PIKEVILLE, Ky. (WMDJ) – All together now, say it with me. 1-2-3…

 

SUP-ER REE-GION.

 

The newly implemented Super Region format has created some fantastic quarterfinal round matchups in both the girls’ and boys’ 15th Region Tournament this week at Appalachian Wireless Arena. None better than last night’s thriller between Martin County and Betsy Layne.

 

Under last year’s format, the Cardinals would have faced a depleted Belfry Pirates squad Wednesday night, rather than a gritty Betsy Layne bunch looking to send the defending champions packing.

 

The Bobcats had the Cardinals on the ropes yet couldn’t deliver the knockout punch in the end as Martin County prevailed 67-60.

 

Betsy Layne began the fourth quarter trailing Martin County 48-45. Sophomore sensation Carter Parsons sparked the rally with a pair of 3-pointers from the left corner, giving the Bobcats the lead 51-48 with 5:51 to play.

 

Senior Tanner Martin, who had an explosive one-hand dunk in the third quarter, completed the Bobcats’ 8-0 run with a lay-up giving the Bobcats a 53-48 advantage until Martin County’s Jacob Sturgill stopped the rally with a layup at the 5:21 mark.

 

Parsons would stretch the lead back to five with a layup, increasing the Bobcats lead to 55-50 with just under five minutes to play.

 

Martin County would tie the game at 57-57 with a 3-pointer at the top of the key by Sturgill followed by two free throws by senior Brayden McKenzie with under three minutes remaining.

 

Both teams would trade the lead again on free throws before Martin County would turn the ball over with 1:06 left, giving Betsy Layne the ball, down by one.

 

Next trip down, it seemed the Bobcats were going to let the clock run down and use one of their three remaining timeouts, yet Parsons went one-on-one to the basket and missed a layup with :32 seconds left, creating a fast break opportunity for the Cardinals and a layup for McKenzie to increase the Martin County lead to 63-60 with 22 seconds to play.

 

Betsy Layne would never get closer.

 

Martin County would seal the win on the foul line. The Cardinals shot 12-of-12 from the line in the fourth quarter, 18-of-21 for the game.

 

Sturgill led the Cardinals with 28 points. McKenzie nearly matched his teammate with 25 points. Peyton Davis scored 11 off the bench for Martin County.

 

Betsy Layne (17-16) was led by Parsons’ 18 points, including four 3-point baskets, while senior Andrew Kidd scored 17 in his final game as a Bobcat.

 

Martin County (22-9) will face Pikeville (22-4) for the third consecutive season in the 15th Region Tournament on Saturday night as they meet in the semifinals. Both teams faced each other in last year’s championship game.

 

BETSY LAYNE (60) – Parsons 7 (4) 18. T. Hall 2 (2) 2-2 8. Pente 2 3-6 7. G. Hall 1 2. Kidd 6 5-7 17. Martin 4 8. B. Hall 0.

 

FG Pct.: 42.3 FT Pct.: 66.6. 3-PT 6-18 (Parsons 4-9, Pente 0-3, Martin 0-1, T. Hall 2-4, B. Hall 0-1). PF 15. Fouled out: none. Turnovers 10. Assists 6.

 

MARTIN COUNTY (67) – Hale 1 (1) 4-4 7. McKenzie 8 (1) 8-8 25. D. Maynard 2 4. Dials 1 2. Sturgill 6 (1) 5-6 28. Davis 4 (2) 1-2 11. B. Maynard 0.

 

FG Pct.: 51.1. FT Pct.: 85.7. 3-PT 5-12 (Hale 1-2, McKenzie 1-2, Sturgill 1-2, Dials 0-2, Davis 2-4). PF 19. Fouled out: none. Turnovers 5. Assists 5.

 

BETSY LAYNE               14 14 17 15 – 60

MARTIN COUNTY        16 17 15 19 – 67