West Jessamine wins at Boys Sweet Sixteen
West Jessamine is off and running in the Boys Sweet Sixteen again, as the 12th Region champion defeated Muhlenberg County 73-63 in the first round today.
Jarrod Polson scored 32 points to lead West Jessamine (27-7), which reached the semifinals last year. The Colts led throughout the last three quarters, holding on after Muhlenberg cut their lead from 11 points to two with 2:17 remaining. (Click here for the box score and play-by-play.)
The Colts, who reached the semifinals last year in their first state tournament appearance, advanced to play Shelby Valley (29-4) in a Friday night quarterfinal. Shelby Valley rolled over Paducah Tilghman 68-45 in its first-round game.
West Jessamine hit just seven of 12 free throws in the last two minutes and was 23 for 40 overall at the foul line, which is unusual for a team that shoots 70 percent on the season. Polson, a 76 percent shooter, was 12 for 20, but he was also 10 for 13 from the field with five rebounds and four assists.
“We’ll step up and make them tomorrow. I’m not too concerned about that,” West Jessamine coach Damon Kelly said.
Polson scored more points than any other player in any of this year’s eight first-round games, and it was the third time in four state tournament games that he has scored at least 22 games.
David Elliott had 13 points and seven rebounds for West Jessamine, Gus Sherrow added 10 points and Dylan Pohl had seven rebounds.
