PIKEVILLE, Ky. — With the regional championship and a spot in the Sweet Sixteen on the line, the big game atmosphere was thick on both sides of the stands at the Pikeville Expo Center Saturday, March 7. No one in the stands, on the bench, or on the court could have predicted the dramatic outcome that ended the night.

The Lady Pirates had played Pike Central three times this season and were victorious in each match-up. On two of those occassions, Belfry won by just 1 point, once in overtime and once in the district championship. Popular opinion seemed to favor the idea that the Lady Hawks were due and Pike Central played like they agreed with that notion.

In fact, Pike Central led Belfry in scoring for almost the entire game. Belfry had led Pike Central only twice: once in the opening minutes of the ballgame after a score by Amy McCoy and in the final seconds of the ballgame when it counted the most.

With Belfry trailing the Lady Hawks by 5 points, Pike Central’s Kassidy Prater sank 2 at the beginning of the 4th to make it 27-34 in Central’s favor. That lead could’ve been the nail in the coffin for the Lady Pirates, but a trip to the free throw line by J.J. Bevins brought the Pirates back within 5. The Lady Hawks immediately started damage control and attempted to sit on the ball, effectively draining one minute and fifteen seconds from the clock. A turnover and two successful free throws by Bevins brought them within 3 points and striking distance.

After a series of tense foul shots and timeouts, the score sat at Belfry 38, Pike Central 39.

A missed foul shot by Pike Central’s Hannah Thompson set up the defining moments of the game. Amy McCoy grabbed the rebound and got the ball to Alexis Howard, fighting off a host of Lady Hawks in the process. Howard fought Pike Central off for the entire length of the court before finding herself in the paint. Fouled by Pike Central’s Thompson while shooting a lay-up, the ball hung on the rim before it fell through the hoop and decisively in Belfry’s favor and to quote a sports cliche, the crowd went wild.

Howard purposely missed the subsequent foul shot and Central’s Thompson grabbed the rebound and called for a timeout immediately.

With just one second left on the clock, Pike Central’s Holly Harris shoved a ‘Hail Mary’ of a shot from half court, but it was all for naught. The final second ticked off with Belfry on top, 40-39.

“Defense wins championships and we had good defense,” said Lady Pirates’ Head Coach Rick Mounts. “We had a great effort but we weren’t making shots. Sooner or later, things catch up with you and I think they did tonight. We were just fortunate to come out with the win.”

“At the beginning of the season, I felt confident we could play against anyone in the region,” continued Mounts. “But, I felt if we had had a .500 season, I would’ve been happy.”

This is Rick Mounts’ first year as the Belfry Girl’s head basketball coach. He has helped the team do a complete 180 degree turn from their 6-21 win-loss record in the 2008-09 season and led them to their first regional championship victory since 1999.

Along with his players, Mounts credited his coaching staff for their effort and felt they are “the best coaching staff around”.

J.J. Bevins led all scorers for Belfry with 16 points and a perfect 9 for 9 from the free throw line with 6 of them during the tense 4th quarter. Bevins was named the tournament MVP after the game, in part due to her clutch play for the Lady Pirates. Amy McCoy scored 9 points for the Lady Pirates and grabbed 11 rebounds. Howard scored 8 points including the final lay-up that won the game, Megan Staten scored 4 points and Caitlyn Woolum scored 3.

Pike Central’s Holly Harris led the Lady Hawks in scoring with 13 points, Savannah Fields scored 9 points, Reagan Clark scored 6 points, Taylor Murphy scored 5 points, and Mia Coleman, Kassidy Prater, and Hannah Thompson each scored 2 points.

The Lady Pirates (22-7) will play the Scott County Lady Cardinals (23-6) at the E.A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Ky. March 11 at 1:30 p.m. in the Houchens Industries/KHSAA Girls Sweet Sixteen Tournament.

PCCHS 8 12 12 7 -39

BHS 5 9 13 13-40