By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter

The field is set for next week’s 9th Region girls basketball tournament and Ryle will be in the bracket for the sixth consecutive year after defeating Conner, 60-50, in a 33rd District semifinal game on Tuesday at Cooper.

A balanced offensive effort carried the Raiders (22-7) to their fifth consecutive victory. The team leaders were juniors Quinn Eubank and Sarah Baker with 19 and 14 points. The other three starters — Abby Holtman, Austin Johnson and Jaelyn Jones — contributed a combined total of 27 points.

Ryle will play Cooper (25-3) in the 33rd District final at 7 p.m. Thursday. Both teams will advance to the 9th Region tournament that begins Sunday at Northern Kentucky University’s Truist Arena.

In the final state media rankings, Cooper was No. 3 and Ryle was No. 8. Cooper won the regular season matchup between the two neighboring rivals, 63-58, in January and will enter the rematch on an eight-game winning streak.

On Tuesday, Ryle scored the last seven points in the first quarter to take a 17-8 lead. Conner responded with a 7-0 run to made it 17-15, but the Raiders pulled away again.

A 3-point goal by Jones put Ryle ahead, 32-20, late in the second quarter. Conner was able to trim the lead to 32-25 at halftime and made it a two-point game, 32-30, on a 3-point goal by junior guard Anna Hamilton early in the third quarter.

The Raiders went on another run and opened up a 52-39 lead on a basket by Holtman in the fourth quarter. The Cougars pulled to within 52-44, but Ryle regained the momentum on a field goal by Johnson and then made six of nine free throws to seal the win.

The leading scorers for Conner (18-8) were Hamilton and senior forward Juliet Strange with 13 points each. Senior guard Kelsee Simpson had 11.

The other six teams in the 9th Region girls tournament will be Dixie Heights, St. Henry, Holy Cross, Notre Dame, Highlands and Newport Central Catholic.

District winners will play district runner-up teams in the first round on Sunday. Last year, Cooper defeated Ryle, 53-45, in the title game to claim its first 9th Region championship.

Simon Kenton 77, Williamstown 42 (boys)

Simon Kenton made a season-high 15 3-point goals on its home court and rolled to a 77-42 win over Williamstown in a 32nd District semifinal game Tuesday to earn a berth in the 8th Region tournament for the fifth time in six years.

The Pioneers (20-10) will play the winner of the Grant County-Walton-Verona game in the district final at 7 p.m. Friday and they’ll be hard to beat if they shoot the ball like they did in their last two home games.

Last week, Simon Kenton made 13 treys in a win over Boone County. That was the team’s season-high until Tuesday when the Pioneers were 15-of-21 from behind the arc.

Junior guard Travis Krohman was 9-of-10 from long range and finished with 29 points. Senior guard Isaac Gabbard scored 12 points by hitting 4-of-8 treys. The team’s other double-figure scorer was 7-foot senior center Gabe Danes with 14 points to go along with 11 rebounds and four blocked shots.

Simon Kenton had a 44-21 lead in the first half when 12 of its 16 field goals came from beyond the 3-point line. Krohman hit a pair of treys in the third quarter and sophomore Jordan Bach got the last one for the Pioneers, who are now shooting 42.1 percent (196 of 465) from long range.

Boys basketball district tournament games

32nd DISTRICT AT SIMON KENTON
Wednesday
Walton-Verona vs. Grant County, 7 p.m.
Friday
Championship game: Simon Kenton vs. Walton-Verona-Grant County winner, 7 p.m.

33rd DISTRICT AT COOPER
Wednesday
Conner vs. Ryle, 6 p.m.
Cooper vs. Boone County, 7:45 p.m.
Friday
Championship game, 7 p.m.

34th DISTRICT AT ST. HENRY
Wednesday
Lloyd vs. Villa Madonna, 5:30 p.m.
St. Henry vs. Dixie Heights, 7:30 p.m.
Friday
Championship game, 6 p.m.

35th DISTRICT AT COVINGTON CATHOLIC
Wednesday
Covington Catholic vs. Holmes, 5:30 p.m.
Holy Cross vs. Beechwood, 7:30 p.m.
Friday
Championship game, 7 p.m.

36th DISTRICT AT HIGHLANDS
Wednesday
Newport vs. Bellevue, 6 p.m.
Highlands vs. Newport Central Catholic, 8 p.m.
Friday
Championship game, 7 p.m.

37th DISTRICT AT CAMPBELL COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL
Thursday
Championship: Campbell County vs. Scott, 7 p.m.

Girls basketball district tournament games

32nd DISTRICT AT SIMON KENTON
Thursday
Championship: Grant County vs. Simon Kenton, 7 p.m.

33rd DISTRICT AT COOPER
Thursday
Championship: Cooper vs. Ryle, 7 p.m.

34th DISTRICT AT ST. HENRY
Thursday
Championship: Dixie Heights vs. St. Henry, 6 p.m.

35th DISTICT AT NOTRE DAME
Thursday
Championship: Holy Cross vs. Notre Dame, 7 p.m.

36th DISTRICT AT HIGHLANDS
Thursday
Championship: Highlands vs. Newport Central Catholic, 7 p.m.

37th DISTRICT AT CAMPBELL COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL
Wednesday
Championship: Scott vs. Brossart, 7 p.m.