Conner scores 15 in final home game

Just hours after signing with Midway College to continue her basketball career, West Jessamine senior Erin Conner played in her final home game last Thursday, Feb. 9.

Conner scored 15 points but West could not hold on to beat Estill County, losing 72-62.

“I just wish we could have got a win for her here at her last home game,” West Jessamine coach Stephen Greene said.

West got off to one of its best starts of the season, playing a solid first 10 minutes against the Lady Engineers. The Lady Colts held an early 9-0 lead before Estill climbed back into the game and took control 17-16 heading into the second quarter.

West hung around through the first few minutes of the period, but Estill pulled away in the final five minutes before the half and led 37-28 at the intermission.

Junior Shelby Hawkins went down in the second quarter with a left ankle injury; she would not return.

“(At the half we told them) that they needed to play better defense, move their feet and communicate more,” Greene said. “They definitely came out in the third quarter and did that; we just didn’t carry that into the fourth quarter.”

Coming out of halftime, West Jessamine went on a 14-0 run to retake the lead 42-37. During the run, sophomore Ashlee Rose scored 11 points and Conner knocked down a three-pointer.

West ended up outscoring Estill 25-10 in the quarter and held a 53-47 lead going into the final eight minutes.

However, Estill went to the free-throw line 23 times in the final quarter and converted on 18 of those attempts to retake the lead with 3:27 remaining.

“We got tired, and losing Shelby with her ankle hurt a lot. We need a little bit more from our bench to step up,” Greene said.

The Lady Colts were outscored 25-9 in the fourth quarter to suffer the 10-point loss.
Rose finished with 20 points for West.

The Lady Colts end their regular season Friday at George Rogers Clark at 7:30 p.m.