Simon Kenton 47, Dixie Heights 37
Simon Kenton (3-0) - Wainscott 3 5 12, ****z 2 0 4, Ponzer 3 0 8, Stephenson 4 0 11, Brown 3 2 10, Blevins 1 0 2. Totals 16 7 47.
Dixie Heights (0-4) - Rader 5 2 13, Malone 1 0 2, Jackson 5 0 10, Hartfiel 3 0 6, Elkus 1 4 6. Totals 14 6 37.
Simon Kenton 10 11 15 11 -47
Dixie Heights 14 4 9 10 -37
3-pointers: SK 8 (Stephenson 3, Brown 2 Ponzer 2, Wainscott); DH 1 (Rader).
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"We won, that's the best thing that happened. Other than that, not a whole lot," Jeff Stowers said of Simon Kenton's third straight win to begin the season. "We played like we practiced yesterday, but that only happens every once in a while."
Stowers, an old-school taskmaster who demands perfection especially when it comes to defense, looks at his team and sees seven talented athletes and a handful of youngsters who are capable of leading the Pioneers to a third straight Eighth Region championship.
But when the coach watches his players carry out assignments on the court, he finds himself wondering how long it will take for them to fully understand their roles.
"Sometimes it just takes time," the coach said. "We've probably had five good practices out of at least 40 total. We keep looking around for last year's girls. But it's their turn now, and they haven't embraced it yet."
Don't tell that to Dixie Heights coach Andy Elkus, who had to endure the displeasure of watching his team commit 30 turnovers while seeing them fail time and again to get in the paint for shots close to the basket.
"We know Simon Kenton puts a lot of pressure on you and they did a good job," Elkus said. "We've got a lot of young players, and it was difficult for us to do what we wanted."
Simon Kenton, among the state leaders last season with an average yield of 42.5 points per game on the way to a 28-5 record and advancement to the state tournament elite eight, proved to be a tough early season matchup for Dixie, which has just two players on its roster with extensive varsity playing experience