By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
A junior guard averaging just 5.6 points per game played a huge role in Notre Dame’s stunning 53-50 win over Ryle in the semifinals of the 9th Region girls basketball tournament on Saturday at Holmes High School.
Jillian MacKnight made six 3-point goals and scored a season-high 22 points to lead the Pandas in the upset. Ryle entered the tournaamnt ranked No. 2 in the state by the Associated Press and the Raiders won the 9th Region championship the last three years.
Notre Dame (21-4) wasn’t ranked among the state’s top 10 in the poll, but the Pandas are one win away from claiming their first region title since 2013. They will face Dixie Heights (26-2) in the championship game at 7 p.,m. Monday at Holmes.
Notre Dame lost a home game against Dixie Heights, 45-43, on March 6, but the Pandas have won six in a row since that night. Dixie Heights is riding a 21-game win streak into the region final.
In Saturday’s semifinal game, Notre Dame outscored Ryle, 27-9, from behind the 3-point line. The Pandas connected on 9 of 20 long-range shots with MacKnight hitting 6 of 13.
Ryle had a 10-point lead (28-18) midway through the second quarter, but Notre Dame scored four straight points that cut the margin to 28-22 at halftime.
In the final minutes of the third quarter, the Pandas ran off nine straight points to take a 39-34 lead. MacKnight got it started with her fourth 3-point goal of the game, followed by a pair of treys from sophomore teammate Noelle Hubert.
Ryle opened the fourth quarter with a 7-0 run and went ahead, 41-39, on a pair of free throws by freshman forward Quinn Eubank with 4:47 left on the clock. A few minutes later, MacKnight hit back-to-back treys to give Notre Dame a 47-42 lead at the 2:22 mark.
With 33 seconds remaining, Ryle senior senior guard Brie Crittendon scored off a missed free throw to tie the score at 50. After Notre Dame regained the lead on a layup by junior Lacey Bradshaw, Ryle called a time out with 21 seconds left.
On the ensuing possession, the Raiders missed two field goal attempts before Notre Dame senior Kate Moore pulled down her sixth rebound in the game and was fouled.
Moore made one free throw with six seconds left to give the Pandas a 53-50 lead. Crittendon got off a final shot for Ryle, but it missed the basket as time expired.
Ryle’s leading scorer was Crittendon with 15 points. She also had a eight rebounds and six assists in the final game of her five-year varsity career. Eubank finished with 13 points, five rebounds and two assists.
NOTRE DAME 13 9 17 14 — 53
RYLE 16 12 6 16 — 50
NOTRE DAME (21-4): Hubert 3 0 9, Feldman 2 2 6, McKnight 8 0 22, Bradshaw 4 5 13, Aytes 1 0 2, Moore 0 1 1. Totals: 18 8 53.
RYLE (23-3): Crittendon 5 3 15, Eubank 4 5 13, Baker 3 1 7, Johnson 2 1 5, Nguyen 1 1 3, Holtman 1 2 5. Crist 1 0 2. Totals: 17 13 50.
3-point goals: ND – McKnight 6, Hubert 3. R – Crittendon 2, Holtman.
Dixie Heights 54, Highlands 42
After eight lead changes in the first three quarters, Dixie Heights outscored Highlands, 18-9, in the final eight minutes to win the 9th Region semifinal game on Saturday at Holmes High School.
The Colonels (26-2) will take a 21-game win streak into the championship game against Notre Dame (21-4) at 7 p.m. Monday. Notre Dame’s last loss was to Dixie Heights, 45-43, on March 6.
The last time Dixie Heights won a region championship was 1992. Two years ago, the Colonels lost to Ryle in the region final.
Dixie Heights senior guard Sydney Lockard scored 13 points with seven assists in her team’s semifinal victory. Sophomore guard Ella Steczynski made four 3-point shots for 12 points.
Junior forward Madelyn Lawson pulled down 10 rebounds for the Colonels, who finished with a 31-26 advantage on the boards.
During the team’s fourth-quarter run, Dixie Heights senior guard Laci Reinhart made two 3-point goals and one free throw. The final six points were scored by sophomore guard Samantha Berman.
The game’s leading scorer was Highlands senior Emma Riccobene with 15 points, but she had only one basket in the fourth quarter. The Bluebirds’ other double-figure scorer was senior guard Kelsey Listerman with 13.
Dixie Heights shot 60 percent (12 of 20) from the field during the second half and 47.7 percent (21 of 44) for the game. Highlands ended up shooting 39.5 percent (17 of 43) overall.
DIXIE HEIGHTS 5 20 11 18 — 54
HIGHLANDS 7 13 13 9 — 42
DIXIE HEIGHTS (26-2): Lockard 5 2 13, Steczynski 4 0 12, Reinhart 3 2 10, Berman 4 0 9, Lawson 3 0 6, Smith 2 0 4. Totals: 21 4 54.
HIGHLANDS (20-7): Riccobene 6 2 15, Listerman 6 0 13, O’Hara 2 1 6, Mallery 2 0 5, Harris 1 1 3. Totals:
17 4 42.
3-point goals: DH – Steczynski 4, Reinhart 2, Lockard, Berman. H – Riccobene, Listerman, O’Hara, Mallery.
10TH REGION BOYS BASKETBALL
•GEORGE ROGERS CLARK 60, CAMPBELL COUNTY 59: Jerone Morton’s driving layup at the buzzer gave George Rogers Clark a 60-59 win over Campbell County in the 10th Region Tournament boys basketball championship game on Saturday night at Mason County.
With 4.4 seconds remaining and Campbell County holding a 59-58 lead, Morton drove from midcourt and converted a left-handed runner in the lane at the buzzer. Morton finished with 27 points for George Rogers Clark, which improved to 19-4 and will meet Oldham County in the first round of the state tournament.
Garrett Beiting scored 24 points to lead Campbell County, which finished the season with an 18-9 record. Eric Davie added 15 points for the Camels.
