Consistent Colts attack their way to 1st round victory

Some teams live and die by the three-point shot. Others simply attack, attack and attack some more — Think John Calipari's Kentucky Wildcats in years past.

Monday night at Lincoln County High School, the West Jessamine Colts stuck to their method of being the latter of those two styles as they advanced to the 12th Region semifinals with a 79-69 victory over the host Patriots.

Early and often, Colts junior point guard Will Henderson found their leading scorer in senior guard Chase Fain, who opened with the Colts' first three baskets.

However, it was after that in which production began to slow, not only for the Colts, but for their opposition.

Drive after drive Colts scorers failed to connect with the bottom of the net, resulting in a 14-point first quarter and a 13-point second quarter. Easy putbacks were no longer so simple, although the 46th District champions clearly had strength on their side in the interior.

On the other end of the court, much of the same lackluster offense prevented the Patriots from using homecourt momentum to their own fortune.

"I told them that we had a frustrating half offensively but we we're up (three), we're in the regional tournament on their home floor, we need to come in the first four minutes and make a statement," said West Jessamine head coach Damon Kelley.

During the two teams' first meeting in December, it was a jumper by Fain at the buzzer that claimed West’s victory.

Kelley said the key for he and his team this time was to limit the three-pointer for the Patriots after their impactful use of the shot during the first meeting.

"They shot the lights out in the first half that night, so we really tried to take the three away from them," he said. "We shot well but were never really in rhythm that night. I thought tonight, even in the first half when we were struggling to score, we were still executing like I wanted."

Execution on the defensive end limited the Patriots to three made three-pointers on 10 attempts. The Colts' own 4-of-6 effort from behind the line was halted as they found success attacking the Patriots' interior during the second half.

"I thought for 28 minutes we played great defense. We finally got our offense going in the third quarter, and that allowed us to extend our lead."

Once the clock began rolling during the third — in stride with the words of their coach — the shots of Fain and junior guards Daulton Peters and Will Henderson began to fall at a similar rate. So much so that the Colts found themselves ahead 52-36 lead at the conclusion of the third quarter thanks to shots finally falling in the paint.

"We've got to take advantage when we got mismatches inside. It doesn't always have to be a post play,” Kelley said. “It can be penetration, it can be somebody flashing into the high post. If all you do is shoot threes, you're going to look great some nights, and you're going to die the other nights."

Despite obtaining a 23-point lead, the pesky Patriots fought their way back to a respectable margin in the game's waning minutes, cutting it to seven at one point.

With help from Henderson, the likes of Fain, Peters and company maintained their composure, fought their way inside, and found scoring from the free throw stripe. Four of junior forward Tanner Richards' six points came when he knocked down game securing foul shots at the end of Monday's game.

"(Henderson) knows in that situation we got to handle pressure better,” Kelley said. “I think other guys when they caught the ball were looking to get it out of their hands as quick as possible and he just took it upon himself to take control of it, get in there drew some fouls, knock down some free throws, to keep it from getting too close."

The Colts were led in scoring by Fain, who finished with 26 points and nine rebounds; Peters with 19 points and 10 rebounds; and Henderson with 11 points and six assists.

"I never look at a kid and say you need to step up, but Chase is our senior leader and he just knows to do that," Kelley said. "He was feeling it."

With the win in the tournament's opening round, the Colts advance to play Wayne County Friday at 6 p.m. at Lincoln County High School. The Cardinals defeated the Colts 66-61 in Monticello on Feb. 8.

"They can shoot it. They're young, but they don't play like a young team," Kelley said. "We went down there and fought them good a couple of weeks ago. I've watched their last two games and they're playing awfully good right now ... It's a tall order for us."