The home team won each of the three district seed games during the regular season meaning a draw decided the district tournament pairings.
The Scott Eagles wound up being the beneficiary of the bye into the championship game earning one of the two spots in the 10th Region Tournament in Eric Pouncy’s first season as head coach. Bishop Brossart wound up beating Campbell County in the semifinals then edged Scott, 43-41 for a third straight district championship at the Campbell County Middle School.
It will again be a three-team race as Calvary Christian will again not field a team. The Cougars last played in the district tournament in 2019 and played 18 games during the 2021-22 season going 1-17 for their lone games since then.
Campbell County Camels (10-20 last year)
The Camels had their struggles in Davey Johnson’s first season as head coach.
But the return of three starters led by sophomore guard Izzy Jayasuriya has the Camels excited about the season. Jayasuriya averaged a team-high 9.1 points per game finishing second on the team with 32 made three-pointers.
The other two returning starters are junior 6-foot-2-inch center Macie Peoples and senior guard Allison Collins. Peoples averaged 8.1 points and a team-high 6.2 rebounds per game last year.
“One of Macie’s strengths is her motor,” Johnson said. “She goes between 110 percent and 120 percent the entire time. She runs the floor extremely well, which puts a lot of pressure on the defense to constantly worry about getting back. We’re going to look to get her the ball early and often and get her established in the post a bit more than last year, which will open up the outside.”
Four seniors graduated from last year including two starters in Keauna Cullum and Kennedy Johnson. But members from the talented junior varsity and freshman teams last year hope to step in and lead the Camels back to the level of success enjoyed as recently as 2020 when the Camels finished 22-12 and drove all the way to the 10th Region championship game.
Johnson said more offensive consistency is needed for that to happen. Teams outscored Campbell County, 1,601-1,474 last year for an average of score of about 53-49. The Camels hit 35 percent (531-of-1,521) from the field including 25 percent (135-of-538) from three-point range and 59 percent (277-of-470) from the free-throw line last year.
The Camels hope to play an up-tempo style pressuring teams all over the court using their depth, mixing things up in the half-court offensively and defensively. Johnson said the Camels expect to play between nine to 11 players consistently. Johnson added former Newport Central Catholic head coach George Stoll to the staff to help implement the same type press that helped the Thoroughbreds to the 9th Region championship in 2014.
“Pretty much all we’re preaching is getting the ball then running and gunning,” Johnson said. “We want to speed up the game and take as many shots as possible. I think the press will give us a lot more opportunities and the young kids will also give us a lot more opportunities as well.”
They have three seniors on the roster. The other two are center/forward Lilliann Enzweiler and 6-1 center Sam Hull. Sophomore guard Madeline Barbian along with forward/guard Faith Whitford and freshman Josie Feebeck also return some varsity experience from last year. Freshman guard Alyssa Weinel and junior center Alicia Appel also saw some varsity action last year.
But a number of underclassmen could contribute to the mix. They are two freshmen in forward Amerie Mullins and guard Kendall Wallace along with three eighth graders in guards Kendall Augsback, Addie Davis along with forward Stella Brockman.
“We’re trying to play more as a team this year,” Jayasuryia said. “We’re all trying to step up. All the younger girls can play as well so it’s pushing me. It’s a competition every day.”
The Camels last made the region tournament two years ago and won their last district championship in 2020. They last won the region tournament in 2016 before losing in the state quarterfinals.
The first game is Nov. 28 at Bracken County at 7:30 p.m.
Scott Eagles (15-16)
The Eagles made it back to the region tournament after missing it in 2022 and lost to eventual state semifinalist George Rogers Clark.
Scott graduated 10 seniors off that team including their top three scorers. Post Kayla Overman and guard Presley Grant took their talents to Kentucky Christian College and Kayla Peterson is playing at Marietta College (Ohio).
The leading returning scorer is junior guard Kaia Peterson, who averaged 8.1 points per game last year. The other returning player that saw action in every game last year is junior guard Ariana Patterson. Freshman guard Kaylee Miller transferred after playing at Newport last year. Freshman forward Kourtney Peterson and eighth grade guard Noelle Price both saw action in 14 games last year.
“We’re going to make sure the underclassmen know what the expectations are and give 100 percent effort,” Kaia Peterson said. “We can’t afford having no effort at any point in the game, especially with close games.”
Despite the huge graduation losses, Pouncy said he feels the team is more athletic this year. That should allow the Eagles to play more up-tempo this year.
“Our top eight can handle the basketball so it will be good to get them out in space and see how they mix,” Pouncy said. “A lot of them have improved their shots from last year. That should be a big help.”
The Eagles have two seniors in guards Madeline Spencer and Brianna Hall. Pouncy also expects some big things from junior guard Jayla Sanders and junior 6-foot-even center Addison Deaton. Eighth grade guard Nakiah Mejia could also play a huge role for the Eagles this year.
Scott outscored opponents by an average of about 53-48 last year. The Eagles made 37 percent (589-of-1598) from the field including 28 percent (137-of-495) from three-point range and 64 percent (316-of-498) from the free-throw line last year. The Eagles plan to run a Princeton Motion offense in the half-court and hope to maintain the defensive intensity from last year.
“A lot of it is teaching these kids how we want to play our man-to-man defense and we want to throw in a bit of zone this year just kind of switching things up,” Pouncy said. “Our defense is what’s going to get us points, especially if we can go down and get stops, limiting teams to one shot. Everyone has to rebound.”
The Eagles last won a district championship in 2019. The Eagles made it to the 10th Region championship in 2018 and 2016.
Scott’s first game is Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m.
Bishop Brossart Mustangs (22-12)
The Mustangs won the All “A” 10th Region crown and drove to the region semifinals losing 52-48 to Montgomery County in Steve Brown’s first season as head coach.
But Brossart graduated six seniors and just three players that saw any varsity action last year return. Junior guard Zoey Meyers returns after averaging 10.6 points per game last year.
“We’re young. But we have a lot of talent. We have a very athletic team,” Meyers said. “I think it will take a little time to gel together. But once we get it, we’ll be hard to beat. We have to keep our heads up and stay positive. It’ll come together.”
Brossart has no seniors on the roster and just three juniors. The other two are guards Zoey Woosley and junior forward Elly Clift. Sophomore guard Rachel Shewmaker saw a lot of action last year.
“The only way they’re going to get better is to play and rep stuff,” Brown said. “They’re going to get better as the season goes. Obviously, we hope to be better in January than we are in December. They just have to get minutes on the floor, watch some tape and they have to be willing to be coached, and I think our kids are. That’s what gives us an opportunity to be there at the end.”
Brossart had a nice inside-outside game with Molly Kramer in the post. A number of candidates hope to fill in that void. Several on the roster in sophomore guards Madeline Broering, Samantha Broering, freshman forward Hadley Eviston and Woosley helped the girls soccer team to a district championship in the fall.
“They’re all smart kids,” Brown said. “They probably think too much right now. I’d kind of like for them to play and react to things. But I think they understand the history and the tradition.”
Sophomore Luciana Guidugli, freshmen Greylee Kramer, Lilee Meyers and eighth grader Kylie Smith are battling for action at the guard spots. Sophomore Jade Gardner, Ava Walters along with freshmen Leah Robinson and Avery Wietholter are battling for time at the forward spots.
Bishop Brossart outscored opponents 54 to about 45 last year. The Mustangs made 42 percent (656-of-1,567) from the field including 34 percent (160-of-473) from three-point range and 61 percent (365-of-603) from the free-throw line.
Bishop Brossart won the region in 2021.
The Mustangs open the season at Harrison County on Nov. 27 at 7:30 p.m.