The Christian County Lady Colonels captured the 8th District championship Thursday night with a 65-49 win over Hopkinsville in Tiger Gym. The Lady Colonels relied on dominant defensive pressure, led by shot-blocking machine NeVaeh Day, and an efficient offensive attack orchestrated by Anaysia Bagwell to pull away after a competitive start.
Christian County came out aggressive, jumping to a 6-0 lead and quickly stretching it to 12-2, with Lazarie Daniel and Day setting the tone early. However, Hopkinsville refused to back down. The Lady Tigers tightened up defensively, with senior Alicia Davis providing the spark to keep them in striking distance. By the end of the first quarter, Hopkinsville had clawed back to within 14-8.
The second quarter saw the Lady Tigers continue to battle, fueled by Lee Lee Love’s back-to-back baskets. Hopkinsville went on a 10-4 run to tie the game at 18-18, as both teams traded defensive stops in a hard-fought, physical contest.
Then came the turning point. In the final 90 seconds of the half, Christian County seized control. The Lady Colonels capitalized on second-chance opportunities, leading to a clutch three-pointer from Bagwell. On the defensive end, Day swatted away another shot—her third block of the half—leading to a fast-break layup. She then powered inside for another basket, turning an 18-18 tie into a 25-18 halftime lead for the Lady Colonels. Day was a force in the first half, tallying 9 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks.
Riding the momentum, Christian County came out firing in the third quarter, opening with a 13-4 run to push their lead to 38-22. The defensive intensity, anchored by Day’s presence in the paint, stifled Hopkinsville’s offense, and Bagwell’s ability to spread the ball around helped fuel the scoring surge. Daniel and Bagwell combined for 17 points in the quarter as the Lady Colonels extended their lead to 51-32 heading into the fourth.
Christian County put the game out of reach with a 7-2 run to open the final period, stretching the lead to 58-34 and securing the district crown.
Day finished with a monster performance—17 points, 21 rebounds, and four blocks—dominating both ends of the floor. Bagwell also scored 17 points while running the offense efficiently, and Daniel added 16 points. DaNiya Bradley and Carliah Hobson chipped in six points each.
For Hopkinsville, Davis led the fight with 17 points, while Love returned from injury to contribute 12. Lashanti Wilson added eight points, but the Lady Tigers struggled to match Christian County’s defensive pressure in the second half.
The Lady Colonels now advance to the 2nd Region tournament as district champions and will play Monday or Tuesday at Lyle Dunbar Gym. Hopkinsville will enter the regional tournament as the district runner-up, looking to bounce back as they continue postseason play next week.
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