Final from Erlanger.

 

To open this game, Lloyd took full advantage of the comfort and confidence of playing at home. Behind some very determined play and blistering shooting, the Juggernauts jumped out to a 14 point lead. During this time, Walton had a few time out's where they had some "discussions" about their sub par energy level and execution. It worked. In the last 4 minutes of the second quarter, the Bearcats erased the 14 point lead to take a 3 point lead into the half. From there, the Bearcats did not look back. Although the Juggs, lead by Behannan and Cheatum, continued to battle, the Bearcats were able to control and get out of Erlanger with a 9 point win.

 

Hats off to the young Juggernauts. They continue to get better and better under Coach Teke. Behannan and Cheatum, a Soph and Junior, will continue to make a huge impact. I am pretty sure that we will be hearing more of those two in NKY.

 

Congrats to the Bearcats on the win.

Ison leads Walton-Verona to victory

 

 

The Kentucky High School Athletic Association released its first girls' basketball statistical leaders report on Thursday, and Walton-Verona's Hailey Ison is ranked fourth in the state in scoring with an average of 28.8 points per game.

 

Ison's scoring and a rallying Bearcats team were on display Thursday in a 67-58 Walton-Verona win over the stubborn Juggernauts at Lloyd. Ison, a Georgetown College recruit, scored a game-high 28 points. Her scoring average is up more than 10 points per game over last season.

 

"Part of the reason is her execution is a lot better," Bearcats coach Mark Clinkenbeard said of his senior standout. "She's also taking better shots."

 

Walton-Verona, ranked tied for 10th in The Enquirer coaches' poll, improved to 6-1 while dropping the Juggernauts to 4-2. It's a much-appreciated fast start. The Bearcats were 2-5 at this point last season. They had to earn Thursday's win after falling behind by 14 points in the first half.

 

"I think that was the best 16 minutes we've played in four years," coach Tyler Teke said of the Juggernauts' first half.

 

ShaMaya Behanan, ranked second in the state with 16.2 rebounds per game, paced Lloyd with 22 points. Devin Cheatum, with 18 points, was next for the Juggernauts, who were 4-0 before Monday's loss to Gallatin County.

 

Lloyd led the Bearcats, 22-13 after one quarter, but Walton-Verona ended the half on a 19-2 run to take the lead for good.

 

"We sped them up a little bit there," Clinkenbeard said. "And then we started pressing a little."

 

Morgan Simpson added 16 points for Walton-Verona. Emma Rodgers sank a trio of 3-point baskets and scored 13. Ison converted four 3-pointers

 

"I'm proud of the girls," said Ison, the state's returning free-throw shooting leader. She credits greater strength and added quickness for her rise in scoring average. "I did a lot of work in the offseason and got stronger, and I dropped 20 pounds. That also helped with my quickness."

 

The high-scoring swing player has scored 30 or more points in four of Walton-Verona's seven games, with a high of 36 in the Dec. 2 opener against Lexington Dunbar. She scored at least 30 points three times in a six-day span to begin the season. Just once has she failed to score at least 22.

 

In the third week of the season, she's already 37 percent of the way toward last season's total of 543 points put up in 30 games. Another key has been better shooting. Ison entered Thursday shooting 50 percent (44-for-88) overall from the field and 60 percent (9-for-15) on 3-point attempts. Last season, she shot 44.3-percent from the field and 41.9 percent from 3-point range.

 

Walton-Verona 13 26 14 14 – 67

 

Lloyd 22 14 8 14 – 58

 

Walton-Verona (6-1) – Ison 11 2 28, Simpson 6 4 16, Rodgers 5 0 13, Perry 1 2 4, Anderson 2 0 4, Poore 1 0 2. Totals 26 8 67.

 

Lloyd (4-2) – Behanan 8 4 22, Cheatum 7 1 18, Binkley 5 2 13, Viox 1 0 3, Ramsey 0 2 2. Totals 21 9 58

 

Halftime: Walton-Verona, 39-36. 3-pointers: WV 7 (Ison 4, Rodgers 3), Lloyd 7 (Cheatum 3, Behanan 2, Binkley, Viox).