Watching Southwestern hold off Mercer County 62-56 at Pulaski County Sunday to win the 12th Region championship was something I really enjoyed because it reminded me of so many good things in sports. Mercer County (12-9) was the underdog, the team that lost seven of eight games from Jan. 30 to March 1 — including an 81-73 loss to Southwestern — before running off six straight wins to reach the title game. Southwestern was the region’s most consistent team while compiling a 20-3 record that includes a 12-game win streak after Sunday’s victory.
Southwestern started the game with a 13-2 run and looked ready to turn the game into a rout but Mercer charged back to get in the game and stayed there even when sophomore point guard Anna Drakeford, the team’s second-leading scorer, went down with an injury in the second quarter.
“I dislocated my (right) knee cap. I’m not sure how long I’ll be out though. When I went down I saw my knee cap pop out of place and I think that freaked me out more than anything,” Drakeford said.
Drakeford had to be helped off the court but it was obvious she wanted to come back. She was back on the bench a few minutes later but didn’t go back in the game. She came out for the third quarter with a wrap on the knee and then had it bandaged as all she could do was watch.
Teammate Timberlyn Yeast, also a sophomore, sat on the bench beside Drakeford crying before the second half started after she had scored 17 points the first half to keep Mercer within striking distance at 30-23.
“She was hurt when she found out I wouldn’t be able to go back in but we’re only sophomores so hopefully we will be back in the future,” Drakeford said.
Yeast regrouped and finished the game with 32 points on 10-for-18 shooting from the field and 12-for-19 at the foul line. Southwestern had trouble stopping her inside moves other than by fouling here. She also had 14 rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and two steals to show why she is one of the state’s best sophomores.
Teammate Stevie Shepherd was sensational in the second half and finished with 16 points. She had three 3-pointers and was 5-for-5 at the line.
Mercer had a 49-43 lead with 5:23 to play but Southwestern senior point guard Alexa Smiddy would not let the Warriors lose. Smiddy missed all eight 3-pointers she took — credit Yeast’s defense for a lot of that — but still found a way to score 17 points as she was 5-for-8 inside and 7-for-9 at the foul line.
The game was tied 51-51 with 3:32 left before Smiddy hit four straight free throws, scored inside, and turned a steal into an assist as Southwestern went in front 59-55 with a minute to play and held on. Smiddy finished with 10 assists and two steals.
Teammate Marissa Loveless went 5-for-7 from the field and had 12 points and 11 rebounds. Kylie Foreman added 12 points on 6-for-10 shooting and six rebounds.
Southwestern won despite going 3-for-16 from 3-point range. The Warriors had used the 3-pointer to beat Wayne County in the 48th District title game and Danville in the regional semifinals. This time it had to find another way to win and did.
It was just a really hard-fought game between teams refusing to lose. It’s what makes high school March Madness so entertaining and why Mercer players and coaches should have walked away Sunday feeling as proud as Southwestern. The Warriors advance to the state tournament where they will play the 8th Region winner April 7 at 8 p.m.
