By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
After being postponed by winter weather three times over the last two weeks, the 8th Region All “A” Classic boys’ championship game was finally played Wednesday night at Owen County High School and it turned out to be worth the wait.
Walton-Verona guard Brennan Stanley made six 3-point shots and scored a season-high 32 points in the regional final. (Photo by Carla Martin)
Walton-Verona edged Gallatin County, 64-60, in a shootout that wasn’t decided until the final seconds. The two teams made a combined total of 18 3-point goals to account for 45 percent of the scoring and the statistics were as close as the final score.
Walton-Verona shot 51 percent (24 of 47) overall with eight treys, snagged 27 rebounds and committed nine turnovers. Gallatin County shot 46 percent (22 of 48), including 10 treys, with 24 rebounds and nine turnovers.
Gallatin County had a 32-27 lead at halftime, but Walton-Verona was ahead, 49-47, going into the fourth quarter. The score remained tight and the Bearcats made two free throws in the final seconds to claim the small-school regional title for the second consecutive year.
Senior point guard Brennan Stanley scored a season-high 32 points for the winners. He made 12 of the team’s 24 field goals and six of the eight 3-pointers. Senior forward Zach Clinkenbeard also had a good game, finishing with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists. The Bearcats’ leading rebounder was junior forward Kameron Pardee with 11.
Gallatin County’s leading scorer was senior guard Justin Rassman with 23 points. Senior center Jaymee Hale posted a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Senior guard Zach Beatty had 10 points and eight assists.
Stanley received the tournament’s most valuable player award. The other Walton-Verona players named to the all-tournament team were Clinkenbeard and seniors Curry Shazier and Austin Lay.
The Bearcats will play the 6th Region champion in the first round of the Kentucky All “A” Classic state tournament at 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25 at McBrayer Arena in Richmond. Louisville Holy Cross takes on Shawnee in the 6th Region final on Thursday.
Walton-Verona has won four straight games to raise its record to 13-4. The Bearcats played the last three games without 6-foot-7 junior center Dionte Miles, a two-year starter who has a shoulder injury that’s expected to sideline him for the rest of the season.
WALTON-VERONA 10 17 22 15 — 64
GALLATIN COUNTY 14 18 15 13 — 60
GALLATIN COUNTY (15-4): Rassman 9 1 23, Beatty 2 5 10, Hale 5 0 10, Coomer 3 0 9, Bowen 2 0 6, Rassman 1 0 2. Totals: 22 6 60.
WALTON-VERONA (13-4): Stanley 12 2 32, Clinkenbeard 5 4 14, Lay 3 1 8, Grubbs 1 1 3, Shazier 1 0 3, Pardee 1 0 2, Brooke 1 0 2. Totals: 24 8 64.
3-pointers: GC — Rassman 4, Coomer 3, Bowen 2, Beatty. WV — Stanley 6, Lay, Shazier.
All “A” Classic regional tournaments
9TH REGION BOYS AT NEWPORT
Friday
St. Henry vs. Beechwood, 6 p.m.
Newport vs. Holy Cross, 8 p.m.
Saturday
Championship game, 7 p.m.
10TH REGION GIRLS AT NICHOLAS COUNTY
Thursday
Championship game: Nicholas County vs. Brossart, 6 p.m.
8TH REGION GIRLS AT WALTON-VERONA
Friday
Championship game: Walton-Verona vs. Carroll County, 7 p.m.
