SK wins 32nd in OT; Dixie takes 34th

By John Lachmann
Kypostsports@yahoo.com

   Simon Kenton used 3-pointers at the end of regulation and overtime to sink top-seeded Grant County in the District 32 final.

   Senior guard Riley Barnes hit a 3-pointer with 3.2 seconds left in overtime to lift the Pioneers to a 67-66 win at Williamstown on Friday.

   The Braves had led the entire extra session to that point, and was up by seven with 46 seconds to play in the fourth quarter.

   Senior guard Jarod Swanson hit a shot to cut the Grant County lead to five, 57-52, and Swanson connected on another field goal after a Braves turnover.

   After Grant County threw the ball away, Pioneers senior guard Andrew Sampson drained a trey with 11.2 seconds remaining in the fourth period to tie the score at 57. Sampson also scored five points in OT.

   Junior guard Tyler Carr scored the first 18 Braves points, and he led all scorers with 37 points.

   Sampson tallied 22, junior forward Taylor Morris 13 and Barnes 11 as Simon Kenton avenged its two regular-season losses to Grant County.

S. KENTON 15-17-12-13-10—67
GRANT CO. 13-19-10-15-9—66

   SIMON KENTON (18-10): Kuntz 0 1 1, Barnes 3 2 11, Montgomery 0 3 3, Swanson 4 2 10, Morrison 5 3 13, Sampson 7 4 22, Robinson 1 2 4, Bowling 1 1 3. Totals 21 18 67.

   GRANT COUNTY (24-5): Hicks 3 0 6, Anglin 2 5 9, Johnson 1 2 4, Atkins 1 0 2, Cummins 1 4 6, Carr 15 4 37, O’Nan 0 2 2. Totals 23 17 66.

   3-pointers: SK—Sampson 4, Barnes 3. GC—Carr 3.

   DIXIE HEIGHTS 61, ST. HENRY 47 – Junior guard Brandon Hatton was 10-for-10 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter to seal the Colonels’ win in the District 34 final at Ludlow.

   Hatton led all scorers with 28 points and was named most valuable player of the tournament.

   Sophomore forward Nick Niehaus added 11 points for Dixie Heights.

   Senior guard Michael Best finished with 13 points in the losing effort for the Crusaders.

ST. HENRY 9-11-13-14—47
D. HEIGHTS 16-14-11-20—61

   ST. HENRY (10-15): Best 6 0 13, Rechtin 2 0 4, Hils 0 1 1, Plummer 2 0 4, J. Noble 1 5 7, Kuebbing 3 1 8, Meiman 2 1 7, Kunstek 1 1 3. Totals 17 9 47.

   DIXIE HEIGHTS (17-13): Schreck 0 2 2, Strong 1 1 3, Rabe 2 0 4, Daria 1 0 2, Isbel 0 1 1, Hedger 3 2 8, Hatton 8 10 28, Niehaus 3 4 11, Milligan 1 0 2. Totals 19 20 61.

   3-pointers: DH—Hatton 2, Niehaus. SH—Meiman 2, Best, Kuebbing.

   All-tournament team: Cole VonHandorf (Villa Madonna), Niko Carter (Lloyd), Chris Camarena (Ludlow), Michael Best (St. Henry), Darius Meiman (St. Henry), Nick Niehaus (Dixie Heights), Andrew Hedger (Dixie Heights).

   Most valuable player: Brandon Hatton (Dixie Heights).