It was only fitting that on a night where it was announced Daviess County’s Kennedy Lane was named the Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches (KABC) Player of the Year for the 3rd Region, that she was nearly unstoppable.
The senior guard started her night against Owensboro in the 9th District Tournament with a three, before finishing through contact and sinking the ensuing free-throw. From there, she continued to attack the rim, scoring 12 of her game-high 32 points in the opening quarter – powering the Lady Panthers past Owensboro 69-45.
“I’m biased, but to me it was a no brainer,” Daviess County Head Coach Natalie Payne. “I’ve coached Kennedy since she was in the summer of her seventh-grade year, and she’s just continued to blossom each year and added more to her game. She just has the ability to will us to win. She just does so much for us, so it’s a blessing to be able to coach a kid like that.”
Taking a 18-8 lead into the second quarter, the Lady Panthers defense continued to frustrate Owensboro, holding them to 15 first half points. On the other end, Riley Hayden splashed a pair of threes, while Lane and Jenna Stewart combined for eight points.
Despite leading 34-15 at halftime, Payne made sure her team’s intensity was just as high for the second half.
“We just really wanted to focus on that mentality of pressuring the basketball, active hands, trying to get deflections, reading lanes, and really focusing in on the defensive end,” Payne said. “That just seems to be a common thing for us. When we are focused on that end, the offense really seems to flow.”
Held to three points in the first half, Owensboro’s Unique Carter-Swanagan broke out down the stretch – exploding for 10 points. The seniors dominance started to open up looks for the rest of her team, but they were unable to overcome their first half hole.
Swanagan led Owensboro in scoring with 13 points, Adrean Carothers added nine points, and Avery Martin finished with seven points.
On top of her 32 points, Lane also grabbed three rebounds, and recorded a steal. Hayden finished with 16 points, four rebounds, three steals, and one block, while Stewart had 12 points on an efficient 5/6 shooting.
“It is the greatest feeling ever that you get to move on,” Payne said. “You punch your ticket to region and that’s what you work all season for and this time of the year, you never know what can happen.”
The Lady Panthers are off till Thursday, where Owensboro Catholic awaits them in the 9th District Championship.
