busted a three on the right wing. When this kid gets set, watch out, because he hardly ever misses.

Both teams play man-to-man, but North was about a step behind on their end.

Adair was quick to push the ball, and they were ready to run North back up Dixie Highway. North Hardin finally settled down and scored a bucket, but Adair was on the warpath in the first. I believe they did the unimaginable in the first quarter. This is unofficial, but I had them making all their field goals in the frame. They led 18-9.

North Hardin is the type of team that lives and dies by the three. Their best threat, Maurice Gosa, hit six three point shots the night before at Central, but he could not find the mark in Columbia. I'm sure that he missed his first five three point shots in this contest.

Midway through the second, North looked tired. Maybe they had one too many holiday meals. Adair County still had their hot hand and was not going to let up on the athletic Trojans. Darren Ballou began to heat up, and so did their point guard, Nick Fudge, who is Coach Mark Fudge's son.

I asked fans about Ballou to see if any college coaches were looking at him. Most said that his parents like WKU, but no one could say if the Ballou family has talked to Hilltopper Coach Darrin Horn.

Ballou had 10 points at the break, and his Indians led 33-18.

The third began a little ugly for Adair. They started turning the ball over, and it looked as if North was finally ready to show up for this game. They scored a couple of quick baskets and starting feeding their big man LaRod King. This offense helped because Adair's wide body, Cameron Murrell, got into foul trouble. Coach Fudge responded with a smaller lineup and started running against the Trojans. It worked, Adair had a 21 point lead at the end of the third.

Adair County fans could smell victory when the fourth quarter rolled around. Even Coach Ron Bevars had taken his seat on the bench. Adair came into this game rested and ready. Still, I could not believe how the game was shaping up. As I stated, I came in thinking it was a coin toss, but Adair prevailed by 26 points.

The Fifth Region is going to be KY Highway 55 this season. It's got to go through Adair County.

OBSERVATIONS

We'll Take Your Charity: Adair County is a great free throw shooting team. The Indians will make any team going down to the wire with them pay big time.

When I Wish Upon A Star: North Hardin fans say not to pay too much attention to this game because it means nothing. They're wrong. It's wishful thinking. If these two play again, North will think, "man, they've beat us by 26, what else can we do?" They also said that North was tired from playing Central Hardin the night before. I disagree again. They are kids, for crying out loud and kids don't get tired. How can you play and win state tournament games? They are played day-after-day. Now is the time for their players to get ready for those types of games.

It's A Small World After All: When the Adair County fan sitting next to me asked where I was from, I told him Breckinridge County. It turned out that his aunt was my first grade teacher. He said he started going to state tournament games the year Breck won it all in 1995, and he's been back every year since. That paled in comparison to the guy next to him. T.P. Scott has attended 663 state tournament games in-a-row. 663 games! I guess he likes hi basketball. Nice fans in Columbia.

Editor's astonished note: I'd like to meet Mr. Scott, and I hope you gave him the web address to the Pick and Roll. 663 games? I've pondered that, and I have decided that it has to be close to a record or maybe is a record. The Sweet Sixteen is 15 games every year, right? If my ciphering is right, then Mr. Scott has been to the Sweet Sixteen 44 times.

I've thought about all the college, high school, and pro basketball games I've been to in my 41 years, and I don't think I've been to a total of 663. I cut my teeth as a little boy on Kentucky Colonels basketball, Seventh Region (the great Ballard and Male High teams), and UofL basketball. I went to 40 college basketball games in the 1994-95 season (before I was married), and I've held season tickets to WKU basketball for the last six seasons. I'm absolutely astonished.

By the way, Pick and Roll is angling to attend all fifteen games at Rupp this March. It will tax the several dollar budget of the website and then I have to convince my wife and trick my boss.