GRAYSON —
The name of the town became the name of the game.
Boyd County junior forward Grayson Griffith helped turn a yawner into a breathtaker as the Lions outlasted East Carter, 55-52, on Thursday night at Harold Holbrook Athletic Complex East in Grayson.
After East Carter’s Trenton Welsh drained a top-of-the-key 3-pointer with 16 seconds left to tie the game at 52 apiece, Boyd County nearly ran too far.
Marcus Jarrell found himself underneath the basket with defenders closing in along the baseline, but the tightroping guard flipped a pass to Griffith who was awaiting his chance. A baseline 3-point jumper hit bottom with 6 seconds to go.
Said Griffith afterward: “I knew there was at least five seconds left on the clock. Marcus made a good pass to me and there was nobody around me. It was just a good look.”
On the ensuing possession, East Carter was unable to get a shot off amid solid Boyd County pressure as the game went final.
Griffith led the Lions (16-9) with 18 points, and was 3 of 4 from beyond the arc. Of the six lead changes that went in Boyd County’s favor, Griffith accounted for three of them.
Boyd County played the final 4:26 without season leading scorer Austin Hunt. Hunt had 11 points and nine rebounds before exiting with intense cramps in both calves.
The Lions trailed by five at the time, but responded with a 13-5 run to end the game.
“Everybody else just picked up,” said Boyd County coach Randy Anderson. “That’s just been kind of a trait we’ve been seeing out of this team.”
Jesse Wallace scored all six of his points in the final four minutes to help hold off the Raiders.
Quinn Huddle and Connor Greene shared team-high honors with 15 points, while Welsh added 11.
East Carter (10-15) played without three starters — leading scorer/rebounder Kyle Stewart (sprained ankle), Jordan Burchett (torn ligaments in ankle) and Cole Brammer (broken nose).
The Raiders made up for the void by using outstanding effort to follow through on a game plan. They limited a good-shooting Boyd County team to 38 percent from the floor. Griffith’s three 3s were the only long balls in 12 attempts.
Anderson wasn’t surprised, considering who his coaching counterpart was.
“A Brandon Baker team plays extremely hard,” Anderson said. “You had better have your shorts tied and be ready to play. We didn’t match their intensity the first half.”
Said Baker: “We couldn’t feel sorry for ourselves (with the injuries). It opened up minutes for other people. A lot of guys did a lot of good things for us.”
Boyd County trailed 13-9 after one quarter, and 26-23 at halftime. The Raiders turned the Lions over 11 times in the first 16 minutes.
The Lions played a more sound second half, topping it off with good late-game movement with and without the ball.
“It just came down to making plays,” Anderson said.
Boyd County travels to Fairview tonight. East Carter hosts Rowan County on Monday.
AARON SNYDER can be reached at asnyder@dailyindepend2ent.com or (606) 326-2664.
Local Sports
ONE LAST ROAR
Griffith hits clutch 3 to boost Boyd County over shorthanded East Carter
- Local Sports
-
-
KYLE HOBSTETTER: The Bengals on 'Hard Knocks' could be a lot of fun
Gone are the antics of Chad Johnson. Or is it still Ocho Cinco?
Injury-stricken quarterback Carson Palmer took his ball and went to California. Then was shoved to Arizona. -
Walsh big winner with Carter, Fletcher
Zac Carter and Trey Fletcher established themselves as one of the premier one-two combinations in Ironton High basketball history.
-
A PERFECT ENDING
With her career coming to an end, everything has come full circle for Boyd County’s Emily Stewart.
Stewart and Ashland’s McKenzie Vanover were honored as the top players on The Independent’s 2013 All-Area Softball Team. -
ALL-AREA BASEBALL: Salow, Prater are back-to-back Jacks
This season’s Player of the Year assumed a starring role in ending the seasons of both coaches who shared top honors on The Independent’s 2013 All-Area Baseball Team.
-
Ditty stands tall in state Hall of Fame
Julie Ditty never felt as small as when standing beside Pervis Ellison, the 6-foot-9 former University of Louisville basketball great.
-
'Blessed' Marsh gets due
The second-largest crowd in Elks Sports Day history came to celebrate Vic Marsh Saturday night.
-
Gullett selected as next honoree
Don Gullett, who is generally regarded as the greatest athlete in northeastern Kentucky history, will be the honoree for the 40th annual Elks Sports Day next summer.
-
Stevens, Taylor in winning mode
For the second straight Saturday, Aaron Stevens found himself as the top finisher at a local 5K race.
-
MARK MAYNARD: Marsh belongs on wall
When Vic Marsh looks up on the Elks Sports Day Wall of Fame, it’s hard for him to picture his photograph being up there with them.
-
Getting more time
Jamal Clark, Austin Allison and C.D. Spight looked liked they'd run the Jumbo play for four years.
The only play the trio tried it was the one that mattered Friday. Spight's 10-yard run — with Clark and Allison blocking — was the last touchdown in the West's overtime 20-14 win in the eighth annual Northeastern Kentucky Senior Bowl at Morehead State University's Jayne Stadium. - More Local Sports Headlines
-
KYLE HOBSTETTER: The Bengals on 'Hard Knocks' could be a lot of fun
Obama: 'Lives Have Been Saved' by NSA Programs
Obama: Friction in Afghan Talks No Surprise
Unusual Heat Wave Bakes Alaska
Raw: Massive Protests Fill Brazilian Streets
Raw: German President Welcomes President Obama
Fans Cheer Dramatic Heat Comeback
Raw: Arizona Wildfire Scorches 8 Square Miles
Hoffa Mystery Still Fascinates After 4 Decades
Raw: 1 Dead in Shooting at Mo. Apartment Complex
Raw: Huge Fire Near Yosemite National Park
3 Charged in Ohio With Enslaving Mom, Daughter
Raw: Volcano Erupts Near Mexico City
Kid Couture: Spending Big Bucks on Babies
Suicide Bombs Target Baghdad Mosque, Killing 29
Military Plans to Put Women in Combat Jobs
Solar Power Chargers in NYC Parks
Civil Rights Groups Sue NYPD Over Muslim Spying
RAW: NSA Director Says 50 Plots Foiled
