Rockets lose offense in 5th District loss

Rockets Travis Champion (2) and Case Gobin
guard the lane against Trigg County.

SMITHLAND, Ky. – An old Kenny Rogers country song provides appropriate lyrics for Crittenden County’s 57-49 loss to Trigg County Tuesday in the opening round of the Fifth District Tournament.

It went something like this: “You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille!”

Metaphorically, Lucille was the Rocket offense because it was a complete no show in the second half as Trigg County – despite its own troubles finding the basket at times – was able to avenge two regular-season losses to Crittenden County on the district’s big stage at Livingston County.

The Rocket high point came on a Preston Morgeson three-pointer with just under five minutes to go in the first half. The senior’s wing shot provided CCHS with a seven-point advantage 22-15.

Then, Lucille left the gym.

For the better part of the next 12 minutes, Crittenden County was virtually bucketless. Trigg went on a 10-0 run to close the second period, and trailed the Rockets by a point at the break. 

The heartbreak and misery of Lucille’s departure left Crittenden prostrate, basically helpless against a team it had handled quite well in previous meetings. Trigg’s size was used to its advantage. A handful of swatted shots were meaningful, their quickness contested many CCHS shots and a barge load of rebounds helped Trigg get timely second-chance baskets during their 18-0 run that spanned the latter part of the second and early in the third. 

Trigg leading scorer Jhaden Vaughn scored 18 points and his junior classmate Landon Stewart had 15, including a neck-breaking three-pointer late in the third period that lifted Trigg to a 12-point lead. It was Trigg’s only trey of the game and they missed 15 of 31 foul shots. Still, the Wildcats went up by 13 seconds later – their biggest margin of the contest. 

Yet despite Crittenden’s vulnerability and struggles – some of the same that had caused the team to lose its last seven games of 2023 – Trigg barely had the horsepower to pull away. Missed Wildcat foul shots down the stretch gave Crittenden a glimmer of hope as it pulled within six. The Rockets remained within striking distance even into the final two minutes, but Kenny had ejected the 8 Track and Lucy was mute.

Junior scoring stalwart Travis Champion got 20 points and senior Preston Morgeson had 15. Acceptable – even commendable – scoring for most players, but the Rockets needed more to overcome that aged cliche about how tough it can be to beat a team three times in a season – particularly without your Lucille.

After being .500 at 11-11 on Jan. 28, Crittenden closes out the first season of the DJ Pigg era with an 11-18 mark. Trigg will take its 15-15 record into Friday’s district championship matchup against Lyon County (26-5).

Trigg County 9 25 43 57
Crittenden County 12 24 32 49
TRIGG – Stewart 15, D.Gude 2, T.Gude 10, Vaughn 118, Washer 11, Reynolds 1. FG 20. 3-pointers 1 (Stewart). FT 16-31.
CRITTENDEN – Morgeson 15, Champion 20, Walker 5, Hatfield 3, Suddoth, Keller 2, Gobin 4, Guess, Poindexter, Counts. FG 18. 3-pointers 6 (Morgeson 2, Champion 2, Walker, Hatfield). FT 13-7.