Sun-Democrat, March 9, 1974

 

Murray, Tilghman Reach Region Finals

 

By Pat Moynahan

 

MURRAY, Ky.  Top-ranked Murray High survived a five-minute scoring drought in the final period and ousted defending champion Hickman County, 43-38, in the semi-finals of the First Region Tournament here Friday night.

 

The victory sends the Bengals into tonight’s championship match against second-rated Paducah Tilghman, a 69-64 winner over Carlisle County.

 

Cold shooting rendered Hickman County’s attack impotent for three periods but the Falcons stuck with their unsettling deliberate style and suddenly the numbers began to click.

 

By the time the Hickman unit came alive, Murray High’s Tigers had been lulled into catnapping and had to struggle down the stretch to survive.

 

Hickman County, which hit only eight of 30 field goal attempts through the first three periods, trailed by 11, 33-22, heading into the last stanza.  But, junior Ricky Weatherspoon and sophomore Tim Larkin found the range and the Falcons quickly stormed back into contention.

 

Weatherspoon, a 5-10 guard, sacked an easy six-footer to open the final frame but Glenn Jackson answered the bucket with a spinner down the lane at 6:59.

 

The Falcons then went to the press and rattled the sluggish Tigers.  Murray High went the next 4:56 without scoring and Hickman County ripped off 10 straight markers.  The Bengals missed eight field goal attempts and a bonus gratis try during the drought and turned the ball over three times.

 

Weatherspoon, meanwhile, canned back-to-back jumpers and Larkin followed with two free throws and a six-footer.  A layup off the fast break with 2:20 remaining by David Rodgers climaxed the Falcons’ comeback and trimmed the margin to one, 35-34.

 

A bucket inside by Tyrone McCuiston at 2:03 finally broke the ice for Murray High.  Weatherspoon lulled the Falcons back within one from the top of the circle nearly a minute later before Hickman County settled back into its slump.

 

The Falcons missed the first try of a bonus free throw opportunity twice in the final minutes and didn’t score again until after time expired.  Two free throws by Jackson and two more by Ray Lane with just 16 seconds left lifted Murray back on top by five and assured the Tigers 16th consecutive win.

 

McCuistion and Jackson shared game honors for the Bengals with 15 markers each.  Weatherspoon paced Hickman County with 14, eight of them coming in the final period, and Larkin added 11.

 

Hickman County, ranked eighth in the region, didn’t collect a field goal in the first five minutes of the game and hit only one of 11 tries in the opening quarter.  Murray High didn’t fare much better and led by only six at the stop.

 

A pair of free throws by Weatherspoon gave the Falcons a 2-0 lead 30 seconds into the game but Hickman County didn’t score again for over  4 ½ minutes.  The Bengals rang up six points during that stretch but forged a lead they never surrendered.

 

A basket underneath by Larkin at 2:44 interrupted the cold spell momentarily but did not end it.  Hickman County was unable to score again before the period ended, collecting a single fielder in the last 7:24 of the quarter.

 

The Tigers also had trouble finding the range, but managed the last four points of the stanza and a 10-4 bulge at the horn.

 

A 20-footer by Weatherspoon opened the second period but signalled another 3 ½ minutes drought for the Falcons.  Murray picked up five straight points before a free throw by Sidney Spate.

 

Following the one-pointer, Jackson drove down the lane for a bucket that boosted Murray High on top by 10, 17-7, with 3:40 to play.  After a jumper by Spate, McCuistion and Jackson swished back-to-back fielders to up the margin to 12 with just under two minutes left.  The Bengals still led by 10, 23-13, at the stop.

 

Hickman County canned only five of 20 attempts, 25 percent, from the field in the opening half.  Murray High bagged 11 of 26 for 42 percent.

 

Both teams suffered through long periods without scoring in the third quarter.  Hickman County went almost four minutes before hitting a field goal.  Murray High scored the first four points of the half to mount a 14-point lead before going three minutes without a counter.

 

During Murray’s frigid stint, Hickman County managed to put together four straight points on a fielder and two free throws which cut the gap to 10, 27-17, with 3:57 showing in the period.

 

But the Falcons could come no closer.  McCuistion, a 6-2 forward, sandwiched a pair of jumpers around a charity toss by Spate and the Tigers sailed into the final eight minutes with a seemingly comfortable lead.

 

Hickman County’s press, however, suddenly picked up the pace and caught Murray off guard, forcing the fiery chase to the finish.

 

Both teams shot poorly for the game.  Murray High, which stands 25-2 and hasn’t lost since an engagement at Mayfield on Jan. 18, connected on 17 of 48 attempts from the field for 35.4 percent.  The Bengals counted nine of 12 free throws.

 

The Falcons, champions in the First District, shot a dismal 30.4 percent from the floor, 14 of 46, and sank but 10 of 19 gratis attempts.

 

Hickman County, which entered the semifinal clash with nine straight wins, finished the season with a 21-8 slate.

 

TIGERS.........................................  43

FALCONS.................................... 38