As the final month of the regular season approaches, it seems like the Simon Kenton girls basketball team is peaking at the right time.
In a faceoff between two of the top teams in the 8th Region, Simon Kenton made a statement with an emphatic 51-34 victory over Anderson County at home.
“Right now, it’s about testing yourself, getting better and getting prepared for the postseason,” says Simon Kenton head coach Brenden Stowers. “Playing a top level team like that prepares us for what to expect come tournament time.”
The Pioneers used their defensive pressure all evening to make things tough on the Bearcats, holding Anderson County to tie for their lowest point total of the season. The Pioneers pressure sped up the Bearcats offense and forced them into eight quick turnovers.
After converting off of Anderson County’s offensive struggles, Simon Kenton led 14-3 after the first eight minutes of play.
Shaking off a tough loss to Sacred Heart, the Pioneers displayed their ability to bounce back as their offense found six different scorers in the opening half.
Freshman guard Brynli Pernell had 11 first half points after connecting on three triples to carry the team into the locker room with a 26-12 lead.
For the Bearcats, offense came at a premium as the team’s leading scorer Lainey Johnson was held to just two first half points. Johnson, who currently averages 19 points a game, was met with end to end pressure and coerced into a series of off-balanced shots.
Despite the first half deficit, Anderson County wasn’t quite ready to give in. The Bearcat’s offense looked to finally get going as they connected on three triples in the third, two of which were from Johnson.
However, for every run, it seemed as though Simon Kenton always had the answer. Pernell and sophomore guard Meg Gadzala each hit triples while fellow sophomore Haylie Webb got to work inside the paint.
“There were some good things we did tonight that we had been working on correcting
throughout the season,” says Stowers. “It’s always good to get a win, but we always just see it’s more or less two teams going up against each other.”
The Pioneers outscored the Bearcats 16-13 in the third quarter to carry a 42-25 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
For the Bearcats, a comeback seemed further and further out of reach as turnovers accumulated. A run from Pernell, Webb and sophomore Anna Kelch put the final nail in the coffin as Simon Kenton improved their record to 15-6.
Simon Kenton was led by Pernell who exceeded her season average with 19 points while Kelch and Webb each had additions of 10 and eight.
For Anderson County, the Bearcats were led by Johnson’s 12-point performance as seniors Jenna Satterly and Faith Hyatt combined for 18.
With three of the Pioneers final eight games to be played against top ten teams in the state, there’s plenty of late season opportunities left to make one last push ahead of tournament time.
“You know we’ve just played a tough competitor in Anderson and now we’ve got a quick
turnaround with Cooper, Holy Cross and a rematch with Sacred Heart,” says Stowers. “Coming down to the end of the season, we just have to take care of business and put ourselves in the right positions.”
Simon Kenton’s matchup against Cooper will be faced on the road Thursday night at 6 p.m.
