For a few seconds Thursday, it was Jan. 12, 2023.
Thank Bishop Brossart’s girls basketball team. The Lady ‘Stangs not only won the 10th Region All “A” final with a 60-51 win over Bracken County at Robertson County School – they completed the small-school sweep for the first time since 2023.
Brossart coach Steve Brown said the two titles remind him of a 1993 movie.
“It does kind of feel a little bit like ‘Groundhog Day’,” Brown said. “But we’ll take it.”
Thursday’s win was also Brossart’s fifth since 2019 and 14th overall.
As has been the case much of the season, freshman Kylie Smith led the Lady ‘Stangs with 18 points.
“Our defense was a key factor to our win,” Smith said. “We all came together at the end, which is what we needed.”
Brown is glad Smith is a ninth-grader.
“She’s got so much more room to grow as a player, but she does do some things that some kids just don’t do, especially at that age,” Brown said. “I think she’s really kind of scratching the surface when it come to her shooting ability.
“ … We trust her to do a lot of stuff.”
The Polar Bears (9-4) came into Thursday with a 5-1 record over their last six, and they sought their first regional title since back-to-back wins in 2015-16.
“Coach Brown does an excellent job,” Bracken County coach Troy Archibald said. “If I’m going to get beat by somebody, I’d just as soon get beat by Bishop Brossart. They’re a classy school, a class act team.”
Thursday’s first five minutes could’ve been summarized in three words: not much scoring.
Brossart (10-4) stayed close at 4-4 because Rachel Shewmaker and Greylee Kramer hit two free throws each, and the Lady ‘Stangs didn’t have a field goal until Zoee Meyers’ 3 from the right corner with 1:42 left, which started an 8-2 run the rest of the period.
After Bracken County’s Kailey Sharp’s five points and Nicole Archibald’s gave the Polar Bears a 13-12 lead early in the second – a Smith Show premiered.
In order: a top-of-the-key 3, a steal and layup and two free throws. She also grabbed a defensive rebound that led to Hadley Eviston’s layup.
That’s seven points, a steal and a rebound – and a 21-14 Brossart lead.
“We just had the momentum going,” Smith said.
Smith wasn’t done. She opened the third quarter with a steal, layup and free throw.
“In the end there, we were just trying to play aggressive man,” Coach Archibald said. “They was trying to run out the clock, so we had to go man.”
Bracken County had seen enough. Especially Sharp – four of her team-high 17 points, Archibald’s three and Savannah Kelsch’s two closed Brossart’s lead to 28-25.
Enter Meyers, who took over the final 1:36 – her eight points included 5-of-6 from the line and an and-1. She finished with 14 points.
Brossart meets Sixth Region champion Louisville Holy Cross in the first round of the state All “A” at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday in Owensboro.
LADY ‘STANGS 60, POLAR BEARS 51
BISHOP BROSSART 12 12 17 19 – 60
BRACKEN CO. 6 11 17 17 – 51
Bishop Brossart (60) — Eviston 6, Woosley 3, Walters 6, Smith 18, Guidugli 6, Meyers 14, Shewmaker 5, Kramer 2. 3-Pt. FG: 7 (Smith 2, Guidugli 2, Meyers 2, Walters). FT: 21-28. Fouls: 22. Fouled out: Woosley and Shewmaker.
Bracken County (51) — Archibald 10, Johnson 13, Sharp 17, Kelsch 6, Smith 2, Bauer 3. 3-Pt. FG: 3 (Sharp 2, Archibald). FT: 20-25. Fouls: 21. Fouled out: Archibald, Bauer.
Records: Bracken Co. 9-4, Bishop Brossart 10-4.
All-tournament team: Bishop Brossart – Rachel Shewmaker, Kylie Smith and Zoee Meyers; Bracken County – Nicole Archibald and Kailey Sharp.
Academic team: Zoey Woosley (Bishop Brossart) and Savannah Kelsch (Bracken County).