Butler and Doss basketball teams feel relief after surviving 22nd District semifinals
J.L. Kirven
Too many good teams have their seasons cut short in Kentucky high school basketball district tournaments and that's especially the case in the loaded 22nd. Five total teams with winning records and only two get to advance? It's unfortunate, but it makes great basketball.
Butler, Western, Doss and Iroquois — four of the top teams in the Sixth Region — might've faced off at DeSales Tuesday night for a spot in 22nd District final, but that wasn't the prize worth playing for.
In reality, district semifinals were more important than any district championship. Since the top two teams automatically advance to regionals, those titles are more about bragging rights.
Seasons are on the line in the semis.
Butler basketball coach Kevin Geary was cherry red with sweat leaking through his blazer yet relief won him over after the Bears stunned Western 57-48 in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader.
"Coming in it was like we have to win two games to get there (to the regional tournament) and our biggest thing is we just got to get there," Geary said. "Relief is a good word because I'm at a loss for words on that one."
Doss' coach Blake Stone felt the same way after the Dragons hung on to beat a determined Iroquois squad 64-61. Even though Doss had beaten the Raiders eight days earlier, Stone knew neither team would pull any punches in the playoffs.
"I tell my guys all the time you can look up at the scoreboard and be like 'dang that team is going home," Stone said. "It's just March Madness."
Before Butler (18-12) and Doss (21-7) face off in Thursday's District 22nd championship to settle the score, here's what you need to know from their season-saving victories.
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Butler 57, Western 48
Chance Garner brought Butler the energy it needed to rock the Sixth Region to its core.
Coming off the bench midway through the first quarter, Garner's relentless downhill playstyle helped the Bears break through Western's zone defense and open things up for the rest of the offense.
Whether it was diving for loose balls, being the first one out on the break or finishing a play with a defender on his back, Garner sacrificed his body for the team. It's a skill he's honed during Geary's practices.
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"We don't call any fouls in practice," Garner said. "It help in a game but they be foulin like a mug in practice. It's just all about my teammates making me tougher."
Garner's toughness and selfless attitude has been on display all season. After battling injuries for most of the year, the senior tried working his way back into the starting lineup.
Geary tried to make things work with Garner in the starting lineup but it was clear that he was a better fit off the bench. He embraced his new role and excelled in it against the Warriors.
"I told [Garner] 'you're going to be the best player that comes off the bench in any game that we play,'" Geary said. "For a senior and two-year varsity starter to swallow that pride and do what he did tonight, is a remarkable testament to the kind of kid he is."
Garner's 13 points off the bench was the necessary output to support starters Chavez Woods (15 points) and Mershon Dickerson (13 points). He played most of the game but his energy really helped the Bears find a rhythm in the first half.
"He's [Garner] been a big spark for us off the bench," Woods said. "He plays defense, he plays hard and that's what we need coming off the bench."
Defense was where Butler shined the most. Holding Western to its second-lowest point total of the season, the Bears forced Western into tough shots by containing them in the paint. Unable to find a soft touch around the rim or hit a shot from the outside, Western went scoreless for nearly eight minutes from the end of the second quarter to 2:03 in the fourth.
"To be honest with you we went back to the drawing board, put in some new stuff and worked on our zone defense," Geary said. "They bought into the rebounding and you saw it in the second half especially that they went to the boards hard because that's how desperate they were to keep their season going."
Western's season ended with the top record in the Sixth Region at 23-5. After going 13-1 in the regional play it's hard to imagine the Warriors not being looked at as the favorite to win the regional crown next season once it returns nearly every player on their team.
The future looks very promising for Western, but near future looks better for Butler. The Bears face Doss in a rubber match for the district crown on Thursday. Butler previously defeated Doss on Jan. 14 in the LIT semifinals, but lost to the Dragons 70-52 on Feb. 12.
"Job's not done," Garner said. "We're trying to win it all. We're trying to win the district, the region and go as far as we can.'"
BUTLER 13 20 11 13 57
WESTERN 17 15 6 10 48
Butler (18-12) : Mershon Dickerson 13, Chavez Woods 15, Chance Garner 13, Julion Beard 7, Jacob Douglas 7, Jaymonte Clark 2,
Western (23-5) : Trent Hinkle 2, Julius Edmonds 16, Kaden Magwood 5, Jayden Miles 1, Jaylen Ellis 11, Anthony Lawrence 3, Josiah Lawson 4, Ondre Wicks 3, Elijah Clinton 5,
Doss 64, Iroquois 61
Doss beat Iroquois by 10 just eight days ago, but coach Blake Stone knew it wouldn't be the simple Tuesday night.
"We had to focus on defense," Stone said. "We hit 16 3s the last time we played them and I knew that wasn't going to happen again.
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Doss wasn't lights out from downtown but did what was necessary in the paint to outlast the Raiders 64-61.
Tony Moss and Inslee Carroll combined for 29 points, but the Dragons got a lot of good out of its supporting cast, especially guard Marcus Barker. Barker's nine points might not pop off the stat sheet, but guarding Iroquois top scorer Davion Burton while conducting the offense can't go unnoticed.
"He's just an all-around guard," Stone said. "He can score, pass, defend. I know his fram is only 5-foot-6 but he's got the heart of a lion."
Barker's heart will be necessary as Doss goes deeper into the playoffs. With Thursday's meeting against Butler looming, a district title could give the Dragons the momentum it's looking for heading into the Sixth Region tournament.
"This is our chance right here," Barker said. "And I think we got it."
DOSS - 13 20 16 15 64
IROQUOIS - 15 13 19 14 61
Doss (21-7) : Sicori Toole 5, Marcus Barker 9, Tony Moss 13, Inslee Carroll 16, RaVante Coward 12, LeeTwon Bray 7
Iroquois (22-6) : Alonzo Basemore 6, Jamir Ford 15, Davion Burton 6, Antonion Turpin 11, Jamontre Anderson 4,
Follow Courier Journal reporter J.L. Kirven on Twitter @JL_Kirven for more updates on Louisville prep sports.