By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter

The Brossart girls basketball team that won last year’s 10th Region championship with mostly seniors in the starting lineup has reached the semifinals with a new set of scrappy players.

In the opening game of the region tournament on Monday, Brossart defeated Bracken County, 43-37, with an aggressive defensive performance that’s been a mainstay for the Mustangs (20-10) this season. They’ve held opponents to 40 points or less in 14 of their victories.

Brossart senior Madison Parker (Photo from bmustangs.com)

Bracken County (14-11) didn’t make a field goal in the third quarter and ending up shooting 21.5 percent (11 of 51) from the field in its season-ending loss to Brossart at Nicholas County.

The Mustangs went on a 15-2 run in the third quarter to surge into a 32-26 lead and ended up winning by the same six-point margin. Brossart shot 43 percent (7 of 16) in the second half after hitting just 26 percent (6 of 23) in the first two quarters.

The leading scorer for the Mustangs was junior guard Olivia Lloyd with 12 points. Senior guard Madison Parker got eight of her 10 points during the team’s decisive third-quarter run.

Brossart will face George Rogers Clark, ranked third in the state in the final Associated Press media poll, in a semifinal game at 6 p.m. Friday. The Cardinals (28-2) whipped Pendleton County, 70-33, in Monday’s other first-round game.

This will be the third consecutive year that Brossart has played George Rogers Clark in the 10th Region semifinals. The Mustangs won last year’s game, 56-49, and lost to the Cardinals, 47-44, in 2020.

Walton-Verona freshman Braylin Terrell tries to get off a shot between two Spencer County defenders. (Photo by Carla Martin)

In the first round of the 8th Region girls tournament on Monday, Spencer County knocked off Walton-Verona, 54-49, at Grant County High School.

The Bearcats committed 20 turnovers in the game and had only one 3-point goal going into the fourth quarter when they hit four treys during a rally that fell short.

Walton-Verona trailed, 33-23, early in the third quarter and trimmed the margin to 37-32 when the period ended. After Spencer County opened the fourth quarter with a 6-0 run to take an 11-point lead, the closest the Bearcats were able to get was five points.

The leading scorer for Walton-Verona (15-14) was senior guard Audrey Carrico with 14 points, followed by junior forward Grace Brewer (13) and freshman forward Braylin Terrell (10).

Spencer County (21-11) also had three double-figure scorers led by junior forward Daveigh Reichenbach with 15 points.

Girls region basketball tournaments

9TH REGION TOURNAMENT AT NKU BB&T ARENA
Wednesday
Ryle (20-9) vs. Newport Central Catholic (22-10), 6:30 p.m.
Dixie Heights (25-7) vs. Cooper (21-9), 8 p.m.
Friday
Championship game, 7 p.m.

10TH REGION TOURNAMENT AT NICHOLAS COUNTY
Tuesday
Nicholas County (15-12) vs. Montgomery County (19-12), 6 p.m.
Campbell County (11-18) vs. Mason County (17-9), 7:45 p.m.
Friday
Brossart (20-10) vs. George Rogers Clark (28-2), 6 p.m.
Lower bracket semifinal game, 7:45 p.m.
Saturday
Championship game, 7 p.m.

8TH REGION TOURNAMENT AT GRANT COUNTY
Tuesday
South Oldham (20-7) vs. Henry County (13-15), 6:30 p.m.
Anderson County (27-4) vs. Simon Kenton (17-12), 8 p.m.
Friday
Owen County (24-9) vs. Spencer County (21-11), 6 p.m.
Lower bracket semifinal game, 6 and 8 p.m.
Saturday
Championship game, 7 p.m.

Boys region basketball tournaments

10TH REGION TOURNAMENT AT HOLMES
Wednesday
Brossart (12-18) vs. Mason County (23-5), 6 p.m.
George Rogers Clark (30-1) vs. Robertson County (13-20), 7:45 p.m.
Thursday
Campbell County (19-10) vs. Paris (7-20), 6 p.m.
Harrison County (20-8) vs. Bracken County (22-9), 7:45 p.m.
Monday, March 7
Semifinal games, 6 and 7:45 p.m.
Tuesday, March 8
Championship game, 7 p.m.

8TH REGION TOURNAMENT AT HENRY COUNTY
Wednesday
Owen County (21-10) vs. Collins (22-6), 6:30 p.m.
Walton-Verona (19-10) vs. North Oldham (15-12), 8 p.m.
Thursday
Oldham County (19-10) vs. Gallatin County (17-12), 6:30 p.m.
Woodford County (25-5) vs. Grant County (18-15), 8 p.m.
Monday, March 7
Semifinal games, 6:30 and 8 p.m.
Tuesday, March 8
Championship game, 7 p.m.

9TH REGION TOURNAMENT AT NKU BB&T ARENA
Saturday, March 5
Highlands (22-8) vs. Lloyd (21-7), 1 p.m.
Covington Catholic (25-4) vs. Cooper (22-6), 2:30 p.m.
Dixie Heights (20-6) vs. Newport (9-18), 6:30 p.m.
Conner (20-9) vs. Holy  Cross (20-9), 8 p.m.
Sunday, March 6 
Semifinal games, 6:30 and 8 p.m.
Tuesday, March 8
Championship game, 7 p.m.