Free throws matter ...

They ain't sexy. They don't make the highlight reel. And there are definitely no ads that claim "chicks dig free throws."

But they often decide games, especially in the postseason.

Case in point: Tuesday night's 2-3 seed district tournament games in the First Region boys race were each decided by three points or less, and in each case free throws were a huge factor in the outcome.

In the First District, Fulton City was 9-for-27 from the line, losing to arch rival Fulton County 52-51 on a tip-in by star sophomore Leonard Smith in the final five seconds.

In the Second District, Heath was 26-for-28 from the line, nipping Lone Oak 62-59 to avenge three regular-season losses to the Purple Flash. Eric Straub was perfect in 14 tries, as was teammate Jordan Dukek in a half-dozen shots.

In the Third District, Tyrese Murrell and Jordan Elliott each hit a pair from the line in the final minute as Mayfield held off stubborn St. Mary 51-48.

• In that vein, Carlisle County coach Brian O'Neill spent the first half of the season wondering why star forward Caleb Hardy was having so many problems from the foul line.

"At the first of January, he was at about 48 percent," O'Neill said of Hardy. "I watched film of him to try and see what he was doing wrong. Finally, one day in practice I started shooting free throws with him."

O'Neill found a slight flaw in Hardy's form.

"He was turning just a little bit when he shot, and it was throwing him off," O'Neill said. "It wasn't anything you could see unless you were right there with him. And since then, he's shooting over 70 percent."

• Congratulations to Calloway County's Kayla Cunningham, who is now the school's all-time leading scorer.

Cunningham needed just two points in Monday's district tournament win over Community Christian to break the record held by Stan Key, who graduated in 19xx with 1,997 points and played his college basketball at Kentucky.

Cunningham, who led the Lady Lakers to the regional title as a sophomore and hopes to make her second trip to the state tournament in Bowling Green, scored 15 points on Monday and is at 2,011 points entering Friday night's district final against Marshall County and its star, Jessica Holder.

The two will be teammates at Murray State next season, and Holder is already Marshall's all-time leading scorer. This season, she broke the girls' mark held by Stephanie Gossum and the all-time record held by Daniel Ard.