The Simon Kenton girls basketball team won their third straight game with a 76-53 victory over Scott County, advancing to the championship game of the Billy Hicks Classic in Georgetown.
Haylie Webb led the Pioneers with a double-double of 20 points and 15 rebounds. Rylie Flynn and Anna Kelch scored 11 points each and Bella Ober scored nine.
Simon Kenton (4-1) heads back down to Georgetown on Saturday at 2 p.m. against 32nd District rival Grant County at 2 p.m.
Girls Basketball
Notre Dame 35, St. Ursula (Ohio) 33
The Pandas ventured across the Ohio River and came back with a win over a Girls Greater Catholic League foe.
Notre Dame once again did it with defense and winning the rebounding battle, 29-17. The Pandas limited St. Ursula to 32% from the field. Sophia Gibson led the Pandas with 16 points and eight rebounds.
Both teams made 4-of-6 free throws and 12 field goals. The difference is Notre Dame made three three-pointers and limited St. Ursula to one. Emma Holtzapfel made all three triples for the Pandas on her way to nine points.
Notre Dame (5-0) takes on Southwestern in the Adams Buick Shootout at Madison Central on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
Holmes 50, Dayton 49
The Bulldogs won their first game of the season edging the Devils.
India Tye and Carlie Riley led Holmes with 19 and 12 points, respectively. Tye, an eighth grader, is averaging 17 points per game this year.
Dayton put three players in double figures. Axie Jimenez led the way with 16 points. Tayah Smith and Lanaya Torres followed with 15 and 12, respectively.
Dayton (3-3) hosts to Raceland on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Holmes (1-4) welcomes in Frankfort on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Other Girls Basketball Score
Bellevue 65, Villa Madonna 41
Boys Basketball
Newport 53, Dixie Heights 24
The Wildcats recorded eight steals off 17 Colonel turnovers and outscored Dixie Heights 22-4 off turnovers, winning the 9th Region battle in convincing fashion. Jabari Covington led Newport with three steals.
Newport also blocked nine Dixie shots. DeShaun Jackson led the Wildcats with four and James Turner had two.
The Wildcats had eight different players score. Jackson led the way with 14 and Taylen Kinney scored 12 with Turner adding nine as Newport shot 55% from the field.
Newport limited Dixie Heights to 28% from the field. Hudson Blank led the Colonels with seven points.
Newport (4-0) takes on Covington Catholic on Saturday at home in the John Turner Classic. Dixie Heights (2-2) travels to Holmes on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
Scott 71, Beechwood 39
Big second and third quarters helped Scott to a third straight victory.
The Eagles scored 21 in the second quarter, 26 in the third to pull away.
“Beechwood played very well to start the game and honestly hit us with a punch in the mouth,” said Steve Fromeyer, Scott head coach. “They were more prepared than we were. We struggled to find any kind of rhythm. Let’s be real. They are kids. When that happens, some frustration sets in. We settled for some shots that were not good. What really helped is we finally turned up our defense a bit and started creating some opportunities to get to the paint, starting driving downhill, which is obviously what we want to do.”
Scott’s depth wore out Beechwood as 10 different players scored. Xarek Sarakatsannis led the way with 17 points. Connor Griffin and Kaymon Coleman followed with 12 and 10, respectively with Dylan Giffen and AJ Lowe scoring nine each.
“We needed to play with more energy. Our body language wasn’t as good in the first quarter. We were in a drought,” Sarakatsannis said. “We fed off the energy in the second quarter and that’s what really helped us go on a run.”
Jack Sullivan led Beechwood with 15 points with no one else scoring more than four points.
Beechwood (1-2) travels to Bishop Brossart on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Scott (3-1) takes on Fleming County on Saturday in the Mike Murphy Classic at Mason County at 6 p.m.
Walton-Verona 70, South Oldham 62
The Bearcats won a fourth straight game taking down the Dragons in an 8th Region game.
Aaron Gutman led the way with 28 points, making 10 field goals, including three 3-pointers. Zach Smith and Julian Dixon followed with 16 and 14, respectively.
Walton-Verona (4-1) plays host to Carroll County on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
Ludlow 65, Calvary Christian 53
Elijah Perrin’s big night helps get Ludlow off to a 3-1 start to the season. The senior forward poured in 27 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in the 12-point victory.
Perrin was one of four Panthers in double figures, Ethan Powell also recording a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Joseph Scott added 11 points, Spencer Brandenburg with 10.
Ludlow hits the floor next on Monday when they host Bellevue at 7:30 p.m., Calvary Christian hosts Mars Hill Academy (Ohio) on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
Other Boys Basketball Score
Newport Central Catholic 71, Bracken County 34