With the 10th Region changing its girls tournament format this year to allow the district champs to host first round games, Campbell County seized the opportunity.
The Lady Camels shot it well on their home floor, hitting 12 triples and getting a career-high 32 points from Kendall Augsback in a 76-61 victory over Montgomery County on Monday night in Claryville in the 10th Region tournament quarterfinals.
Augsback did it in a variety of ways. From deep with six 3-pointers, on drives and finishing with either hand and knocking down 2-of-3 free throw attempts.
“It was a big game, playing for our seniors and just our last time playing on the home court so had to get a win for them,” Augsback said. “They went zone some so I just got some open threes and hit them.”
One of those seniors is Izzy Jayasuriya, knowing this was the last home game she’d ever play in the purple and yellow and left no doubt with her performance of 24 points and 15 rebounds.
“It was awesome when we found that out,” Jayasuriya said. “All of us love playing in this gym and it was hype with the crowd.”
Jayasuriya’s demeanor certainly reflected that she wasn’t ready to have her high school career end just yet. Her intensity was seen anywhere in the gym.
“I got to get the team hype, because if we’re not, then our energy’s down,” Jayasuriya said. “I’m the one that is the voice and I’m loud and give everybody energy. I have everybody up all the time.”
Campbell County came out scorching, jumping out to a 10-0 lead in the game’s first two and a half minutes. But Montgomery County punched back, a game that featured two of the top three teams in the region and the way the draw worked could have been a region semifinal.
The Indians gained their bearings and got within 18-16 after one and took a lead for a brief moment at 20-19 in the second on an Elaine Purvis layup. The two would head into halftime tied at 29.
Then the Camels, especially Augsback, exploded in a 28-point third quarter. Augsback came out firing with two straight triples, Jaysuriya following with one and a quick 9-0 run out of the half. Augsback had 15 in the quarter, Jayasuriya with 11 as what turned out to be a halftime tie was suddenly 57-37 headed into the final frame.
“First quarters and third quarters we come out and we get hot and we hit a bunch of shots,” Lady Camels coach Davey Johnson said. “We just got to figure out how the second quarter has been our nemesis all year. We got to figure out that second quarter.”
The Indians started a run in the fourth by scoring the first nine points to get it to 11, but would get no closer from there as Augsback and Jayasuriya closed the door as they combined for 13 fourth quarter points.
“Just got to do a better job at sealing off the game and not giving them a run to start the fourth and make things interesting,” Johnson said. “But they battled. They did good and we were able to, you know, take care of the ball enough down the stretch tonight.”
The win gets them to Friday’s semifinals against Nicholas County at Harrison County. The two haven’t faced one another this year, the Lady Camels ending the Lady Jackets season a year ago in the first round of the 10th Region tournament.
“They’ve got the Region Player of the Year (Maggie Simons) and glad we got three days to figure it out and slow her down,” Johnson said. “Thought we did a good job on her last year and hopefully we can come up with a gameplan to slow her down.”
Montgomery was led by Elaine Purvis with 20 points, Addison Terry adding 12 and Reagan Mays with 11. Their season comes to an end at 20-11.
MORE PHOTOS: Slideshow provided by Charles Bolton
LADY CAMELS 76, INDIANS 61
MONTGOMERY COUNTY — 16-13-8-24 — 61
CAMPBELL COUNTY — 18-11-28-19 — 76
Scoring
Montgomery Co. (61) — Purvis 20, Terry 12, Mays 11, Warner 8, Routt 5, Fouch 5
Campbell Co. (76) — Augsback 32, Jayasuriya 24, Davis 9, Whitford 5, Bittner 3, Barbian 2, Feebeck 1
Game Stats
3-Pointers Made: Montgomery 9, Campbell 12
Free Throws: Montgomery 8/10, Campbell 10/16
Fouls: Montgomery 14, Campbell 11
Records: Montgomery County 20-11, Campbell County 22-6