Julian Dixon said scoring his 1,000th career point was cool, but helping Walton-Verona break a two-game losing streak was more important.
Dixon scored 16 points to help the Bearcats dominate Collins in an 8th Region battle. The Bearcats made 14 three-pointers in the win. Aaron Gutman led Walton-Verona with 19 points and Zach Smith scored 13 with Max Montgomery making a team-high three 3-pointers for nine points.
“We came together. We’d been struggling with team chemistry,” Dixon said. “We moved the ball and found (the open person) to break that losing streak. Hopefully we can just continue to build off this.”
Collins finished region runner-up last year, but fell one game below .500 at 4-5 with the loss. The Trojans graduated their two leading scorer’s from last year’s 26-8 team and center Isaiah Cochran transferred to Adair County in the offseason after averaging 11.2 points per game for Collins last year.
“They have more shooters this year than they have athleticism,” Walton-Verona head coach Mike Hester said of Collins. “It’s not your typical Collins team. They don’t have the size that they normally have. They slow it down.”
Walton-Verona (6-3) plays at Highlands on Friday in the Carespring Holiday Classic.
Boys Basketball
Beechwood 70, New Richmond (Ohio) 55
The Tigers moved above .500 for the first time this season recording 18 assists on 30 made field goals.
Jack Sullivan led Beechwood with 23 points and seven rebounds. Carson Blackburn scored 15 points with Owen McCormack and Austin Naven scoring 12 and 10, respectively.
Beechwood (3-2) plays at Williamstown on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
St. Henry 56, Villa Madonna 52
The Crusaders ended a three-game losing streak in the 34th District seed win.
Senior Andrew Flanagan exploded for 20 of his 25 points in the second half to lead St. Henry and Ryan Hartman scored 12.
Henry Thole put up 23 points for Villa Madonna. Aiden Day and Quinn Thomas followed with 14 and 10, respectively.
Villa Madonna (2-6) travels to Trinity Christian on Tuesday for a 7:30 p.m. game. St. Henry (2-5) takes on Bluegrass United home school in the Sayre School-Jim Lankster Classic on Wednesday at 3 p.m. in Lexington.
IMG Academy (Florida) 59, Lloyd Memorial 46
The Juggernauts lost their game in the Griffin Elite Showcase in Erlanger.
EJ Walker led Lloyd Memorial with a double-double of 20 points and 13 rebounds. Carter Bresser scored nine making three 3-pointers.
Lloyd Memorial plays at Lexington Christian on Tuesday in the Central Bank Jim Rose Classic at 5:30 p.m.
Holy Cross 68, East Carter 61
The Indians won their second straight game in Morehead at the Stock Yards Bank and Trust Challenge and fourth overall with a victory over East Carter.
Holy Cross (5-1) shot a blazing 59% from the field, knocking down 6-of-8 from deep and 12-of-15 from the free throw line. Luke Arlinghaus led the way with 18 points, hitting 5-of-7 from the field. William McElheney also dropped 18 points, adding a team-high seven rebounds.
The Indians will look to make it five in a row when they host Boone County on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
Newport Central Catholic 71, Ludlow 57
Louie Collopy and Caleb Eaglin combined for 33 points in Saturday’s victory over the Panthers.
Collopy had 21, Eaglin with 12 and 11 rebounds, the Thoroughbreds snapping a 3-game losing streak.
NewCath (3-5) returns to the floor on Thursday in the Queen City Holiday Classic in Cincinnati against St. Charles (Ohio) at 5 p.m.
Highlands 87, Tates Creek 60
Brayden Moeves was lights out in the Bluebirds victory over Tates Creek on Saturday.
The senior guard poured in 36 points and knocked down 13-of-15 shots, including 8-of-10 from 3-point land. Nathan Vinson added 17 as Highlands won their second straight (5-3).
Highlands hosts the Carespring Holiday Classic on Friday and Saturday. They take on Walton-Verona on Friday at 6:30 p.m. and Ashland on Saturday at 3:45 p.m.
Other Boys Basketball Scores
Dixie Heights 74, Bracken County 47
Simon Kenton 80, Raceland 43
Girls Basketball
Cooper 59, Russell 35
The Jaguars won on back-to-back days taking out the visiting 16th Region opponent shooting 49% from the field.
Cooper also won the rebounding battle, 31-20. Logan Palmer hit 11-of-13 shots on her way to 25 points. Haylee Noel and Liz Freihofer followed with 13 and 10, respectively.
Cooper (5-3) takes on Owensboro Catholic in the Queen of the Commonwealth Tournament at Bullitt East on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Notre Dame 54, Assumption 50
The Pandas stayed undefeated with a tight road win in the Louisville vs. Kentucky Shootout.
Sophia Gibson scored 18 points and Emma Holtzapfel followed with 17 making five 3-pointers. Four others chipped in at least four points including lone senior Kendra Collins.
Assumption had won four of the last five games after a 70-38 loss to Cooper two weeks ago in the Hoops for Harvest Classic at Dixie Heights. Kyleigh Hall and Lauren Campisano scored 11 and 10 points, respectively, to lead the Rockets.
“We came out super flat. We had a good week of practice, but coming out and not understanding the game plan was initially an issue, but we adjusted,” Notre Dame head coach Kes Murphy said. “We’re still a young team. We played much better defensively. Late in the game, they started hitting shots and fouls were called – just different situational stuff where we weren’t as precise in our play and let them back in the game. But they kept fighting. Assumption is a good team.”
Notre Dame (7-0) takes on Ursuline Academy (Ohio) in the Queen City Classic at McNicholas (Ohio) on Thursday at 3:30 p.m.
Beechwood 48, Paris 46 (OT)
The Tigers pulled out the home win to even their record.
Riley Boyd once again led the way with 16 points to go with six rebounds, five steals and four assists. Boyd had a big steal and score to send the game to overtime. Kendale Lair followed with 10 points, five rebounds and four steals and Gia Jones made three three-pointers on her way to nine points.
“We have such a young roster that anytime we can play tight, intense competitive games, it’s great experience for everybody,” Beechwood head coach Isaac Speicher said. “Riley didn’t have her best shooting day, but when we had to make plays at the end, she got stops and buckets. With such a young and talented group, we’re really focused on trying to find that intensity and toughness. This is the first day we felt that toughness really started shining through.”
Speicher credited Beechwood freshman post Macy Armstrong for guarding Paris junior forward Brooklyn White and holding White to 16 points – two points below her average. Armstrong had 10 rebounds and three blocks.
Beechwood (3-3) hosts Ludlow on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
Walton-Verona 51, North Oldham 47
The Bearcats edged the Mustangs to snap a four-game losing streak.
Walton-Verona won the rebounding battle, 32-21. Braylin Terrell led Walton-Verona with 13 rebounds and Ava Kendall grabbed 10 to go with 12 points each for double-doubles. Avery Geiman scored 15 making five 3-pointers and Elin Logue made three on her way to 12 points.
Walton-Verona (3-5) hosts Owen County on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
Newport 50, St. Patrick 40
The Wildcats (2-4) got their second straight win of the season in the 10-point victory.
Amariana Cook led the way with 16 points, Maleaha Thompson adding 15 and Rayona Lindsey with nine points. Lindsey pulled down a team-high 11 rebounds as Newport grabbed 44 boards as a team, winning the rebounding battle 44-29.
Newport will try to make it three straight when they host Boone County on Monday at 7 p.m.
Other Girls Basketball Scores
West Carter 47, Villa Madonna 44
Lexington Christian 59, Villa Madonna 30
South Oldham 63, Conner 53
Grant County 77, Newport Central Catholic 55
Nicholas County 56, St. Henry 39
Sayre 40, Holmes 27