Tyler Sharpe got the nod as the top player in the Sixth Region in a preseason poll of coaches, but Bullitt East High School boys basketball coach Bob Blackburn says the Chargers’ backcourt goes much deeper than just one person.
Bailey Rakes backed up that claim Saturday, scoring 10 straight points during a key third-quarter run and finishing with 15 points and three assists as the Chargers beat Waggener 67-58 in a first-round game of the Forcht Bank King of the Bluegrass Holiday Classic at Fairdale.
“If Tyler Sharpe wasn’t on this team, somebody else would run point and (Rakes) would be averaging 20 points a game,” Blackburn said. “It’s that simple. Bailey Rakes is a heck of a basketball player. He gets overshadowed sometimes … but I wouldn’t trade him for anybody.”
PHOTO GALLERY | Bullitt East vs. Waggener
Sharpe matched his season average with 21 points and added seven rebounds and three steals. Brandon Klefot pitched in 13 points as the Chargers (7-0) – No. 8 in the state in The Courier-Journal’s preseason poll – advanced to face the Taylor County-Central winner in Monday’s 9 p.m. quarterfinal.
Waggener (4-2), the preseason pick to win the Seventh Region, got 10 points apiece from Isiah Knight and Nicholas Kratholm but shot just 35.1 percent (20 of 57) and committed seven more turnovers (15-8) than Bullitt East.
Forwards Kevin Kirby (seven points, 12 rebounds) and Jaalam Hill (seven points, seven rebounds, two blocks) were effective but saw diminished playing time because of foul trouble.
“We have to learn to take care of the ball and be more consistent defensively and really learn how to guard,” Wildcats coach Bryan O’Neill said. “That’s really it.”
Bullitt East never trailed on its way to a 36-26 halftime lead before Waggener rallied.
Hill scored six points and Jacquan Hendricks sank two free throws to cap a 14-2 run that gave the Wildcats a 40-38 lead at the 3:30 mark of the third quarter.
A Connor Green basket tied the score at 40 before Rakes scored 10 straight points – hitting a pair of 3-pointers – to give the Chargers a 50-40 bulge heading to the fourth.
“We did take a little punch, but I think we came together as a team and retaliated,” Rakes said. “I was feeling it. We all know when somebody catches fire, we always give them the ball.”
Waggener pulled within four points twice in the fourth quarter, the latter coming when Kirby sank two free throws to make it 61-57 with 1:41 remaining.
But the Chargers were solid from the free-throw line, hitting 13 of 15 in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. Bullitt East finished 25 of 32 (78.1 percent) from the charity stripe.
“It wasn’t our best offensive effort tonight, but overall I think we’re heading in the right direction,” Blackburn said. “The results are good. I like it better when we’re up 10 or 12 points and going (up). I hate giving up the lead.
“Sometimes with this team you have to let them go through their little run because I know coming up will be one of ours. We’ve done it time and time again.”
Jason Frakes can be reached at (502) 582-4046 and jfrakes@courier-journal.com.
WAGGENER 12 14 14 18 – 58
BULLITT EAST 17 19 14 17 – 67
Waggener (4-2) – Kirby 7, Hill 7, Taylor 9, Kalakon 2, Hobbs 6, Knight 10, Hendricks 7, Kratholm 10.
Bullitt East (7-0) – Sharpe 21, Rakes 15, Green 3, Polson 8, Klefot 13, Wilson 3, Farris 4.
3-point goals – Taylor 3, Knights 2, Hendricks; Rakes 3, Wilson.