Bears: Back to Back District Titles

Sat, 03/01/2014 - 9:06pm — Diane Dyer

The gym was full of fans clad in the school colors of Butler County High School and Grayson County High School on Friday night for the 12th District Tournament Championship Game. BCHS won their way to the championship game with a victory over Edmonson County on Tuesday night. Grayson County earned their title game berth by beating Whitesville Trinity High School in opening round play on Tuesday. BCHS and GCHS split their regular season games, with each team winning on their home court.

With the rowdy crowd in its feet the Bears' Zeke Woodcock won the opening tip for BCHS. However the Bears failed to convert and Tanner Tyra hit a jumper to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead. Zeke Woodcock answered on the next BCHS possession with a three-pointer, but was answered seconds later when Talon Gary hit his own three to make the game 5-3 in favor of GCHS.

The Cougars extended their lead in the next two minutes to 8-3. Then baskets by Zeke Woodcock and Zak Burden pushed the Bears back in front 9-8. Caleb Deweese added two fast transition baskets and the Bears tightened up in defense to take a 16-10 lead after the first quarter.

The foul woes that have plagued BCHS in recent weeks showed up again to start the second quarter. Trevor Jenkins and Rex Henderson each picked up quick fouls, allowing Grayson County to cut the lead with free throws. BCHS responded with a basket, but the Cougars used a 6-2 run to make the score 21-19 with 3:10 remaining in the half.

Zeke Woodcock quieted the Grayson County faithful with a three point basket, which he followed up moments later with a jumper in the paint. After forcing a turnover Drew Henderson found Zak Burden streaking to the basket leading to a layup. Caleb Deweese hit a jumper and a pair of free throws to close out a 12-0 run for the Bears, and send the teams to the locker room with BCHS in control 33-19.

Zeke Woodcock led the way for the Bears in the first half with 11 points, with Burden adding 9, and 8 points for Deweese. Another key to the first half success of the Bears was a stellar defensive effort by Rex Henderson guarding Grayson County star Talon Gary. Gary managed only 3 points on the first half thanks to dogged defense from Henderson.

Gary found his shooting stroke quickly after the start of the second half, hitting a three-pointer in the face of the BCHS defense. Grayson struck again moments later on a layup by Colton Williams to cut the lead back to nine at 33-24. Zak burden answered for BCHS with. Driving layup, and after a defensive stop by BCHS a three-pointer of his own to push the lead to 38-24.

That started a scoring flurry for both teams. Woodcock and Gary traded baskets for their teams and the Bears were leading 47-35 with 2:40 to play the third period. That's when offsetting technicals were called on Zak Burden and Cole Akridge after a struggle for a loose ball and a verbal exchange. Caleb Deweese ripped off two quick baskets to give him 8 points in the period, and stake BCHS to a 51-42 lead at the end of three periods.

Caleb Deweese continued to have the hot hand for the Bears in the fourth period. With Grayson finding ways to score Deweese scored six points in the fourth, as he, Woodcock, and Burden answered every GCHS run. A Woodcock three-pointer midway through the period gave BCHS a 65-41 lead and forced GCHS head coach Caleb Smith to call timeout. The Cougars cut the lead back to 12 after the timeout, but Woodcock and Burden continued to score at will against the GCHS defense. The teams traded free throws and baskets in the final minutes, but the Bears refused to let the Cougars gain momentum. With the rowdy Bear Cave students on their feet the clock expired, and BCHS had sealed their second straight 12th District Championship by a final score of 75-63.

The win propels the Bears to the 3rd Region Tournament for the third consecutive year. The Bears will have a rematch with the Ohio County Eagles on Wednesday night at 7:45. The Bears beat the Eagles on December 19th in Ohio County by a final score of 76-71. The game featured a fight involving Zak Burden and Ohio County's Trace Young which escalated to involve students and parents in an on-court melee. Both Young and Burden were ejected, and subsequently suspended by the KHSAA. A scheduled meeting between the two schools at BCHS to close the season was cancelled because of the incident. The Eagles, 13-13, lost to Muhlenburg County in the 10th District Tourney final.