South Laurel Boys Basketball Rallies to Beat District Rival Whitley County

The Cardinals overcame a late deficit to win a close game against their district foe.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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The South Laurel boys basketball team came from behind in the fourth quarter to defeat district rival Whitley County by a score of 54-49. The Colonels had built a nine-point lead early in the final frame, but the Cardinals slowly chipped away at the deficit, with key baskets from Kaiden McQueen, Kaden Taylor, Brayden Cassidy, and a go-ahead 3-pointer from Brendan Murphy in the final minutes to secure the victory.

Why it matters

This was an important district matchup between two local rivals, with South Laurel improving to 2-0 against Whitley County this season. The close nature of the games highlights the competitive balance in the district, and the Cardinals' ability to rally late shows their resilience and determination.

The details

South Laurel trailed by nine points early in the fourth quarter after Levi Jackson hit a 3-pointer for Whitley County. But the Cardinals slowly fought their way back, with Kaiden McQueen and Kaden Taylor hitting layups to cut the deficit. Brayden Cassidy then made a layup to make it a 5-point game with 5:09 left. Finally, Brendan Murphy knocked down a 3-pointer with 1:21 remaining to give South Laurel a 1-point lead, which they would not relinquish.

  • The fourth quarter rally began with 5:09 left in the game.
  • Brendan Murphy hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:21 remaining.

The players

Kaiden McQueen

A South Laurel player who hit a key layup during the fourth quarter comeback.

Kaden Taylor

A South Laurel player who also hit a layup to cut into Whitley County's lead in the fourth quarter.

Brayden Cassidy

A South Laurel player who made a layup to make it a 5-point game in the fourth quarter.

Brendan Murphy

The South Laurel player who hit the go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minutes to give his team the lead.

Levi Jackson

A Whitley County player who hit a 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter to extend his team's lead.

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What they’re saying

“This was a big district win for us. We showed a lot of fight to come back and get the victory.”

— Brendan Murphy, South Laurel Player (WYMT)

What’s next

South Laurel will look to build on this win when they travel to face Corbin on Thursday, February 12th. Whitley County will head to Tennessee to take on Clarkrange, also on February 12th.

The takeaway

The close nature of the games between these two district rivals highlights the competitive balance in the region, and South Laurel's ability to rally late shows the team's resilience and determination as they aim to make a postseason push.