The Cooper and Scott girls basketball teams will be playing for holiday tournament championships Friday. Here is how they made it to this point.
Cooper 60, Bullitt East 34
The Jaguars won their fifth straight in convincing fashion in the Queen of the Commonwealth Tournament over the hosts.
Cooper once again did it with solid defense and balanced scoring. Liz Freihofer led the way with 17 points and Bella Deere scored 12 with Logan Palmer adding eight.
Cooper (8-3) takes on Meade County at 7 p.m. back at Bullitt East on Friday for the tournament championship.
Scott 50, North Hardin 46
The Eagles also won their fifth in a row, edging North Hardin in the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Swishmas Tournament semifinals at Tates Creek in Lexington.
Kaia Peterson and Noelle Price led the way scoring 12 points each. Kourtney Peterson and Nakiah Mejia followed with eight each.
Scott (7-1) takes on Central out of Louisville for the tournament championship back at Tates Creek at 6:30 p.m.
Girls Basketball
Notre Dame 61, Ursuline Academy 28
The Pandas handled the Girls Greater Catholic League opponent to stay undefeated at 8-0 on the season in the Queen City Christmas Classic at Archbishop McNicholas in Cincinnati.
Notre Dame outrebounded Ursuline, 37-21 and wound up taking 11 more shots as a result. The Pandas hit 44% from the field and held the Lions to just 24%.
Sophia Gibson led the Pandas with 15 points and seven rebounds. Emma Holtzapfel tied Gibson with 15 points and Kendra Collins scored 10.
Notre Dame returns to McNicholas on Friday to take on the host Rockets at 3 p.m.
Holy Cross 75, Franklin County 50
The Indians dominated the Flyers in the Queen of the Commonwealth Tournament at Bullitt East, putting four players and nearly five in double figures.
Julia Hunt, Aaliyah Hayes and Aumani Nelson scored 17 points each and Alyssa Arlinghaus followed with 11. Miyah Wimzie added eight.
Holy Cross (7-3) takes on McCracken County on Friday at 2:30 p.m. back at Bullitt East in the fifth-place game.
Other Girls Basketball Scores
Ryle 70, Male 51
Owensboro Catholic 58, Simon Kenton 51
Pineville 55, Dayton 18
Archbishop McNicholas 52, Bishop Brossart 46
Boys Basketball
Great Crossing 48, Newport 46
The Wildcats led the undefeated Warhawks, 46-45 with 48.6 seconds left after Taylen Kinney hit a floater, but Vince Dawson hit a three in the final seconds to lift Great Crossing to the win in the King of the Bluegrass Tournament at Fairdale in Louisville.
Kinney led Newport with 29 points making five three-pointers and Dawson scored 20 to lead Great Crossing. No one else scored more than five for the Wildcats.
Great Crossing won the rebounding battle, 31-25. Great Crossing hit 7-of-12 free throws and Newport made 5-of-7.
Newport (7-2) takes on Spencer County back at Fairdale on Friday at 6 p.m.
Covington Catholic 67, Archbishop Hoban (Ohio) 64
The Colonels won their Queen City Holiday Classic game at McNicholas in Cincinnati behind 21 points from Brady Hussey.
CovCath saw four different players score double figures against the northeast Ohio opponent. Caden Miller had a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds with Athens McGillis and Nolan Ruthsatz scoring 12 each, McGillis adding seven assists.
The Colonels outrebounded Hoban, 29-22 and hit 58% from the field.
CovCath (7-2) returns across the river on Friday to take on McNicholas at 7:30 p.m.
Conner 56, Simon Kenton 26
The Cougars dominated the Pioneers at the Scott Winter Classic to break a four-game losing streak.
Finn Louden scored 14 points to lead the Cougars. Brady Bushman and Tyler Warner scored 10 each with Riley Abousaleh adding nine.
Travis Krohman led Simon Kenton with eight points.
Both teams return to Scott for final games Friday. Conner (2-5) takes on Oldham County at 3 p.m. and Simon Kenton (2-7) takes on Fern Creek at 7:30 p.m.
Scott 71, Collins 65
The Eagles put five players in double digits in the home win.
Dylan Giffen led Scott with 20 points and Jon Evans scored 17. Xarek Sarakatsannis scored 13 with Kaymon Coleman and Carter Eten adding 10 each.
Scott (6-4) concludes its Winter Classic on Friday against Aiken (Ohio) at 4:30 p.m.
Ryle 71, Bullitt Central 50
The Raiders won their opener at the Beth Haven Clssic with four players in double figures.
Anthony Coppola was named Player of the Game and poured in 17 points. Landon Lorms added 14, AJ Davis with 11 and Jon DeGroff chipping in 10.
Ryle (5-4) faces Atherton in the semifinals on Friday at 7:45 p.m.
Other Boys Basketball Scores
Boone County 72, South Oldham 65
Bellevue 80, Barbourville 71
Western Hill 100, Ludlow 71
Baylor (Tennessee) 89, Lloyd Memorial 51
St. Charles (Ohio) 42, Newport Central Catholic 36
Sayre 58, St. Henry 41
Oldham County 77, Dixie Heights 41
Aiken (Ohio) 63, Cooper 55