This game lived up to its billing as a good one between the fifth and sixth-ranked squads in the latest Link NKY Top 10 boys basketball poll.
Both teams had their chances, but the host Campbell County outlasted Boone County, 64-58 in a battle that saw both teams start five seniors. The Camels have won three in a row.
“They’re used to being in those spots,” Campbell County head coach Brent Sowder said. “I don’t have to do much. They just run our stuff. I was really proud of how our kids responded when Boone County took the lead.”
Whenever the Camels needed a basket, Broc Sorgenfrei came through a number of times making five 3-pointers on his way to 19 points on Senior Night. Four of the triples came in the second half.
Campbell County senior Connor Weinel and Boone County senior Maddox Jones had some great battles in the paint. Weinel ended up getting Jones into foul trouble and it made a difference down the stretch as he scored two big baskets on the way to 18 points.
“(Jones) has that nice fadeaway jumper,” Weinel said. “I just kept him from getting me near the basket and if he shot that jumper over my hands, I just tipped my hat to him. It’s a hard shot to make. He’s hard to defend at that point.”
Campbell County junior point guard Garyn Jackson made a number of big plays handling the ball scoring 13 points. Teammate Cole Johnson scored six of his nine points in the fourth quarter.
Boone County put four players in double figures. Eli Bodkin led the way scoring 16 points and Thomas Williams scored 14. Mason Hall and Jones followed with 12 and 11 points, respectively.
The Camels jumped out to a 19-10 end of first quarter lead before the Rebels resorted to some trapping zone defenses and it allowed them to come back. They cut it to 26-22 with 50 seconds left before the Camels responded scoring six straight to end the half and go up 32-22.
“Our guys do a pretty good job if we yell out there,” Boone County head coach Nathan Browning said. “There were a couple times where we were in one defense. I’d yell out a different defense. They got into it quickly and did a good job. I have a lot of seniors. We’ve done that a lot in the past. They’ve continued to work on and get better at that. You have to switch things up and try to confuse Campbell a bit.”
Williams scored six straight in the first 62 seconds of the second half to trim the Campbell County lead to 32-28. The Camels tried to pull away going up 45-35 after a Sorgenfrei score with 2:20 left in the third quarter.
That is when Boone County made a run scoring 11 in a row. Jones scored five in a row and Bodkin converted a three-point play with 33 seconds left to give the Rebels a 46-45 advantage. Sorgenfrei answered at the other end with a three to put Campbell County up 48-46 entering the third quarter.
“I wasn’t hitting many in the first half. But I dialed in the second half and started making them,” Sorgenfrei said. “We can’t fold under pressure. We just have to stay calm, make the right passes and shoot the right shots.”
The teams basically exchanged baskets the entire fourth quarter. Boone County trimmed it to one or two points five times including 60-58 with 1:15 left after a Bodkin jumper.
“I felt like Campbell County executed just a little bit better than we did,” Browning said. “In the first half, we didn’t play as well. In the second half, we played better, played a lot harder. It’s tough to play (the Camels in Claryville). When you dig a 10-point hole, it’s even tougher.”
Weinel hit a jumper with 48.1 seconds going at Jones, who had four fouls. Then after a Boone County miss at the other end, Jackson made two free throws with 21.1 seconds left to make the final score.
“They’re the most physical team we’ve played all year in a good way,” Sowder said. “They’re well-coached. They don’t ever let you get comfortable. That is a nice team so that was good win for us.”
Campbell County (17-6) faces another 33rd District opponent on Friday when Ryle comes to town for a 6 p.m. game.
Boone County (16-6) hosts Simon Kenton on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
CAMELS 64, REBELS 58
BOONE COUNTY — 10-12-24-12 — 58
CAMPBELL COUNTY — 19-13-16-16 — 64
Scoring
BOONE COUNTY (58) — Bodkin 16, Williams 14, Hall 12, Jones 11, Burks 3, Clos 2
CAMPBELL COUNTY (64) — Sorgenfrei 19, Weinel 18, Jackson 13, Johnson 9, Crowley 3, Smith 2
Game Stats
3-Pointers: Boone County 5, Campbell County 7
Free Throws: Boone County 5/6, Campbell County 7/11
Fouls: Boone County 14, Campbell County 13
Records: Boone County 16-6, Campbell County 17-6