By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Walton-Verona is one step away from winning its third consecutive 8th Region All “A” Classic boys basketball championship after blowing past Eminence, 86-47, in a semifinal game on Wednesday at Gallatin County.
The Bearcats (10-3) will face Owen County (8-4) in the region final at 5 p.m. Saturday. The Rebels defeated Gallatin County, 87-70, in the other region semifinal game on Wednesday.
Walton-Verona has an eight-game win streak against Owen County over six seasons. Last year, the Bearcats won two games against the Rebels by scores of 63-61 and 83-71.
In Wednesday’s game, Walton-Verona senior Carter Krohman and sophomore Aaron Gutman each scored 22 points to account for a little over half of their team’s total.
Gutman shot 83 percent (10 of 12) from the field to go along with six rebounds, five steals and three assists.
Krohman shot 50 percent (7 of 14) from the field overall and made 54 percent (6 of 11) of his 3-point shots. The Bearcats outscored Eminence, 39-3, from behind the arc.
Walton-Verona’s other double-figure scorer was junior Julian Dixon, who had 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Junior guard Max Montgomery contributed eight points and six steals in the victory.
If the Bearcats win the championship game on Saturday, it will be their sixth 8th Region All “A” Classic title in the last seven years. They also won the tournament in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022.
Ludlow and Bellevue advanced to the semifinals of the 9th Region All “A” Classic girls tournament with wins on Wednesday at Newport. Bellevue got past Villa Madonna, 68-59, and Ludlow knocked off Newport, 67-52.
The semifinal game between the two winners is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. Friday. Ludlow was runner-up in last year’s tournament, but the only time Bellevue made it to the region final was 2007. Bellevue now has an 8-5 record that includes a 75-54 loss at Ludlow (7-7) on Dec. 13.
In the girls 8th Region All “A” Classic, Walton-Verona and Owen County will meet in a semifinal game at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Last year, Owen County defeated Walton-Verona, 44-37, in the region final to end the Bearcats’ four-year reign as champion.
All “A” Classic basketball region tournaments
9TH REGION GIRLS AT NEWPORT HIGH SCHOOL
Friday
Holy Cross vs. St. Henry, 6 p.m.
Ludlow vs. Bellevue, 7:45 p.m.
Saturday
Championship game, 7 p.m.
8TH REGION BOYS AT GALLATIN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
Saturday
Championship game: Walton-Verona vs. Owen County, 5 p.m.
8TH REGION GIRLS AT GALLATIN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
Thursday
Trimble County vs. Carroll County, 6 p.m.
Walton-Verona vs. Owen County, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Championship game, 8 p.m.
10TH REGION BOYS AT PARIS HIGH SCHOOL
Friday
Paris vs. Augusta, 8 p.m.
Saturday
Robertson County vs. Bracken County, 12:30 p.m.
Brossart vs. Nicholas County, 3:30 p.m.
St. Patrick vs. Calvary Christian, 5 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 9
Paris-Augusta winner vs. Robertson County-Bracken County winner, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 10
Brossart-Nicholas County winner vs. St. Patrick-Calvary Christian winner, 8 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 12
Championship game, 8 p.m.
10TH REGION GIRLS AT PARIS HIGH SCHOOL
Friday
Paris vs. Augusta, 6 p.m.
Saturday
Robertson County vs. Bracken County, 11 a.m.
Brossart vs. Nicholas County, 2 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 9
Paris-Augusta winner vs. Robertson County-Bracken County winner, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 10
St. Patrick vs. Brossart-Nicholas County winner, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 12
Championship game, 6 p.m.
9TH REGION BOYS AT BEECHWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
Monday, Jan. 9
Newport Central Catholic vs. Bellevue, 6 p.m.
Dayton vs. Villa Madonna, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 10
St. Henry vs. Newport Central Catholic-Bellevue winner, 6 p.m.
Newport vs. Beechwood, 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 11
Ludlow vs. Dayton-Villa Madonna winner, 6 p.m.
Holy Cross vs. Heritage, 8 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 13
Semifinal games, 6 and 8 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 14
Championship game, 7 p.m.