This 8th Region Quarterfinal girls basketball game could have gone either way.
The 32nd District champion Walton-Verona Bearcats (15-14 overall) built a 19-14 lead in the second quarter. But the 30th District Runner-up Spencer County Lady Bears (21-11) finished the first half on a 9-0 run to go up 23-19 at halftime. Walton-Verona could not recover from it in a 54-49 loss Monday at Grant County.
Spencer County threw a mixture of defenses at Walton-Verona and used a full-court press a good part of the game. When the Bearcats executed, especially finding ways to penetrate the paint, they had success. They just could not do it enough making 19 of 40 shots for 47 percent including 5 of 19 from three-point range for 26 percent and 6 of 7 free throws for 85 percent.
Senior point guard Audrey Carrico led the way making 3 of 6 from three-point range for 14 points. Junior wing Grace Brewer followed with 13 points and freshman forward Braylin Terrell scored 10 points making all five shots. Spencer County had problems stopping Terrell in the post. Terrell blocked three shots.
Turnovers did not help the Walton-Verona cause. The Bearcats had 20 go with just eight assists, three steals and 15 fouls.
“You just have to make plays,” said Rianna Gayheart, Walton-Verona Head Coach. “They’re extremely well-coached and they have girls who have been around for a really long time. They were just a little bit better than us (Monday). If a couple shots fall here and there and take away a couple turnovers, it might be a different game.”
Walton-Verona did outrebound Spencer County, 27-20. But the Lady Bears recorded five steals and turned the ball over just nine times.
Junior forward Daveigh Reichenbach led Spencer County with 15 points. The Lady Bears often found her cutting to the rim. She added two assists.
Senior forward/guard Ashleigh Jones and junior point guard Lexi Runion scored 13 points each. Runion made two three-pointers.
Spencer County made 17 of 37 shots for 45 percent including 5 of 17 from three-point range for 29 percent and 15 of 22 free throws for 68 percent. The Lady Bears also had three assists, one blocked shot and just eight fouls.
Walton-Verona led 13-10 after the first quarter. Carrico hit a jumper from the right side with 19.6 seconds left in the quarter.
The Bearcats led 19-14 when senior center Maggie Buerger hit two free throws then a lay-up with 3:10 left in the first half. But Jones scored twice giving the Lady Bears the lead for good just under a minute and sophomore forward Ella Brown made a huge three to give Spencer County that halftime lead.
Spencer County expanded the margin to 33-23 with 5:41 left in the third quarter when Reichenbach made two free throws. But Walton-Verona trimmed the margin to 37-32 entering the fourth quarter when Carrico made a jumper from the right post with three seconds left.
But the Bearcats could not get anything going against Spencer County’s 1-3-1 zone defense. The Lady Bears built a 45-34 lead with 2:26 left in the game before Walton-Verona made a valiant effort.
The Bearcats trimmed the deficit to 48-43 after Brewer converted a three-point play. But Spencer County kept the lead making 4 of 8 free throws after that point.
Walton-Verona graduates three seniors from this team. They are Carrico, Buerger and wing Kylie Lay.
“They’re just great people,” Gayheart said. “I’m lucky to have been around them for this long. I’ve known them since they were in middle school. So watching them grow up as basketball players is awesome. All three are excellent students. All three of them took our young kids underneath their wings. All three are who you want to represent Walton-Verona. They’re some of the most successful groups of kids to ever come through our program so they have a lot to be proud of. I just wish we could have gone a little bit further.”
The Bearcats won four consecutive 32nd District Tournament titles during their time in high school. They made it to the 8th Region semifinals the last three years and finished All “A” state runner-up three times.
8th Region Girls Basketball Tournament at Grant County:
Quarterfinals on Monday, February 28:
Spencer County 54, Walton-Verona 49
Owen County 51, North Oldham 40
Quarterfinals on Tuesday, March 1:
South Oldham (20-7) vs. Henry County (13-15), 6:30 p.m.
Simon Kenton (17-12) vs. Anderson County (27-4), 8 p.m.
Semifinals on Friday, March 4:
Owen County (24-9) vs. Spencer County (21-11), 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday winners, 8 p.m.
Championship on Saturday, March 5:
Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.