Newport can’t quite get over the hump.
That hump is Campbell County. In their last meeting at the KHSAA Sweet Sixteen, the Camels edged out the Wildcats in a tightly contested 43-40 battle. The story was much the same at the John Turner Classic in Newport, where Campbell County once again prevailed with a 56-52 victory.
“We always have a drought against Campbell County. They’re hard to beat,” Newport coach Rod Snapp said. “In the last 30 games, we’ve won five. They always have our number.”
Recurring themes impacted both sides.
For Newport, it was free throws.
After shooting a combined 17-of-39 from the stripe in their losses to Princeton and Ryle, free-throw struggles continued to haunt them, as they went 11-of-21.
Campbell County’s theme was more positive, as their go-to player Garyn Jackson rose to the occasion when it mattered most.
Jackson delivered a stellar performance, scoring 10 points in the third quarter and earning Player of the Game honors. He finished with an impressive stat line of 18 points, nine rebounds, nine assists, and two steals.
“Coach told me to get downhill more to open up for people,” Jackson said. “They were staying on the shooters so the lane opened up if I just penetrate. It was all there, whether it was a fake, euro, all of it.”
The themes began to surface in the third quarter as the Camels took control of the game. Trailing 27-22 at halftime, they went on a 17-7 run to close the quarter with a 39-34 lead, never looking back.
“We adjusted to what they (Newport) were doing,” Campbell County coach Brent Sowder said. “As far as the physicality, we needed to be strong going off two feet and attacking when it’s there. We missed opportunities in the first half because we were laying back, but you don’t know what you can get through until you try it.”
The Wildcats got off to a strong start, leading 16-10 after the first quarter and stretching their advantage to seven points—the largest lead of the game—for much of the second quarter.
Four Newport players reached double-digit scoring, with Griffin Starks leading the way with 19 points, followed by Amontae Lowe with 11, and both DaShawn Anderson and James Turner contributing 10 apiece. Their length and athleticism posed problems defensively, but one Camel was unfazed.
Despite being just a freshman, Austin Davie was unbothered by the Wildcats pressure from the opening tip. He showcased his poise, finishing with 17 points and seven rebounds.
“I try to do whatever I can every game,” Davie said. “I want to help the team out, no matter what.
PHOTOS: Newport-Campbell County slideshow below, provided by Charles Bolton
In the final nine minutes, the green light was on for everyone. Zach Franzen and Xavier Fancher each knocked down two 3-pointers, helping to seal the deal and secure the win for the Camels.
“That’s Campbell County basketball, that’s the fiber of it,” Sowder said. “When your time comes to hit the shot, you’re going to hit the shot. That’s what we’re built on. We want them to have that confidence.”
After suffering back-to-back losses for the first time since January 2023, the road ahead doesn’t get any easier for the Wildcats.
They now head to Louisville for the King of the Bluegrass tournament at Fairdale High School, with teams like Male, Frederick Douglass, Ashland, and more of the top teams in the state. The Wildcats will take on Bryan Station in their first-round matchup.
“We’re going to find out really quickly against a good Bryan Station team,” Snapp said. “We played last year and I told them last year there’s a chance that you can go 0 for 4, because everybody in the King of the Bluegrass is really, really good. I asked them if they want to go again and they said yeah so we’ll go down there and see what happens.”
Avoiding a potential back-to-back loss after falling to Holy Cross the night before, the Camels improve to 4-2. Their next matchup takes them down US-27 to Pendleton County on Wednesday.
CAMELS 56, WILDCATS 52
CAMPBELL COUNTY — 10-12-17-17— 56
NEWPORT — 16-11-7-18— 52
Scoring
CAMPBELL COUNTY (56) — Jackson 18, Davie 17, Franzen 8, Fancher 6, Elam 4, Dowds 3
NEWPORT (52) — Starks 19, Amontae Lowe 11, Anderson 10, Turner 10, AJ Lowe 2
Game Stats
3-Pointers: Campbell County 5, Newport 3
Free Throws: Campbell County 7/9, Newport 11/21
Fouls: Campbell County 17, Newport 17
Records: Campbell County 4-2, Newport 3-3