The Simon Kenton Pioneers (9-3) took down the Henry Clay Blue Devils (7-4) in the semifinal game of the Ashland Invitational Tournament and will play 8th Region rival Collins (11-1) for the championship at 7 p.m., Friday.
Simon Kenton shot a blistering 58 percent from the field including 10-of-20 from three-point range and 60 percent from the free-throw line. The Pioneers also won the rebounding battle, 38-19. Senior 7-foor-3-inch center Gabe Dynes led the effort with a double-double of 16 points and 16 rebounds.
Dynes had plenty of help. Junior guard Travis Krohman led Simon Kenton with 18 points and senior guard Isaac Gabbard scored 14.
Boys Basketball
Campbell County 95, Bracken County 72
The Camels (7-5) finished the White, Greer and Maggard Holiday Classic with a victory over 10th Region foe Bracken County (9-5).
Campbell County had balanced scoring in the win. Senior forward Aydan Hamilton led the way with 26 points. Sophomore guard Garyn Jackson followed with 16 points with senior guard Jake Gross and senior guard Keegan Hill scoring 13 and 10 respectively.
“It was real big. We should have won the day before,” said Aric Russell, Campbell County head coach. “We had it under control, had a couple bad things happen at the end so it was good to get that win to get that bad taste out of our mouths. That’s one thing we talked about after that game. We needed to move the basketball more. It was good to see so many guys score.”
Campbell County held Bracken County’s confident junior guard Blake Reed below his average of 32.4 points per game to 24. Sophomore guard Cayden Reed scored 20 and sophomore guard Chase Archibald to 16.
The two teams play again Tuesday at Campbell County at 7:30 p.m.
Conner 66, Dublin (Ohio) Jerome 57
The Cougars (7-4) took down the Ohio opponent at Xavier University’s Cintas Center.
Conner had its usual balanced scoring in the win. Senior guard Landen Hamilton led the way with 23 points and senior guard Ayden Lohr scored 16. Senior guard Dalton Kramer added 12 points.
Conner travels to Holy Cross on Tuesday for a 7:30 p.m. game.
St. Henry 78, Scott 69
The Crusaders (5-7) won their third straight game with a victory in Taylor Mill Thursday night.
Braden Fedders and Matthew Resing had big nights, combining for 58 points, Fedders with 30 and just missing a double-double with nine rebounds, Resing with 28 as the two hit 25-of-32 shots from the field. St. Henry was able to shake off a rough shooting night from distance, converting on just 2-of-11 three-pointers and 12-of-25 from the free throw line by hitting 57 percent of their field goal attempts.
Scott was led by Dylan Giffen and Scott Griffin with 18 points apiece, Giffen grabbing seven rebounds. Brayden Howell chipped in 11 as the Eagles (3-10) lost their fifth straight.
The Eagles will look to rebound with a week off, returning to action January 6 when they host Pendleton County, their fifth of eight straight home games.
St. Henry hosts Dixie Heights on Jan. 3.
Other Boys Basketball Scores
Newport Central Catholic 98, Williamsburg 82
Bishop Brossart 55, Lewis County 41
Corbin 65, Newport 52
Cooper 74, Breckinridge County 41
Covington Catholic 80, Ocala (Florida) Vanguard 47
Highlands 77, East Jessamine 48
Whitefield Academy 67, Villa Madonna 62
Iroquois 60, Beechwood 51
Christian Academy of Louisville 87, Holy Cross 72
Lockland (Ohio) 73, Ludlow 64
Milford (Ohio) 50, Ryle 44
Girls Basketball
Ryle 45, Bowling Green 43
The Raiders (11-3) concluded the Franklin-Simpson Wildcat Classic with a huge win over the Purples (8-4). Senior guard Abby Holtman led the way with 13 points. Senior guard Austin Johnson and freshman small forward Jaelyn Jones scored nine points each with junior forward Quinn Eubank scoring eight.
Ryle travels to Highlands (8-4) on Tuesday for a 7:30 p.m. game.
Scott wins Pam Browning Classic
The Eagles (7-4) had to go to overtime, but they pulled off the 57-54 win over the host Carroll County Panthers (5-9) to win the tournament.
“Every play is pivotal for our success in each game,” said Eric Pouncy, Scott head coach. “(The Panthers) played very hard. They shot the ball extremely well in the first half. We just made adjustments. We tried to push the pace on them and I think that’s what helped toward the end of the game. We just kept battling. We trailed most of the game. We took the lead late. Once we got the lead, it was no looking back at that point.”
Scott had three players score in double figures. Senior forward Kayla Overman led the Eagles with 19 points and senior guard Autumn Ponder added 12 points.
The Eagles received a huge lift from sophomore guard Kaia Peterson with 10 points. She had a key overtime basket.
“I feel like our team has progressed pretty well with playing hard and playing consistent throughout the whole game,” Peterson said. “I think every player is accepting her roles pretty well.”
Scott plays host to Simon Kenton (7-4) on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
Lloyd Memorial 47, Bellevue 32
The Juggernauts (5-6) are headed to the Stephanie Wilson Memorial Tournament championship game with a 15-point victory over Bellevue (7-5).
Sierra McCoin made it rain from deep, draining eight 3-pointers and scoring a game-high 27 points. Maleah Ham added eight points in the victory.
Lloyd will now face Newport Central Catholic at 7 p.m. on Friday. The two met on December 20, a 59-44 Thoroughbreds victory.
Bellevue is in the third place game, facing Beechwood at 5 p.m.
Dayton 45, Villa Madonna 27
Dayton (5-8) advanced to the fifth place game of the Stephanie Wilson Memorial Holiday Tournament with a 18-point victory over Villa Madonna (1-12) on Thursday.
Tayah Smith led the way with 12 points, Lacey Holt adding nine and Zoey Sparks with seven. They move on to face Frankfort at 3 p.m.
Villa Madonna meets Newport at 1 p.m. for the seventh place game.
Other Girls Basketball Scores
Bishop Brossart 59, Perry County Central 51
Madison Central 56, Bishop Brossart 40
Walton-Verona 67, East Jessamine 30
Frankfort 55, Newport 54
Newport Central Catholic 53, Beechwood 40
Holy Cross 66, Cincinnati (Ohio) Seton 35
Kettering (Ohio) Alter 59, Conner 51
Bracken County 50, Boone County 30
Lakota West (Ohio) 50, Simon Kenton 40