The Notre Dame Pandas girls basketball team (21-3 overall) received the challenge it needed entering the postseason.
The Pandas welcomed the top-ranked team in the Associated Press poll to town in the George Rogers Clark Lady Cardinals (25-2) from the 10th Region. The Lady Cardinals brought their 23-game winning streak to Park Hills.
But Notre Dame exploded in the second half to take down GRC, 60-44 outscoring the Lady Cardinals, 37-19 to end the streak. The Pandas trailed just 25-23 at halftime, but racked up 21 points in the third quarter to build a 44-34 lead against a GRC team that entered the game averaging just below 64 points per game.
“Our kids just had a lot of fight. Early on, we allowed GRC to get up and down,” said Kes Murphy, Notre Dame Head Coach. “They were able to get the ball in-bounds and attack. They got a lot of easy buckets out of transition. We decided to stay with the same game plan (in the second half). Our kids honed in on the little things and were able to make them work a little more. As a result, we were able to get some steals and create offense out of our defense.”
Notre Dame has won all season starting with its defense that has allowed between just 41 and 42 points per game. GRC committed 18 turnovers to nine for Notre Dame.
The Lady Cardinals came into the game averaging 23 field goals including four three-pointers made per game. The Pandas held them to just 19-of-51 from the field for 37 percent and just 1-of-16 from three-point range for six percent. GRC made 5-of-6 free throws for 83 percent.
Freshman guard Ciara Byars and her older sister in junior wing Brianna Byars led GRC entering the game averaging 17 and 16 points per game respectively. Ciara Byars scored 21 making 9-of-22 shots for 41 percent including GRC’s lone triple. Brianna Byars scored 13 making 6-of-13 shots for 46 percent.
But both players along with seventh grade point guard Kennedy Stamper finished with four fouls each. No one fouled out for either team. No one had more than three fouls for the Pandas.
GRC had 17 fouls to nine for Notre Dame. The Pandas outhustled the Lady Cardinals to a number of loose balls in the second half in pulling away.
“I think fatigue set in a little bit and we looked a lot faster in the second half,” Murphy said. “In the first half, they were outrunning us. That’s probably why we were able to get to a lot of those loose balls. At the same time, we started doing a much better job in the paint as far as boxing out and finishing plays on the defensive end.”
The three leading scorers for the Pandas led the way all scoring above their season averages. Junior forward Noelle Hubert scored 18 points making four three-pointers. Senior guard Lacey Bradshaw put up 15 points and senior point guard Macie Feldman followed with 11 continuing to set up the offense well. Bradshaw added five assists and Feldman had nine rebounds.
“It was a team effort,” Hubert said. “We haven’t peeked yet. But we’re rising to it. We’re not too worried about other teams right now. We’re really just trying to focus on ourselves. If we focus on ourselves, we definitely produce more.”
Notre Dame made 21-of-59 shots for 36 percent including 4-of-13 from three-point range for 31 percent. The Pandas then hit enough free throws down the stretch to maintain the lead hitting 14-of-22 for 64 percent.
GRC has won five 10th Region titles in the last eight seasons including four straight between 2017 and 2020. The Lady Cardinals drove to the state semifinals in 2018 and 2014. They lost to the eventual state champion each year between 2017 and 2019 including Ryle in the state quarterfinals in 2019.
Notre Dame is seeking its first 9th Region championship since the 2013 team that finished state runner-up. Current junior varsity assistant Olivia Voskhul played on that team.
But the next item for business is winning a fourth straight 35th District championship in the fourth season under Murphy. The Pandas take on host Beechwood (10-19) in the district semifinals at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Lloyd Memorial 51, Maysville St. Patrick 38
The Juggernauts (14-13) moved above .500 with their seventh straight win against the host Lady Saints (17-11).
Lloyd Memorial put three players in double figures. Senior guard Morgan Jenkins led the way scoring 14 with sophomore guard Keirstyn Young scoring 13 and sophomore guard Sierra McCoin scoring 10.
St. Patrick has gone 5-2 against the 9th Region. But the Lady Saints have only played one team that made the region tournament last year losing 47-42 at home against Ludlow on Feb. 7.
Other NKY Girls Basketball Scores:
Holmes 58, Bracken County 41
Ludlow 68, Bellevue 61
BOYS BASKETBALL
Ludlow 66, Bellevue 55
Maysville St. Patrick 77, Covington Latin 41
Williamstown 56, Dayton 53
Robertson County 47, Calvary Christian 44
Cancelled Girls Basketball Game:
Walton-Verona at Campbell County
Cancelled Boys Basketball Game:
Walton-Verona at Carroll County