By JAMES BROWN
WCLU Sports
Barren County’s season ended Saturday night with a 60-56 loss in overtime to Franklin-Simpson.
Ann Ashley Atkinson gave the Trojanettes a 56-54 lead with 2:01 left in the extra period when she hit her team’s only 3-pointer in the game. Barren entered the championship game of the Girls Fourth Region Tournament averaging seven made 3s per game. They were 1-for-8 Saturday in E.A. Diddle Arena.
“I thought we got some really, really good looks. We missed a lot of shots early,” Trojanettes coach Piper Lindsey said in her post game interview.
With 1:24 showing on the overtime clock Ally Pennington made a shot in the lane and was fouled. She missed the free throw, which left the game tied 56-56.
Then Barren missed late in the overtime. After both Barren misses, the Lady Wildcats scored. The first basket was by Tiffany Harrigan with 32.5 seconds left. The second miss came about 20 seconds later, and the ball went out of bounds to Franklin-Simpson. Barren was whistled for a foul on the inbounds. Harrigan stepped to the line and made both free throws, which set her team ahead, 60-56.
The Trojanettes were fouled on their next possession, but missed both free throws with 5.5 seconds to play.
Franklin moves on to play Bullitt East in the Girls State Tournament at Rupp Arena in Lexington on Thursday at 10 a.m. central time. Barren’s season ends at 31-3. The loss ends the careers of four seniors — Ann Ashley Atkinson, Hannah Bragg, Addyson McFall and Riley Wilson.
“Our seniors were so absolutely incredible [this season],” Lindsey said.
She said it hurts for those seniors to not have a chance to play at the state tournament, but she knows the returning players will be motivated by the loss. The returners include leading scorer Shelby Byrd, number two scorer Addy Slagle, and number three scorer Mahalia Burton.
“This is going to sting …, but I know these girls are going to be ready to fight next year,” Lindsey said.
While the Trojanettes struggled to hit outside shots Saturday, two seniors had their best game of the season. Atkinson led Barren with 17 points — 8 in the fourth quarter — and 13 rebounds, while Bragg scored 10 and grabbed 10 rebounds. Atkinson also snatched two steals and blocked two shots, including one at the halftime buzzer on a Franklin 3-point attempt.
“I thought Ann Ashley was great [tonight],” Lindsey said.
The Lady Wildcats seemed to take control of the game in the third period. They opened the quarter on a 12-3 run and led 34-24 with 2:18 left on the quarter clock.
Slagle sparked a rally with a layup with 2:10 left in the third. Byrd followed that with a bucket and-1, then hit another shot with 1:11 left in the period. The Trojanettes trailed 34-31 at that point.
Franklin left the door open at the end of the period by hitting only 2-of-6 at the foul line. Atkinson made a shot with 20.3 seconds left in the third and Barren trailed 36-33 headed into the fourth quarter.
Atkinson tied the game at 38 with a layup and she was fouled. She missed the free throw, but the ball went out of bounds to the Trojanettes. Byrd scored on the ensuing inbounds play and Barren led 40-38 with 6:33 left in the fourth period.
With less than five minutes to go in the fourth, Bragg put back an offensive rebound and that sparked a 6-0 run by the Trojanettes. Atkinson followed with a pair of free throws, then Bragg scored again inside. With 2:55 left, the Trojanettes had their biggest lead of the game, five points, 48-43.
Barren was outscored 8-3 the rest of the quarter, which left the game tied 51-51 at the end of regulation.
Byrd scored 12 seconds into the overtime and Barren led 53-51. Pennington responded with a 3-pointer 18 seconds later and Franklin led 54-53. That set up Atkinson’s 3 with 2:01 left in the overtime.
BARREN SCORING
Atkinson, 17; Byrd, 16; Bragg, 10; Slagle, 9; Burton, 4.
FRANKLIN SCORING
Pennington, 31; Harrigan, 17; Mylah Riggsbee, 8; Kloie Smith, 4.
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