By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Neither team got much done on offense during the first three quarters, but Campbell County came on strong in the final eight minutes and defeated Highlands, 32-25, in girls’ basketball on Monday at Highlands Middle School.
Campbell County was having trouble scoring against Highlands’ zone defense because two starters — forward Alexis Keeton and guard Kylie Kramer — got into early foul trouble that reduced their playing time.
When they both returned to the court in the fourth quarter, the Camels went on a 19-9 scoring run to claim their first win over Highlands since the series between the two teams was renewed three years ago.
“It wasn’t until we finally got those two back in for the fourth quarter that we were able to assert ourselves in the middle and that’s what you’ve got to do against that zone,” said Campbell County coach Beau Menifee.
Kramer scored six points and Keeton made a pair of layups during their team’s final surge. A couple of 3-point goals by guards Taylor Clos and Taylor Jolly were also part of the game-winning rally.
The Camels didn’t come close to matching the 57.8 points per game average they had coming into this week, but they were happy to get the win. In the Northern Kentucky pre-season coaches poll, Highlands was No. 2 and Campbell was No. 6.
“This was a big one for us,” Kramer said. “We’ve just go to move forward and not get too high about this one.”
Campbell County has now won seven straight games after opening the season with a loss. Highlands’ record dipped to 7-2.
Baskets were few and far between during the first three quarters of Monday’s game. The score was tied 2-2 at the end of the first quarter and 9-9 at halftime. Highlands pulled ahead, 16-13, in the third quarter, but the Bluebirds weren’t able to score for nearly four minutes in the final period.
Highlands played without starting guard Zoie Barth, who injured her hand last week. But coach Jaime Richey said that wasn’t the only reason for the team’s lowest scoring game since the 2012-13 season.
“We just didn’t execute (on offense),” Richey said. “I thought defensively we did great until we allowed them second-chance points in the second half. Our girls did everything we asked them to do defensively except for rebounding in the second half and that’s what cost us the game.”
Both of the Camels’ 3-point goals in the fourth quarter came after they got offensive rebounds to maintain possession. At the other end of the floor, Highlands wasn’t able to get a rebound on any of its missed shots during that final period.
The Bluebirds also missed the front end in two bonus free throws situations during the fourth quarter and ended up going 10 of 18 from the foul line.
“The foul line was probably the difference in the ball game,” coach Menifee said. “(Highlands) missed a lot of free throws and they usually don’t. If they make those, it could have been the other way around.”
Campbell County made 7 of 10 free throws in the fourth quarter with Kramer hitting all four of her shots at the line.
“It was a little but stressful,” Kramer said of the fourth quarter. “We just had to focus and try to drive into the lane and get some fouls.”
None of the players finished with a double-digit point total. Highlands senior guard Brianna Adler was limited to seven points, well below the 15.4 average she had coming into the game.
“They do a heck of a job in practice every day focusing on (defense),” Menifeee said of his players. “They don’t always enjoy it, but we stay with it every practice and hopefully it’s starting to show.”
HIGHLANDS 2 7 7 9 – 25
CAMPBELL CO. 2 7 4 19 – 32
HIGHLANDS (7-2): Adler 2 3 7, Epperson 1 2 5, Jansen 1 0 2, Leigh 2 0 4, Schultz 1 2 4, Coffey 0 1 1, Little 0 2 2. Totals: 7 10 25
CAMPBELL CO. (7-1): Clos 3 1 9, H. Schwarber 1 2 4, M. Schwarber 1 0 2, Jolly 2 0 5, Kramer 1 6 8, Keeton 2 0 4. Totals: 10 9 32.
Three-pointers: H – Epperson. CC – Clos 2, Jolly.