Good as Dunn: Lady Cardinals fly above Hardin County in regular-season finale

By Thomas Sellers Jr.
Hardin County Head Coach brought his two basketball teams into Brighton to take on Stan Gatlin’s duo of the Lady Cardinals and Cardinals.
The first match up of Friday night in the Brighton Gymnasium paired the Lady Cardinals vs. the District 13-3A No. 1 seeded Lady Tigers.
Gatlin and his girls got the night of Brighton positivity started with a 43-33 victory over the Lady Tigers.
“To get two wins in one night against two well coached teams, I have to give him credit because he does a great job with his guys at Hardin County,” Gatlin said. “Both the girls and the guys, the Hardin County girls were the No. 1 seed coming in at 6-1 in the league. We made it interesting now. We put something in their minds for next week. The first time we played them we were awful.”
The Lady Cardinals played much better Friday night holding a 21-14 lead at the break behind the consistent play of Demiyah Gatlin.
But for Senior Night to end in victory, it would take the clutch play of 12th grader of Albany Dunn. Dunn, Sylvia “Bug” Jones and Keyuanna Dyson walked off the court of their final regular home game victors.
Dunn heated up just in time to increase the Brighton 33-31 lead into a 41-31 advantage. The senior guard was located by Jones on back-to-back plays behind the arch. Dunn hit a pair of three-pointers.
Moments later Dunn was fouled and nailed both free throws to make the tally 41-31.
Dunn finished the game with 15 points and the Lady Cardinals accomplished their mission of putting some doubts in the heads of the Lady Tigers.
“Do what you’re told and get in position,” Gatlin said of his girls’ mindsets. “Get to where you’re supposed to be when you’re supposed to be there. All that right there plays a part into whether or not you’re going to be successful.”