By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
A team that beat Simon Kenton twice during the regular season knocked off the Pioneers in the semifinals of the boys 8th Region tournament on Monday at Henry County.
Collins defeated Simon Kenton, 57-47, in the third meeting between the two teams to dash the Pioneers’ hopes of winning their first 8th Region boys basketball title since the school joined the region in the 2005-06 season.
Gabe Dynes
Simon Kenton was region runner-up in 2006, 2007 and 2014. This is the third time the Pioneers have been eliminated in a region semifinal game.
In Monday’s game, Collins shot 63 percent (22 of 35) from the field to come away with the victory. Simon Kenton made 20 of 35 field goal attempts for 57 percent, but 13 turnovers hampered the Pioneers’ offensive effort.
Simon Kenton’s 7-foot-3 senior center Gabe Dynes posted a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds in his final game. The Youngstown State recruit made all nine of his field goal attempts and ended the season with a 73.9 shooting percentage (179 of 242) that leads the state.
The last basket of the first half on Monday was a fast break slam dunk by Dynes that reduced Collins’ lead to 29-18 at halftime. The Pioneers got to within five points, 33-28, in the third quarter and six points, 46-40, in the fourth quarter, but the Titans held off both charges.
Simon Kenton’s other double-figure scorers were junior guard Travis Krohman with 14 points and sophomore guard Jay Bilton with 10. Collins senior guard Kenyon Goodwin took game-high honors with 23 points.
Collins (25-7) will play Woodford County (18-12) in the 8th Region championship game at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Simon Kenton finished the season with a 22-11 record.
Mason County 75, Campbell County 67
Campbell County shot 51 percent from the field and won the battle on the boards, but that wasn’t enough to win a 10th Region boys semifinal game against Mason County on Monday in Maysville.
Two talented seniors led Mason County to a 75-67 win that advanced the 29-5 Royals to the region final and ended the season for the Camels, who finish with a 22-12 record.
Aydan Hamilton
Senior forward Terrell Henry and senior guard Khristian Walton scored a combined total of 52 points for the Royals. Henry had nine field goals and nine free throws for 27 points. Walton made six field goals and 13 free throws for 25 points.
Campbell County ended up shooting 51 percent (28 of 54) from the field with 30 rebounds. Mason County shot 49 percent (24 of 49) and snagged 25 rebounds. But the Royals outscored the Camels 22-8 at the foul line and 15-9 from behind the 3-point arc.
Campbell County’s leading scorer was senior Aydan Hamilton, who netted 24 points in his final game for the Camels. He finishes his career as the team’s all-time leading scorer with 2,216 total points.
Hamilton scored 12 points in the first quarter that ended with Mason County holding a 16-14 lead. Late in the second quarter, the Royals went on a 7-0 run that helped push the margin to 37-26 at halftime.
The Camels opened the second half with an 11-3 run and cut the margin to 40-37 on a basket by Hamilton. But the Royals countered with an 11-4 run that included three treys and went into the fourth quarter with a 51-41 lead.
Mason County’s first field goal in the final quarter was another three that gave the Royals a 13-point lead. In the final four minutes, the Camels pulled to within six points twice at 61-55 and 65-59, but they couldn’t sustain either of those rallies.
Mason County will play George Rogers Clark (26-5) in the 10th Region championship game at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
