MOUNT STERLING — Illness and injuries hit the Mason County girls’ basketball team at the wrong time of the year.

Plagued with both, the Lady Royals were able to overcome them in a 50-45 win over Bishop Brossart in the 10th Region tournament quarterfinals played at the Montgomery County Arena.

The Lady Royals dug down in the fourth, held Brossart scoreless for over six minutes as the final frame was the decider in the tightly knit contest.

“I thought our 2-2-1 kept them off balance all night long. We dropped into zone early, they were able to figure that out and hit some shots. We did a little fullcourt man, then went back to the 2-2-1 in the second half and mixed things up and I feel that kept them off balance switching our defenses and that kind of kept them on their back heels so to speak,” Lady Royals coach Brad Cox said.

Trailing 35-33, the Lady Royals started the fourth with a 8-0 run to build their lead to six before an Olivia Schultz free throw ended the scoreless drought for the Lady ‘Stangs with 1:42 to play. The senior leadership for Mason played big in the final quarter, Victoria Brooks and Sam Schumacher combining for 10 of the Lady Royals 17 points in to help pull out the victory.

“I’m so proud of those two. Vic is probably 75 percent coming in, if that. They were freshman when I got the job and they’ve been kind of that last piece of the puzzle to carry over to our younger group. They’ve been so great this year through ups and downs. Just being positive with the girls, sticking with them, patting them on the back. I can’t say how happy I am of those two,” Cox said.

Emma Taylor came up big in the final frame as well, scoring six of her team-high 13 points in the quarter, including the dagger on a baseline jumper with under 20 seconds left to give the Lady Royals a five-point lead. Taylor got in rhythm by starting off the second half with a 3-pointer, her first of the season on her way to 11 second half points.

Containing Lady ‘Stangs center Marie Kiefer was the key on the evening. Kiefer had 15 points and 19 rebounds in the first contest between the two, a 50-47 Mason County victory back on December 15. On Wednesday, the Lady Royals contained her to 14 points and 10 rebounds, holding Kiefer scoreless in the fourth.

“We wanted to make her work for it. Wanted to front her and have backside help. Even when we front her she’s five, six inches taller than anyone else on the floor. They could throw it over the top. We wanted to make every catch for her difficult and I thought for the most part we did,” Cox said.

Brossart led 12-11 after a quarter of play and used a 9-0 run to get their lead to as large as seven at 24-17 before the Lady Royals closed out the second quarter with the final four points, heading into halftime trailing 24-21.

After opening the second half on a 7-0 run, turnovers plagued the Lady Royals in the third, committing six of them as Brossart took the two-point lead into the fourth.

Then the defense dug down, found a way to keep Kiefer out of the paint and off the glass to pull away with the victory.

“You really have to front her,” Schumacher said. “Box her out. Everything you can possibly do to keep her from getting that ball.”

Schumacher ended the night with nine points.

Brooks had 10 for the Lady Royals, who had an injury scare in the 39th District Championship and her playing status was in doubt leading up to Wednesday’s game.

“Coming into the game I didn’t feel very healthy at all. My leg was hurting very bad, but I knew I couldn’t give up on my team, it’s my senior year and I just didn’t want to quit,” Brooks said. “Right now it’s pretty sore, I’m not going to lie, but I think I can push through it and I think I’ll do better next game.”

The senior added a team-high seven rebounds. Rachel Payne was limited with an illness and Roclynn Glover didn’t make the trip due to being sick. But the Lady Royals found a way, earning a berth into the 10th Region semis for the sixth straight season.

“You just have to suck it up and go. In this 32-minute segment, no one is sick and no one is hurt. You can be sick or you can be hurt tomorrow. We’ve got two days off school, so we’ve got a couple days to rest and just have to have guts and some toughness and our girls have it,” Cox said.

Mason County now gets Harrison County on Monday. The Fillies knocked off Bourbon County, 66-44 in the first game of the day. Harrison County defeated the Lady Royals, 72-49 back on February 9 in Cynthiana.

“Kellione is just an outstanding guard. She can do just about anything. Their bigs inside present a problem for most teams in the region because they plant them down on the blocks. Those two or three big girls have gotten so much better over the last couple years where they can turn and finish and score and alter shots. We’re going to have our hands full, but we have a few days to get ready and we’ll see what happens,” Cox said.

LADY ROYALS 50, LADY ‘STANGS 45

BISHOP BROSSART—12-12-11-10—45

MASON COUNTY—11-10-12-17—50

Scoring:

Brossart (45) — Kiefer 14, Schultz 10, Jump 7, Frommeyer 6, Rowe 3, Cropenbaker 3, Steffen 2

Mason (50) — Taylor 13, Brooks 10, Schumacher 9, Payne 6, White 4, Littleton 3, Harrison 3, Henry 2

Field Goals: Brossart 15/43, Mason 16/37

3-Pointers: Brossart 5/15, Mason 3/9

Free Throws: Brossart 10/14, Mason 15/22

Rebounds: Brossart 26 (Kiefer 10), Mason 29 (Brooks 7)

Assists: Brossart 7 (Three with 2), Mason 14 (Payne, White 3)

Turnovers: Brossart 14, Mason 12

Records: Bishop Brossart 20-11, Mason County 19-12

Mason County’s Rachel Payne (14) is fouled by Bishop Brossart’s Olivia Schultz (5) during the second half of a 10th Region Tournament quarterfinal game, Wednesday, in Mount Sterling.
https://maysville-online.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_DSC_3287.jpgMason County’s Rachel Payne (14) is fouled by Bishop Brossart’s Olivia Schultz (5) during the second half of a 10th Region Tournament quarterfinal game, Wednesday, in Mount Sterling. Jared MacDonald, The Ledger Independent

Mason County seniors Victoria Brooks (4) and Samantha Schumacher (42) celebrate a 10th Region Tournament quarterfinal victory over Bishop Brossart, Wednesday, in Mount Sterling.
https://maysville-online.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_DSC_3392.jpgMason County seniors Victoria Brooks (4) and Samantha Schumacher (42) celebrate a 10th Region Tournament quarterfinal victory over Bishop Brossart, Wednesday, in Mount Sterling. Jared MacDonald, The Ledger Independent

Mason County’s Emma Taylor is fouled by Bishop Brossart’s Marie Kiefer during the second half of a 10th Region Tournament quarterfinal game, Wednesday, in Mount Sterling. (Jared MacDonald, The Ledger Independent)
https://maysville-online.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_DSC_3275.jpgMason County’s Emma Taylor is fouled by Bishop Brossart’s Marie Kiefer during the second half of a 10th Region Tournament quarterfinal game, Wednesday, in Mount Sterling. (Jared MacDonald, The Ledger Independent) Jared MacDonald, The Ledger Independent
Mason holds Brossart scoreless for six minutes in fourth, heads to region semis

Evan Dennison

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