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There’s a commonly used expression that states “iron sharpens iron”. 

In the world of sports, the term is often used to suggest that solid teams improve as they play other teams of similar calibre. 

Both the Lady Cards and Cards basketball team of George Rogers Clark High School didn’t shy away from such a challenge as they continued the early portion of their seasons this past week. 

In Winchester, two teams from the 11th Region came to town. 

On Tuesday, December 10, the Madison Central Indians played the Cards. 

Like GRC, Madison Central entered the game undefeated, and neither team showed any willingness to suffer their first loss of the season. 

The Cards began with a burst, scoring the first eight points of the game to take the early lead. 

Undaunted, Madison Central took the lead with a 10-0 run of their own. 

However, the Cards would match the Indians by scoring the next nine points for a 17-10 lead after one quarter. 

Still, the Indians continued to fight, and the Cards held just a one-point lead with six minutes to go in the fourth quarter. 

A technical foul against Madison Central then allowed the Cards to build some momentum and – with solid defense and efficient offense – GRC came away with a 62-53 victory. 

“[It was] an awesome game to be a part of…I’m super proud of our guys,” said Head Coach Josh Cook. “The scout team was really good too [during the week]. We had guys that were practicing trying to be some of those [Madison Central] guys. They did a really good job of giving us an idea of what we need to face and what we need to do.” 

While junior Malachi Ashford led the team in scoring with 17 points, senior Eli Craig and sophomore Montez Gay each had 14 as well. 

“It was just a great team win overall,” said Craig. “We just stayed true to who we are and just locked them down on defense.” 

Junior Sam Spillman also added 7 points, and was asked about playing in front of the large home crowd. 

“It’s definitely different, and it definitely gets me and the team hyped up [and] ready to play,” he said. 

Two days later, in their home opener, the Lady Cards were in action. 

Facing Franklin County, the defending 11th Region Champion who made it to the state’s Elite Eight last season, the Lady Cards – already without University of Michigan commit Ciara Byars as she continues recovering from an injury occurred last season – encountered additional diversity as Head Coach Robbie Graham would be unavailable while recovering from a surgical procedure. 

As great teams often do, they were able to find a way to play past it. 

Matching them play-for-play, the Lady Cards held on to a narrow 35-32 lead heading into the 4th quarter in what could only be described as a defensive slugfest. 

However, the 4th quarter was a much different story. 

The Lady Cards’ offense broke out, outscoring the Lady Flyers 18-10 en route to a successful 53-42 victory. 

“We just did the basic things…making plays and sharing the ball,” said Assistant Coach William Brown. “We tell [the players] all the time that fans will come if you put on a good product.” 

While sophomore Kennedy Stamper led the way with 16 points, junior Teigh Yeast added 14 of her own. 

“We really picked up our intensity [late] and slowed down the game,” she said. 

Days later, both the Lady Cards and Cards played far away from Winchester against top-quality competition. 

The Lady Cards were in Portsmouth, Ohio, to take on the host Portsmouth Lady Trojans – one of Ohio’s top ranked teams. 

In another defensive battle, the Lady Cards trailed by two with less than one minute to go. 

However, they tied the game when Yeast came up with a steal and score. 

Seeking to stop the Lady Trojans on their final possession, the Lady Cards were unfortunately called for a late foul. 

One free throw later, the Lady Trojans emerged with a 42-41 victory, dropping GRC’s record to 2-1. 

Later that same day, the Cards were in Bell County to play in the Heart of the Mountains Showcase against the host Bell County Bobcats. 

While the Cards took an early 11-3 advantage, the Bobcats responded strongly, managing the clock and taking as much as a 4-point lead in the fourth quarter. 

Yet the Cards would finish on top. 

A late offensive surge – benefited by free throws in clutch situations – carried GRC to a 56-52 victory. 

For his performance, which included several blocks – including three in the game’s first five minutes – GRC’s Amari Bartleson was named player of the game. 

The Lady Cards continue their schedule this week with out-of-state play, as they head to Mesa, Arizona, to partake in tournament play at the Nike Tournament of Champions beginning on Wednesday, December 18, at the Arizona Athletic Grounds. 

The Cards (6-0) start their week against fellow undefeated team Fleming County in Flemingsburg on Tuesday, December 17, at 7:30 p.m., before returning to Winchester for a 6:00 p.m. matchup against East Jessamine on Friday, December 20.