By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
The Campbell County boys basketball team that had a 13-14 record going into the final week of the regular season is one of the final four contenders for the 10th Region championship.
The Camels defeated Pendleton County, 48-33, on Thursday to advance to the regional semifinals. If they win their next game against Montgomery County at 7:30 p.m. Monday, they’ll play for the regional championship trophy that they took home the last two years.
With four first-year starters in the lineup, Campbell County had an up-and-down regular season. A three-game losing streak in January dropped the team’s record to 8-10. But the Camels have won their last two regular-season games and first three in the playoffs to lift their record to 18-14.
In the regional first-round game on Thursday, Campbell County senior guard Jordan Gross accounted for half of his team’s scoring with 24 points. He also had eight rebounds and three assists in the victory.
Gross made his fourth 3-pointer of the game to give the Camels a 33-28 lead at the end of the third quarter. With less than four minutes remaining, he put his team ahead, 40-30, with a stick-back basket off an offensive rebound.
Campbell County junior guard Garrett Beiting made three shots from behind the 3-point line for nine points. Freshman forward Ayden Hamilton scored seven points before fouling out in the second half.
Campbell County’s regional semifinal opponent is a team with Northern Kentucky ties. Montgomery County coach Steve Wright is a former Boone County basketball player who started his head coaching career at Walton-Verona. One of the Indians’ starting players is 6-foot-6 senior Zach Benton, who played for Ryle the last two seasons.
Northern Kentucky girls basketball teams will be playing in five regional semifinal games on Friday. One of the match-ups is Ryle vs. Dixie Heights, the two teams that met in last year’s 9th Region girls championship game.
Ryle defeated Dixie Heights, 67-51, in last year’s regional final and went on to win the “Sweet 16” state tournament. Earlier this season, the Raiders clobbered the Colonels, 77-52, with four of their starters scoring in double figures.
Ryle has a 12-0 record in post-season playoff games over the last two seasons and the winning margins in 11 of those games was 12 points or more.
The other girls regional semifinal games on Friday are Notre Dame vs. Conner in the 9th Region, Brossart vs. George Rogers Clark and Campbell County vs. Bourbon County in the 10th Region and Walton-Verona vs. South Oldham in the 8th Region.
None of the local teams in those four semifinal games made it to the regional finals last year.
Girls regional basketball schedules
9TH REGION AT BB&T ARENA
Friday
Notre Dame (24-6) vs. Conner (21-11), 6:30 p.m.
Dixie Heights (21-12) vs. Ryle (20-11), 8 p.m.
Sunday
Championship game, 2 p.m.
10TH REGION AT CAMPBELL COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL
Friday
Brossart (24-5) vs. George Rogers Clark (20-10), 6 p.m.
Campbell County (21-11) vs. Bourbon County (20-13), 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Championship game, 7 p.m.
8TH REGION AT COLLINS
Friday
Walton-Verona (24-9) vs. South Oldham (21-8), 6:30 p.m.
Anderson County (28-5) vs. Owen County (24-9), 8 p.m.
Saturday
Championship game, 7 p.m.
Boys regional basketball schedules
9TH REGION AT BB&T ARENA
Saturday – Upper bracket
St. Henry (24-4) vs. Cooper (11-16), noon
Covington Catholic (26-5) vs. Newport (15-14), 1:30 p.m.
Saturday – Lower bracket
Conner (22-5) vs. Beechwood (21-11), 6:30 p.m.
Highlands (26-3) vs. Dixie Heights (10-20), 8 p.m.
Monday
Upper bracket semifinal, 6:30 p.m.
Lower bracket semifinal, 8 p.m.
Tuesday
Championship game, 7:30 p.m.
10TH REGION AT GEORGE ROGERS CLARK
Monday
Brossart (25-6) vs. George Rogers Clark (26-7), 6 p.m.
Campbell County (18-14) vs. Montgomery County (21-12), 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday
Championship game, 7 p.m.