After going 2-0 in Indiana the Colonels returned home to take on a 14-1 McCracken County team that, as I remarked in the pre-game, was possibly overinflated with that record.
I could not have been more wrong.
A 58-52 final in which the Mustangs methodically controlled the pace of play and the basketball, they were so fundamentally sound and disciplined.
Let me be clear, Christian County played a pretty good game.
Are there things to work on? Sure, always will be. That being said, this was not a game like Madisonville or Paducah Tilghman that it felt as if the Colonels let slip away.
Was it akin to those games in the way that it was winnable, absolutely.
After McCracken County led for the first twelve or so minutes of the first half, the Mustangs and Colonels just began to trade buckets well into the third quarter before McCracken pulled away and took the lead to double digits.
Christian County would not go down without a fight though, battling back within four with under thirty seconds to go thanks to key threes by Jordan Miles.
Ultimately the Colonels did fall, and as Head Coach Toby Miles told me in the postgame they have to be more attacking on the offensive end, but give credit to the Mustangs. They effectively eliminated the painted area as an option in any way for Christian County on the offensive side.
The Mustangs also never beat themselves. No one is perfect, but as close as a high school team can come to it, that was McCracken on Monday night.
Nineteen Points and nine rebounds for the Mustangs Jack McCune aided by fourteen and seven for Jackson Klope, McCracken just owned the interior both on the glass and in terms of points. Definitely not something the Colonels are accustomed to when you consider the talents they have in Derrell Bateman and George Sanders.
I would expect a very big adjustment were they to meet again by the Colonels.
That being said, Christian County now turns the page and focuses their attention on a cross-county rivalry. Saturday they will welcome Hopkinsville to Lyle Dunbar Gym. The Tigers will be coming off a comeback win on the road at Madisonville and a game against Clarkesville Northwest Tuesday night.
The Tigers will be motivated and ready to enact some revenge after giving up home court advantage in a loss to the Colonels 62-60 back on December 17th.
Hopkinsville is 0-1 in the district, just like UHA for the moment, while Christian County is 2-0 with wins over both so far. A win Saturday would go a long way in either muddling the very competitive district, or could be a signature moment for the Colonels, putting them even more securely in the drivers seat come the postseason.
Tip-off is at 7:30, Pre-game coverage begins at 7:15 on Newsradio 95.3 FM and 1230 AM WHOP.