Brent Sowder was looking for something that would work on Friday.
Campbell County’s boys basketball found it – spread the offense and let Connor Weinel and Garyn Jackson go to work a little. Scott was not so cheery – Weinel’s 23 points and Jackson’s 10 helped the Camels to a 73-61 win.
“It’s a matchup game; we were just trying to find matchups that worked,” Sowder said. “What worked this game may not work next game.”
Campbell County’s win also clinched the one-seed in next month’s 37th District tournament.
“I know it’s a good district win,” Jackson said. “It’s another win in the books.”
Of course, Campbell County had more than Weinel and Jackson. Xavier Fancher came off the bench to score 14 points, and Nate Smith added 13.
For most of the first quarter, Scott (11-10, 2-1 in district) could’ve scored from Cold Spring.
Especially Dylan Giffen, hit three 3’s (he led the Eagles with 12 points) and Jon Evans and Xarek Saratkatsannis added another long, for one each. The Camels, meanwhile, were scoreless for a little more than four minutes and trailed, 21-9, after one quarter.
“We honestly looked scared coming out,” Jackson said.
Scott coach Steve Fromeyer wasn’t looking ahead.
“What I was thinking is exactly what I told my staff when we came out,” Fromeyer said. “When we got up that big, we’ve been telling our kids all week that no lead is safe. Campbell County was always going to make a run.”
In the second stanza, however, it looked like Campbell County’s (14-4, 3-0) maybe could’ve scored from Grants Lick or Gubser Mill.
In order: Weinel for three, Fancher’s two free throws, Jackson’s and-1 in which he beat Giffen to the baseline, and Smith’s free throw. Campbell County eventually trailed by just 36-32 at halftime.
“We thought going down four at halftime, that’s a good spot after being down 14,” Jackson said.
Weinel opened the third quarter with a layup on Jackson’s lob over the Eagles, and his bucket midway through the frame tied things at 44-all.
The Camels unfurled a 13-7 streak to end the third with a 57-51 lead.
After AJ Lowe’s two points less than a minute into the fourth pulled Scott to within 57-53, Weinel’s layup and Jackson’s assist began a 16-8 run the rest of the way.
“You’ve got to treat every game the same,” Weinel said. “You’ve got to go out, you’ve got to play hard, you’ve got to give it your all.”
CAMELS 73, EAGLES 61
SCOTT 21 15 15 10 – 61
CAMPBELL CO. 9 23 25 16 – 73
Scott (61) — Giffen 13, Coleman 1, Sarakatsannis 9, Griffin 12, Evans 10, Lowe 6, Eten 10. 3-Pt. FG: 6 (Giffen 3, Evans 2, Sarakatsannis). FT: 1-5. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: None.
Campbell Co. (73) — Jackson 10, Smith 13, Weinel 23, Johnson 3, Sorgenfrei 8, Fancher 14, Crowley 2. 3-Pt. FG: 7 (Fancher 3, Sorgenfrei 2, Weinel, Jackson). FT: 14-24. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.
GIRLS
Scott 52, Campbell County 50 – Scott coach Eric Pouncy Jr. wanted to shower his players, but the Eagles were waiting before he could open a water bottle.
A soaked Pouncy emerged from Scott’s locker room because junior guard Kaia Peterson led everyone with 16 points and Noelle Price added 13.
“I thought it was, honestly, whoever had the ball on the last possession was probably going to win the game,” Pouncy said. “That’s what I told them going in; (37th) district games, I mean, they’re dogfights, honestly.”
Peterson called the win “an important game” – sort of.
“It really is just another game for us,” Peterson said. “We worked on lowering our turnovers this game and doing the small things.
Campbell County coach Davey Johnson didn’t need to analyze why the Camels fell to 13-7 and 1-1 in the 37th District.
“We were down one for about a minute and a half,” Johnson said. “I bet we took 12 shots, and not one fell.”
A five-letter word – close – accurately described the game. There were 12 lead changes and one tie, and neither the Eagles nor the Camels led by more than five.
Campbell County took a 7-4 lead a little more than three minutes in on buckets by Izzy Jayasuriya and Madeleine Barbian and two Macie Peoples free throws. Jayasuriya led the Camels with 12 points, and Barbian added 11.
Peterson’s four points, Jayla Sanders’ 3-pointer gave Scott (14-6, 1-0) an 11-7 advantage with less than three minutes to go in the first – a lead that didn’t last because Barbian and Stella Brockman knocked down in the final minute for a 15-13 lead.
Campbell County took a 31-28 lead with 1:47 to go – just in time for a 7-0 Scott run and a 35-31 halftime lead on field goals from Nakiah Mejia and Madeline Spencer and Price’s two free throws
Scott led, 47-42, after three quarters, but that wasn’t what pleased Pouncy most.
“I think it was a group effort (with) all the deflections,” Pouncy said. “The third quarter, we only had one turnover, so that another big thing.”
Barbian’s bucket and Jayasuriya’s 3 midway through the fourth put the Camels ahead, 50-49. Those would be Campbell County’s last points – Peterson scored with 3:41 to go, and Sanders hit a free throw.
The suspense, however, was just starting. Campbell County had three chances to go ahead in the final minute, but missed all three shots.
After Sanders’ free throw, a lane violation with four seconds left gave the Camels the ball. Allison Collins inbounded to Jayasuriya, who found Barbian in the right corner, but the shot clanked off the rim.
You could understand if Johnson – and the rest of the Camels – are rooting for Bishop Brossart on Feb. 7, when the Lady ‘Stangs meet Scott in Taylor Mill. If Brossart wins, all three teams would be tied at 1-1 in the district.
Which would cause everyone to utter the f-word: flip, a coin flip to determine who would draw a bye – and an automatic berth in the 10th Region tournament. Just like last year.
“We did last year, too,” Johnson said. “It didn’t work out, but hopefully we’ll get another chance this year. If not, we’ll be ready to play Brossart.”
EAGLES 52, CAMELS 50
SCOTT 15 19 13 5 – 52
CAMPBELL CO. 13 18 11 8 – 50
Scott (52) — Price 13, Spencer 5, Mejia 6, Sanders 9, Kaia Peterson 16, Kourtney Peterson 3. 3-Pt. FG: 6 (Price 3, Sanders 2, Spencer). FT: 3-9. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.
Campbell Co. (50) — Barbian 11, Peoples 8, Brockman 7, Whitford 8, Jayasuriya 12, Augsback 4. 3-Pt. FG: 5 (Barbian 3, Brockman, Jayasuriya). FT: 11-16. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None