In a dramatic opening-round clash of the 2024 Gardner Law King of the Bluegrass tournament, the North Oldham Mustangs (5-2) rallied from a double-digit deficit to edge the 7th ranked Adair County Indians (5-2), 77-68. Tommy Gregg, whose dynamic performance guided the Mustangs’ resurgence, was named the Central Bank Most Valuable Player of the game.
The Indians came out firing in the first quarter, building an early lead with sharp shooting from beyond the arc. Dawson Gilbert set the tone, sinking a three-pointer midway through the quarter, and Blane Bardin’s back-to-back triples in the final minute pushed Adair County to a 20-17 advantage at the break. Gilbert finished with 17 points, and Bardin added 14 off the bench, as the Indians relied heavily on their perimeter game.
Adair County extended their lead in the second quarter behind steady contributions from Isaiah Cochran in the paint. Cochran, who tallied 10 points and eight rebounds overall, kept the Indians in control of the tempo. Meanwhile, the Mustangs struggled to find offensive rhythm, shooting just 30.8% in the second quarter. At halftime, Adair County led 36-28, seemingly in control.
The turning point came in the third quarter. Gregg, who had been relatively quiet in the first half, erupted with a string of highlight plays, including a deep three-pointer off an assist from Colin Daniels early in the period. Gregg’s hot shooting ignited a 24-9 run, capped by a second-chance layup from Daniels to give North Oldham a 52-45 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Mustangs shot a blistering 76.9% from the field during the quarter, while Adair County managed just 33.3%.
The Indians fought back valiantly in the final period. Connor Loy’s aggressive drives to the basket and timely jumpers helped Adair County close the gap to two points with under two minutes remaining. Loy finished with 13 points and five assists, leading the late push. However, turnovers proved costly, including a critical steal by Gregg that led to a fast-break score, extending the Mustangs’ lead.
Brooks Cargould also played a key role in sealing the game for North Oldham, scoring 18 points and hitting a dagger three-pointer in the closing minutes. Daniels dominated the boards with 10 rebounds and added defensive stops that stifled Adair County’s offense down the stretch.
The Mustangs’ 20-2 run during the second half was fueled by Gregg’s ability to hit contested shots and capitalize on defensive lapses. His final line—22 points on 9-of-10 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three-point range—cemented his selection as the game’s MVP.
With the victory, North Oldham advances to the quarterfinals Friday at 9pm where they will take on the winner of Trinity vs. South Laurel. Adair County will play Friday at 9pm in the consolation bracket against the Trinity-South Laurel loser.
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