Barren County Three-pointer in Final Seconds Stuns AC-S

By Don Meador,
Sports Writer,

The 19th lead change of a heart-pounding back-and-forth game stunned the Patriots on Thursday (Dec. 18).

Barren County’s Weston Shelton took a kick-out pass from Gavin Nunn and drilled a 21-footer, three-point basket with 2.8 seconds left to lift the Trojans to a 56-55 win over Allen County-Scottsville. The Barren County win capped an intense battle between the district rivals.

The Trojans used an 11-4 run in the final four minutes of the first quarter to take a 17-10 lead. In the second period, the Patriots gradually closed the gap. Free throws from Braden Spears and a pair of three-pointers by Kyler Pedigo pulled AC-S to within two, 20-18, with 3:32 remaining before halftime. Less than two minutes later, Boone Morgan’s basket off an assist by Spears brought the Patriots to within one, 24-23. Moments later, Spears scored to give his team a 25-24 lead. Barren County answered before two Kyler Pedigo free throws lifted AC-S to a 27-26 lead at the break.

Barren County stretched the lead to six two minutes into the third. Again, AC-S stormed back. A pair of buckets from Tyler Turner, and a lay-in by De’Antre Grainger cut the Trojan lead to two points, 35-33. After a defensive stop, Jax Coffey drained a three-pointer giving AC-S a lead once again. The teams traded hoops until Pedigo connected on a 40-footer at the horn to end the third—a basket that gave the Patriots a 43-41 lead.

Pedigo and Turner made buckets as AC-S grabbed a 47-43 advantage with seven minutes left. However, the Patriots could not pull away. With under six minutes left, the Patriot coaches looked to slow the pace only to see two quick Patriot turnovers. A Trojan steal and lay-in with 4:30 left sliced the AC-S lead to two. A Grainger basket pushed the lead to four but Barren countered with a free throw. A three-pointer at the 3:20 mark knotted the game at 49.

The contest went back-and-forth the rest of the way. Down 53-52 with 57 seconds left, Turner scored as AC-S edged ahead 54-53. Nunn’s turnover with 24 seconds left put the ball in the Patriots hands. Pedigo was fouled but could only make one of two free throws. This led to Barren County’s final possession and the dagger into the AC-S heart.

Pedigo led the Patriots with 18 points and seven rebounds. The senior guard also dished out six assists. Spears’ 11-point, four-rebound, four-assist game helped the cause as did Turner’s 10 points. Cameron Pippen led Barren County with 11 points. Nunn added 10 points and grabbed 15 rebounds.

AC-S shot the ball well, making 19 of 40 shots from the floor (47.5 percent). The Patriots were four of eight from three-point range and 13 of 19 at the foul line. Barren County was 23 of 54 from the floor (42.6 percent) and four of nine at the foul line. The Trojans sank six of their 19 three-point tries. Barren County (5-2) dominated the glass, 35-25.

The outcome marked the 12th time in the last 13 meetings that the Trojans have prevailed in their match-ups. The District 15 loss was also AC-S’s 10 consecutive defeat at the hands of a District 15 opponent. The Patriots will look to snap that streak against Glasgow on Friday, Jan. 2. Prior to that, AC-S traveled to Caldwell County (3-2) on Tuesday, Dec. 23 and played in the Ballard Memorial Christmas Tournament the following week.