Campbell County girls basketball coach Davey Johnson got what he wanted Tuesday.
It was more than he desired, actually – a low-scoring game against Montgomery County and a berth in the 10th Region semifinals. The Camels held on for a 41-35 quarterfinal victory at Bourbon County High School.
“Yes, I feel like we survived,” Johnson said. “We played well, we played hard, we played disciplined …All of our bigger wins this year have been low-scoring games. I knew we couldn’t get into a track meet with Montgomery County.”
Campbell County thus has a date with Pendleton County, a 50-48 winner over Bracken County, at 7:45 p.m. Friday. In the first semifinal at 6 p.m., it’s two-time defending champion George Rogers Clark against Mason County.
Tuesday was also Campbell County’s first trip to the semifinals since 2020.
“It means everything to us,” junior Izzy Jayasuriya said.
As what long ago became the postseason norm, Jayasuriya led the Camels’ offense with 17 points. What was equally important: the defense held Hayden Barrier, Savannah Jarvis and Allie Dillon, who combined for just over 40 points between them, to one, two and eight points respectively.
“Our defense held us up the whole time, the whole game,” Jayasuriya said.
The reason a 1-1 zone, with Jayasuriya at the top of the key, Macie Peoples at the rim and Madeleine Barbian, Faith Whitford and Allie Collins in player-to-player matchups.
“And I felt like they guarded Barrier with three layers,” Montgomery County coach Dustin High said. “That was pretty much it. They did a good job of getting to Jarvis and getting to Dillon and limiting open looks.”
Montgomery County would have been in deeper trouble if not for Baylee Warner. She averaged 5.8 points a game, but she scored what High said was a career-high 17.
For a little more than the first three minutes, the question was whether Campbell County (21-10) would ever score – the Camels missed six of their first seven shots.
Montgomery County – or more specifically Warner – took a slight advantage; she scored five points in 97 seconds.
Then, the first of two Indians’ (21-9) scoring droughts – just two more points over the final 6:23.
Campbell County answered with, in order: Faith Whitford with a 10-foot jumper, Peoples’ layup, two Jayasuriya free throws, and Jayasuriya top-of-the-key 3 from about 27 feet at the buzzer, a little closer than the half-courter she nailed in the Camels’ 37th District win over Scott.
The Indians’ shooting slump continued in the second stanza: no field goals and only Loralee Orazen’s two free throws. Campbell County didn’t score much, either – only seven points on triples by Jayasuriya and Josie Feebeck and Stella Brockman’s free throw.
The next paucity of scoring was Campbell County’s; Brockman’s 5-foot jumper was the only Camel scoring for nearly five minutes. The Indians’ 13-2 run became a 22-18 lead.
So to whom did Campbell County turn for offense? Jayasuriya a three and free throw for a 22-all deadlock with 3:05 to go in the third quarter – which became 28-23 Camels on Brockman’s four points and two apiece from Addie Davis and Madeleine Barbian.
The Camels effectively clinched the win at the free throw line – the Camels were 8-for-8 over the final 1:36.
Campbell County defeated Pendleton County, 63-33, on Feb. 6 in Claryville. Collins led the Camels with 16 points, and Peoples grabbed nine rebounds.
CAMELS 41, INDIANS 35
MONTGOMERY CO. 7 2 14 12 – 35
CAMPBELL CO. 9 7 12 13 – 41
Montgomery County (35) — Fouch 4, Dillon 8, Jarvis 2, Barrier 1, Orazen 3, Warner 17. 3-Pt. FG: 3 (Warner, Fouch, Dillon). FT: 14-21. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.
Campbell County (41) — Barbian 4, Davis 6, Peoples 2, Collins 2, Brockman 5, Whitford 2, Jayasuriya 17, Feebeck 3. 3-Pt. FG: 4 (Jayasuriya 3, Feebeck). FT: 15-17. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: None.
Records: Montgomery Co. 21-9, Campbell Co. 21-10.