By Dan Weber
NKyTribune sports reporter
There were no surprises in the second game of the 10th Region semifinals at the Campbell County Middle School.
Bracken County scrapped and hung around but just didn’t have enough firepower to stay with Bishop Brossart’s now 27-7 Mustangs as the Alexandria school moved on to Saturday’s 7 p.m championship game against powerful George Rogers Clark with a 58-45 win.
That was the third win of the year for Brossart – one by nine points, the other by 28 — over Bracken and now comes the moment that matters most for the hometown team.
“They’re the overwhelming favorite,” Brossart Coach Steve Brown admitted, “but we’ll show up . . . we’ll come out and play. We’ve had a tremendous season although I’m not sure we’re at that level.”
But they’re in a pretty good place with 12 wins in the last 14 games and freshman point guard Kylie Smith playing like – well, not like a freshman. Her 21 points and ability to get the ball to the right place at the right time had her once again leading the Mustangs.
In this game, the right place for the ball to be was in the hands of shooters Zoee Meyers and Greylee Kramer, who each nailed three three-pointers in a Mustang offense that gets a great deal of its firepower from the perimeter.
“She’s very savvy,” Brown says of Smith. He says he no longer has to remind her about those mistakes freshmen make. Kylie says that comes from having “a lot of experience playing AAU ball.”
The key Saturday night for Brossart is to get a quick start the way they have been in recent weeks. “I can see us coming out strong,” Kylie says, “and pushing the other team.”
But in this case, “the other team” is George Rogers Clark. “We have to have confidence in our shots,” Kylie says of the way GRC can speed teams up with its never-quit full-court pressure and get their shooting off-kilter.
“We have to have confidence in ourselves and keep our composure,” Kylie says.
Her coach thinks the Mustangs “have a shot. If we take care of the ball and don’t get beat on the boards.”
His advice as he sent his team off: “I told them to enjoy their rest . . . and we’ve got a shot to play for Rupp (Arena).”
SCORING SUMMARY
BISHOP BROSSART 15 11 18 14—58
BRACKEN COUNTY 9 5 16 15—45
Bishop Brossart (26-7): L. Meyers 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Eviston 2 0 2-2 6, Woosley 1 0 0-0 2, Walters 0 0 0-0 0, Smith 7 0 7-8 21, Guidugli 0 0 0-0 0, Clift 0 0 0-0 0, Z. Meyers 1 3 0-0 11, Shewmaker 2 0 3-4 7, Wietholter 0 0 0-0 0, Kramer 1 3 0-0 11; TOTALS: 14 6 12-14—58.
Bracken County (23-11): Archibald 5 0 0-0 10, Colvin 0 0 0-0 0, Johnson 1 0 0-0 2, Sharp 3 3 1-5 16, Bachman 0 0 0-0 0, Kelsch 2 0 3-3 7, Smith 0 0 0-0 0, Burton 1 0 0-0 2, Bauer 2 0 4-8 8; TOTALS 14 3 8-16—45.
Featured photo: Brossart’s Hadley Eviston eyes up a free throw before hitting her only two opporunities at the line. (Photo by Dale Dawn/NKyTribune)