By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Campbell County’s impressive late season run ended Monday night with a 71-69 overtime loss to Bracken County in the semifinals of the 10th Region boys basketball tournament at Holmes High School.
Bracken County junior guard Jushod Commodore scored the game-winning basket off an offensive rebound with 2.2 seconds left in overtime. That shot put the Polar Bears (24-9) in the region final for the first time since 1955. The Camels got off a half-court shot that fell short as the final horn sounded.
In the other semifinal game, George Rogers Clark defeated Mason County, 57-45, to reach the region final for the fourth straight year. The Cardinals (32-1) will be going for the third straight region title when they play Bracken County at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Campbell County (20-11) had won 12 consecutive games and it looked like the Camels would extend that streak Monday when they took a 66-63 lead with 8.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter. But a last-second 3-point goal by Bracken County freshman Cayden Reed sent the game into overtime.
Campbell County was ahead, 35-25, at halftime. Bracken County reduced it to 52-48 in the third quarter and opened the final period with a 9-0 run to take a 57-52 lead.
The Camels tied the score, 59-59, on a basket by senior Garrett Siry with 3:05 left on the clock. Freshman Garyn Jackson scored the team’s next three points to take a 61-59 lead before Reed’s 3-pointer tied it.
Each team had three double-figure scorers. The team leaders for Bracken County were sophomore guards Blake Reed with 23 points and Devante Jefferson with a career-high 22. Campbell County junior forward Des Davie netted 21 points and junior guard Jake Gross had 16.
Covington Catholic will play Dixie Heights in the 9th Region boys championship game at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Northern Kentucky University’s BB&T Arena. This is the ninth time in 10 years that CovCath has reached the title game.
Cooper will make its debut in the “Sweet 16” girls state tournament as the 9th Region champion at 1:30 p.m. Thursday when the Jaguars take on Pikeville at Rupp Arena in Lexington.
Boys region basketball tournaments
9TH REGION TOURNAMENT AT BB&T ARENA
Tuesday
Championship: Covington Catholic (27-4) vs. Dixie Heights (21-6), 7 p.m.
10TH REGION TOURNAMENT AT HOLMES
Tuesday
Championship: George Rogers Clark (32-1) vs. Bracken County (24-9), 7 p.m.
Girls state basketball tournament
ALL GAMES AT RUPP ARENA, LEXINGTON
Wednesday
Boyd County (21-11) vs. Meade County (27-6), 11 a.m.
Bullitt East (30-4) vs. Bardstown Bethlehem (23-7), 1:30 p.m.
McCracken County (31-1) vs. Pulaski Southwestern (25-7), 6 p.m.
Henderson County (24-4) vs. Franklin County (27-7), 8:30 p.m.
Thursday
Bowling Green (28-7) vs. Letcher County Central (26-9), 11 a.m.
COOPER (23-9) vs. Pikeville (31-2), 1:30 p.m.
Corbin (25-6) vs. George Rogers Clark (30-2), 6 p.m.
Louisville Sacred Heart (32-3) vs. Anderson County (30-4), 8:30 p.m.
Friday
Upper bracket quarterfinals, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Lower bracket quarterfinals, 6 and 8:30 p.m.
Saturday
Semifinal games, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Championship game, 7 p.m.