Thanks to St. Elizabeth Healthcare Sports Medicine for sponsoring our girls’ high school basketball coverage once again this season. See all of our girls’ basketball stories here and watch for state tournament coverage March 8-12 from BB&T Arena on the campus of Northern Kentucky University.
By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
The Simon Kenton girls’ basketball team won the 8th Region tournament with three dominating performances, including a 69-22 victory over Grant County in the championship game on Saturday at Oldham County High School.
After winning their first two regional tournament games by margins of 23 and 22 points, the Pioneers jumped out to a 21-4 lead in the title game and went on to claim the championship trophy for the second time in the last three years.
Junior forward Shelby Harmeyer scored a game-high 14 points in the regional final. She got 10 points in the first half when the Pioneers took a 37-17 lead. They put the game away with a 19-0 run in the third quarter.
Simon Kenton junior guard Ally Niece was named the tournament’s most valuable player. The team’s all-tournament selections also included Harmeyer, Maddie Meier and Bailee Harney.
Simon Kenton (27-6) will play 15th Region champion Paintsville (28-4) in the first round of the St. Elizabeth Healthcare/KHSAA Sweet 16 state tournament at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at BB&T Arena.
The Pioneers will be trying to improve on the program’s 1-3 record in three previous state tournament appearances. The team lost in the first round in 2015 and 2008 and the quarterfinals in 2009.
SIMON KENTON 21 16 19 13 — 69
GRANT COUNTY 4 13 0 5 — 22
GRANT COUNTY (16-19): West 3 0 8, Ezell 2 0 5, Young 1 0 2, Kinard 1 0 3, Ruebusch 1 2 4. Totals: 8 2 22.
SIMON KENTON (27-6): Waite 1 2 4, Jones 2 2 6, Stamper 2 5 9, Harmeyer 4 4 14, Gilliam 1 0 2, Harney 3 0 8, Niece 4 1 9, Buckner 2 0 4, Bush 0 3 3, Chenot 1 0 2, Meier 1 2 4, Dressman 2 0 4. Totals: 23 19 69.
Three-pointers: GC — West 2, Kinard, Ezell. SK — Harmeyer 2, Harney 2.