03-07-2009, 10:44 AM
Boone County went on a 12-0 run in the third quarter, turning a seven-point deficit into a six-point lead, and the Rebels surged to a 55-47 victory over Highlands Friday night in a girls' Ninth Region semifinal at the Bank of Kentucky Center at Northern Kentucky University.
Boone County, ranked No. 3 in the final Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches' poll, will play No. 4 Newport Central Catholic at 8 p.m. today for the regional title and a trip to the Girls' Sweet Sixteen. Highlands was ranked second in that poll.
The Rebels' win avenged a 54-43 loss to Highlands in January.
"We were able to play the style we need to play to score and get our leaders going," Boone County coach Nell Fookes said. "And that all started with our defense and our rebounding. We got our hands on some deflections and came up with some big deflections and got it out to our guards and it was off to the races."
Highlands led 28-22 at halftime and 31-24 after a 3-pointer by Olivia Fields early in the second half.
But that's when junior forward Joscelyn Davis started the Rebels' run with a layup and senior guard Jacy Bradley followed with a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 31-29. Sophomore guard Cortney Sellers followed a stop by the Boone County defense with a 3-pointer at the 2:25 mark of the third quarter for a 32-31 lead, and the Rebels never trailed again.
"I just thought we were real gritty tonight, and I really think that goes to Sellers and her grittiness," Fookes said. "That's the way you beat Highlands because they are just grit, grit, grit."
Davis was gritty under the basket, too, scoring six points during the 12-0 run and a game-high 16 overall.
"She has really just developed and played into a role of student of the game," Fookes said. "She kind of just hangs out around the baseline and she's developed some moves instead of just turning and throwing it up."
The Rebels led 36-33 heading into the fourth quarter, but two 3-pointers by sophomore guard Annie Browning stretched the lead to six.
"I told her, 'If I put you in the game, you better be looking to shoot the ball,' and she hit two big ones," Fookes said. "We just got going. We got into a flow instead of standing around in a half-court kind of game, and it started with our defense."
Highlands had taken control of the game in the second quarter by outscoring the Rebels 16-9, but Boone County seemed to settle down in the locker room.
"It wasn't so much nerves in the first half, it was just that our offense wasn't coming," Bradley said. "Our defense was a lot better than the first time we played them. In the third quarter, we realized we can't win if we don't score. That's when we all stepped up as a team."
The Rebels held the lead down the stretch by making 11 of 16 free-throw attempts in the fourth quarter and keeping up the intensity.
"We had them back on their heels, but there was no way the game was won (once we took the lead)," Bradley said. "There was still plenty of time left, and we never gave up."
Bradley scored 12 and junior guard Heather Sandlin 13 for the Rebels.
Sophomore guard Allie Conner led the Bluebirds with 12 points, junior center Bekah Towles added 11 points and senior guard Maggie McMahon scored 10 for Highlands.
The Bluebirds outrebounded the Rebels 32-27, led by Towles' game-high 11, but Fookes was pleased with the all-around effort saying the rebounding margin was better than a 21-rebound edge Highlands had in the first meeting. Fookes was also pleased with her guards' play.
"I thought we were more confident, but that goes back to us getting going," Fookes said. "I thought Bradley settled down a little bit. She gets us going and Sandlin really kept us in it in the first half."
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Boone County, ranked No. 3 in the final Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches' poll, will play No. 4 Newport Central Catholic at 8 p.m. today for the regional title and a trip to the Girls' Sweet Sixteen. Highlands was ranked second in that poll.
The Rebels' win avenged a 54-43 loss to Highlands in January.
"We were able to play the style we need to play to score and get our leaders going," Boone County coach Nell Fookes said. "And that all started with our defense and our rebounding. We got our hands on some deflections and came up with some big deflections and got it out to our guards and it was off to the races."
Highlands led 28-22 at halftime and 31-24 after a 3-pointer by Olivia Fields early in the second half.
But that's when junior forward Joscelyn Davis started the Rebels' run with a layup and senior guard Jacy Bradley followed with a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 31-29. Sophomore guard Cortney Sellers followed a stop by the Boone County defense with a 3-pointer at the 2:25 mark of the third quarter for a 32-31 lead, and the Rebels never trailed again.
"I just thought we were real gritty tonight, and I really think that goes to Sellers and her grittiness," Fookes said. "That's the way you beat Highlands because they are just grit, grit, grit."
Davis was gritty under the basket, too, scoring six points during the 12-0 run and a game-high 16 overall.
"She has really just developed and played into a role of student of the game," Fookes said. "She kind of just hangs out around the baseline and she's developed some moves instead of just turning and throwing it up."
The Rebels led 36-33 heading into the fourth quarter, but two 3-pointers by sophomore guard Annie Browning stretched the lead to six.
"I told her, 'If I put you in the game, you better be looking to shoot the ball,' and she hit two big ones," Fookes said. "We just got going. We got into a flow instead of standing around in a half-court kind of game, and it started with our defense."
Highlands had taken control of the game in the second quarter by outscoring the Rebels 16-9, but Boone County seemed to settle down in the locker room.
"It wasn't so much nerves in the first half, it was just that our offense wasn't coming," Bradley said. "Our defense was a lot better than the first time we played them. In the third quarter, we realized we can't win if we don't score. That's when we all stepped up as a team."
The Rebels held the lead down the stretch by making 11 of 16 free-throw attempts in the fourth quarter and keeping up the intensity.
"We had them back on their heels, but there was no way the game was won (once we took the lead)," Bradley said. "There was still plenty of time left, and we never gave up."
Bradley scored 12 and junior guard Heather Sandlin 13 for the Rebels.
Sophomore guard Allie Conner led the Bluebirds with 12 points, junior center Bekah Towles added 11 points and senior guard Maggie McMahon scored 10 for Highlands.
The Bluebirds outrebounded the Rebels 32-27, led by Towles' game-high 11, but Fookes was pleased with the all-around effort saying the rebounding margin was better than a 21-rebound edge Highlands had in the first meeting. Fookes was also pleased with her guards' play.
"I thought we were more confident, but that goes back to us getting going," Fookes said. "I thought Bradley settled down a little bit. She gets us going and Sandlin really kept us in it in the first half."
http://nky.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...903070416/