PIKEVILLE, Ky. – The Pikeville Lady Panthers are gearing up now to head to Rupp after taking down Johnson Central to clinch the 15th Region Championship at the Appalachian Wireless Arena in Pikeville Saturday in a close on 59-52.

It may have been little surprise that candidate for Kentucky Miss Basketball Kylie Alvin delivered a game-high 33 points to put the Lady Panthers on the road to Rupp.

Pikeville dropped two games to Johnson Central earlier in the season, but once they were up 19-11 in the first quarter, they never looked back, leading the rest of the game.

Pikeville head coach Denise Campbell told Mountain Top News following the win that she couldn’t’ have asked for more from her team.

“It means everything, not for just me, but for them in there,” she said in a voice hoarse from calling out for four quarters. “They have worked so hard…They executed the game plan to perfection.”

Alvin, named tournament MVP and wearing the net around her neck, said during her interview with us she knew Johnson Central would be a challenge.

“Coming into this we knew it would be hard, but God was on our side today,” Alvin said.

Pikeville is now set to play Notre Dame Wednesday, March 11 at 6 p.m. in their first game of the Sweet 16 at Rupp Arena in Lexington.