By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
The best first-round match-up in the 10th Region boys basketball bracket appeared to be Campbell County vs. Nicholas County. When the teams faced each other three weeks ago, the game went into overtime and Campbell County won by just one point.
Their region tournament rematch on Thursday was much different. Campbell County took a 17-point lead in the second quarter and went on to defeat Nicholas County, 85-56, at Mason County.
The winning margins in the 10th Region’s four first-round games were 27, 42, 52 and 29 points. It will be interesting to see what happens in the semifinals on Monday when Scott plays George Rogers Clark at 6 p.m. and Campbell County takes on Montgomery County at 8 p.m.
Campbell County went on a 19-4 run in the second quarter to open up a 34-17 lead against Nicholas County. The margin grew to 32 points, 77-45, late in the fourth quarter when the Camels had all five starters on the bench.
Three of those starters had double-figure scoring totals when they left the game. The leader was sophomore forward Austin Davis with 23 points, followed by senior guard Lucas Anthrop (17) and junior center Braden Elam (10). Senior forward Elliott Elam provided 11 of the team’s 22 points off the bench.
The Camels shot 53.4 percent (31 of 58) from the field overall and 37 percent (10 of 27) from 3-point range. Davie was 7-of-12 and Anthrop was 6-of-12 with five treys.
Anthrop’s last two threes came during his team’s 14-2 run in the third quarter that dashed any hopes Nicholas County had to making a comeback. The Mustangs ended up shooting 35.7 percent (20 of 56) overall and 25 percent (5 of 20) from behind the 3-point arc.
Nicholas County’s leading scorers were senior guard Braxton Martin with 17 points and sophomore guard Peyton Hatton with 15. They made 10 of their team’s 20 field goals.
Campbell County will try to break its two-game losing streak against defending region champion Montgomery County when they meet in Monday’s semifinals. Montgomery County won their game, 78-66, in January and pulled out a 53-52 victory last season.
NICHOLAS COUNTY 11 13 13 19 — 56
CAMPBELL COUNTY 15 26 24 20 — 85
NICHOLAS COUNTY (20-13): Harmon 1 0 3, Hatton 5 3 15, True 1 1 3, Simons 2 0 4, Smith 3 2 8, Martin 5 5 17, Blake 3 0 6. Totals: 20 11 56.
CAMPBELL COUNTY (22-9): Norwell 2 0 5, Ballinger 1 2 4, Davie 7 8 23, Guy 1 0 3, Elam 4 2 10, Seibert 1 0 2, Riedinger 1 0 2, L. Anthrop 6 0 17, Thacker 1 0 2, C. Anthrop 2 1 6, Eaton 5 0 11. Totals: 31 13 85.
Three-pointers: NC — Hatton 2, Martin 2, Harmon. CC — L. Anthrop 5, C. Anthrop, Eaton, Norwell, Davie, Guy.
North Oldham 84 Walton-Verona 38
North Oldham shot 60 percent in the first half to build a 30-point lead and went on to defeat Walton-Verona, 84-38, in the first round of the 8th Region boys tournament on Thursday at Henry County,
The Mustangs hit 21 of 35 field goals with five 3-pointers to take a the 52-22 lead. Walton-Verona couldn’t keep up because the Bearcats shot just 29.6 percent (8 of 27) in the first half.
Ranked No. 8 in the final state media poll, North Oldham (23-5) opened the second half with a 10-2 spurt to start a running clock and played the fourth quarter with reserves on the court to post its 12th consecutive victory. Walton-Verona (17-16) finished with its second lowest point total of the season.
The game’s leading scorer was North Oldham eighth-grader Rajon Rondo with 24 points. He made five of his team’s 11 3-point shots. The only double-figure scorer for Walton-Verona was junior Wyatt Shearer with 10 points.
The Bearcats ended up shooting 30 percent (15 of 50) from the field compared to the Mustangs’ 60 percent (34 of 57). The winners won the battle on the boards, 31-16, and had a 33-9 scoring advantage from 3-point range.
NORTH OLDHAM 28 24 22 10 — 84
WALTON-VERONA 10 12 8 8 — 38
NORTH OLDHAM (23-5): Rondo 8 3 24, Bradley 5 0 10, Shearer 2 0 5, Howard 1 0 3, Townsend 1 0 3, Soule 3 0 8, Gregg 4 1 9, Soares 2 0 4, Lye 1 0 3, Seely 2 0 4. Totals: 34 5 84.
WALTON-VERONA (17-16): C. Shearer 2 0 5, W.Shearer 4 1 10, Gamble 0 1 1, Kowcheck 1 0 2, Gutman 1 0 3, Portwood 2 0 4, Dryden 3 0 6, Thornberry 1 2 4, Corpus 1 0 3. Totals: 15 4 38.
Three-pointers: NO — Rondo 5, Soule 2, Shearer, Howard, Townsend, Lye. WV — C. Shearer, W. Shearer, Gutman, Corpus.
Girls basketball region tournaments
9TH REGION GIRLS AT TRUIST ARENA
Friday
Championship game: Notre Dame (23-7) vs. Holy Cross (28-5), 7 p.m.
10TH REGION GIRLS AT HARRISON COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
Friday
George Rogers Clark (27-2) vs. Mason County (18-9), 6 p.m.
Campbell County (22-6) vs. Nicholas County (19-12), 8 p.m.
Saturday
Championship game, 7 p.m.
8TH REGION GIRLS AT HENRY COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
Friday
Anderson County (22-9) vs. Owen County (19-8), 6:30 p.m.
Simon Kenton (29-2) vs. Spencer County (22-8), 8 p.m.
Saturday
Championship game, 7 p.m.
Boys basketball region tournaments
9TH REGION BOYS AT TRUIST ARENA
Saturday — Upper bracket
Highlands (25-5) vs. Conner (14-12), 1 p.m.
Covington Catholic (28-2) vs. Dixie Heights (18-12), 2:30 p.m.
Saturday — Lower bracket
Lloyd (22-4) vs. Holy Cross (21-9), 6:30 p.m.
Ryle (21-8) vs. Newport (21-9), 8 p.m.
Sunday
Upper bracket semifinal, 6:30 p.m.
Lower bracket semifinal, 8 p.m.
Tuesday
Championship game, 7 p.m.
10TH REGION BOYS AT MASON COUNTY FIELDHOUSE
Monday
Scott (16-14) vs. George Rogers Clark (27-4), 6 p.m.
Montgomery County (18-12) vs. Campbell County (22-9), 8 p.m.
Tuesday
Championship game, 7 p.m.