Cameron Cartwright sank four 3-pointers and led McCracken County with 23 points Friday in their 60-54 win over the Marshals. McCracken County lead throughout except for an early 4-0 Marshall County lead that ended on two straight three’s from Jackson Sivills and Wes Belt that put the Mustangs up 6-4.
Baskets by Skyler Smith and Tyler Powell put the Marshal back up by two, tied up at 8 by Cartwright to end the first quarter. Cartwright sank a 3-pointer to put McCracken County up 11-8 early in the second quarter, a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the game, taking a 10 point lead at halftime following another 3-pointer by Cartwright.
Free throws by Smith and a 3-pointer by Powell pulled the Marshals to within five points in the third quarter but the combination of Cartwright and Sivills stretched the Mustangs lead back out to 12. Nathan Stonecipher scored to put McCracken County up 38-24, their largest lead of the game. Four points by Bryce Flatt and Powell’s second three of the game cut the deficit to nine at the end of the third quarter, trailing 40-31.
The Marshals closed the Mustangs lead to eight at the midway point of the fourth quarter before a 3-pointer by Belt stretched it back out to 11. Powell picked up his fourth foul that put Stoncipher on the line, giving the Mustangs an 11 point lead, but Powell would follow that up with a three to cut the lead back to eight.
The fourth quarter battle came down to a four point McCracken County lead with eight seconds to go following a three by Austin Riley, but forced to foul, the Marshals sent Cartwright to the line to finish the game out with two more free throws that gave the Mustangs the six point win.
Cartwright’s 23 points led McCracken County, Sivills added 15 points and Stonecipher had 12. Powell led the Marshals with 17, Reed 15, six from Smith, five a piece by Riley and Bryce Flatt, Matt French had four points and Lucas Nichols two.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | Final | |
| Marshall County | 8 | 14 | 31 | 54 |
| McCracken County | 8 | 25 | 40 | 60 |