First-year head coach Brenden Stowers has talked all year about the young Simon Kenton Pioneers girls basketball team (17-14) learning what to do and what not to do in tough situations.
Those lessons paid off in a tight Eighth Region quarterfinal 50-46 win over the Owen County Rebels (20-11) on Monday at Gallatin County. That marked the first region tournament win since 2019, giving seniors Emilee Eggleston, Belle Bach, Edyn Chenot and Joyce Cooper at least one more game. Eggleston finished with eight points.
“This game is the opposite of the Grant (County game in the 32nd District championship),” Stowers said. “We didn’t let the moment get too big for us. We focused on execution, focused on getting stops and rebounds and for the most part, we settled into the game. We’ve been working on that for the last week and a half – taking the game and learning how to internalize it focusing on execution rather than letting the moment be too big for you.”
The Pioneers used their defensive pressure to keep close until their offense found some rhythm in the fourth quarter. Simon Kenton pressured Owen County all over the court deflecting a number of passes that led to steals.
That helped the Pioneers hold Owen County’s second-leading scorer in senior forward Gracie Ferguson to just seven points. Ferguson came into the game averaging 14.6 points per game. She did not play in the season-opener for both teams in Independence on Nov. 28 that saw the Pioneers rout the Rebels, 69-47.
Owen County had sophomore guard Zoey Webster run the point trying to find the right matchups. Freshman forward Kylee Steffen scored 13 points for the Rebels using her versatility to hit three three-pointers.
Junior guard Haley Logan came into the game with the most points for Owen County averaging 13.5 per game. Logan finished with a team-high 17 points often taking the ball on the left corner and attacking a number of different ways.
But Simon Kenton’s two leading point-scorers in eighth grade point guard Brynli Pernell and freshman forward/guard Anna Kelch neutralized Logan and Steffen scoring 17 and 13, respectively. Pernell and Kelch came into the game averaging 11.3 and 8.1 points per game, respectively.
“A big part of it is getting ready mentally for the game,” Kelch said. “I focus on my form instead of making the shot because I know if my form is right, my shot is money. I say ‘Thank you Jesus.’ He did all this for us. I’m so proud of these girls.”
Both teams had five different player score. But the third, fourth and fifth Simon Kenton scorers outscored Owen County’s same scorers, 20-16. Stowers commended freshman forward Haylie Webb with her play down low, scoring nine and defending the Rebel posts. Sophomore guard Rylie Flynn added a crucial three-point play in the third quarter.
But a number of Pioneers had a role in the win even if not scoring. The likes of freshman guard/forward Megan Gadzala, guard Ella Smith, seventh grade guard Bella Ober, Bach, junior guard Ava Slusser and junior forward Abby Bohms did unnoticed things such as coming in to give the starters rest and keep them fresh so the Pioneers could maintain the pressure throughout the game.
“I think in the first half, we were a little sloppy. But at halftime, we picked it up after our coaches talked to us,” Slusser said. “We base our wins on defense. The defensive stops gave us our energy. We don’t really focus as much on offense. That’s basically what won us this game.”
Free throws made a difference in this one. Simon Kenton made 13-of-17, including 5-of-7 in the game’s final minute and Owen County made 10-of-14 free throws for 71 percent.
Both defenses played well in the first half. Simon Kenton led 7-6 after the first quarter after Webb hit a jumper from the right post with 2:30 left in the quarter.
Owen County and Simon Kenton found some things offensively in that second quarter. The Rebels went on a 7-0 run to go up 18-11. But the Pioneers rallied when Pernell hit a jumper and two free throws. Then with three seconds left, Kelch made a three-pointer from the left wing to tie the game at 18 at halftime.
Simon Kenton used a 6-0 run to go up 24-21 with six minutes left in the third quarter after Eggleston had a lay-up. But Logan sprear-headed a 9-0 Owen County run with four free throws and an assist on a Ferguson bucket to go with a Steffen three to make it 30-24 Rebels with 1:08 left in the quarter.
But the Pioneers responded with four straight on a Kelch lay-up and Eggleston stealing an Owen County pass then hitting a jumper in the right post. Logan hit a free throw with 14.3 seconds to give the Rebels a 31-28 advantage entering the fourth quarter.
The Pioneers came back to tie it three times in the fourth quarter before Flynn had a steal and dished it to Pernell for the lay-up giving Simon Kenton a 39-37 lead with 4:39 left in the game. After the Rebels retook the lead at 41-40, Pernell made a steal and found Flynn for a crucial bucket to put the Pioneers back up 42-40 with 2:58 left. After Logan made two free throws to tie the game at 42, Webb had a three-point play on an assist from Pernell to put Simon Kenton up for good at 45-42.
“I was just saying, ‘Make it. Make it.’ I know everyone was shooting the ball pretty hard so I put it up there lightly and I’m thankful that it went in,” Flynn said. “I was just excited because I knew I was the first one down the floor and no one else was around me. The other girl came up around me. I finished it like there was nobody around me. That’s probably why it went in.”
At the other end, Gadzala stole the ball and Simon Kenton called a timeout. Webster recorded a steal, but missed the bunny at the other end and Pernell grabbed the rebound then made two free throws at the other end making it 47-42 Simon Kenton with 55.6 seconds left. Applying full-court pressure, Webb recorded a steal, drew a foul and made two free throws to put the Pioneers up 49-42 with 49.4 seconds left.
“I’m so proud of them. They worked their (tails) off the entire year,” Stowers said. “To have those young girls and those older girls leading them to their first region victory since 2019 is big for them going forward. We’re gaining valuable experience and it’s always helpful when you win one. But win or lose, we’re getting that experience that will take us into the future being led by our older girls. Those girls are playing for each other.”
Owen County scored with 35 seconds left then earned another Logan bucket after Simon Kenton missed the front end of a one-and-one to make it 49-46 Simon Kenton. Pernell made 1 of 2 free throws with 19.3 seconds left to make the final score.
Simon Kenton takes on South Oldham (19-8) in the region semifinals back at Gallatin County on Friday at 6 p.m. South Oldham beat Spencer County in Monday’s other quarterfinal matchup, 48-46 making a driving lay-up with 2.3 seconds left. The championship game is Saturday at 7 p.m. The other quarterfinal games take place Tuesday.
Simon Kenton did not play South Oldham during the regular season. The Dragons have won eight straight including a 55-47 29th District championship win over North Oldham.
SIMON KENTON — 7-11-10-22 — 50
OWEN COUNTY — 6-12-13-15 — 46
Simon Kenton (50) – Pernell 17, Kelch 13, Webb 9, Eggleston 8, Flynn 3
Owen County (46) – Logan 17, Steffen 13, Ferguson 7, Webster 5, Howard 4