GRC Hoops have won their 3rd straight region championship in dominating fashion, and their 7th in the last 8 years. 

It started last Monday with a convincing 61-33 victory over Scott High. Junior Jailenn Green led the way with 21 points off the bench.

After a solid performance, the Cards were set to face off against Mason County in the semifinals on Friday. 

GRC crushed the Royals, finishing with a 92-33 score. It was the program’s 4th highest scoring game in its long history. 11 different Cardinals scored, led by Freshman Kennedy Stamper’s 19. 

“It is important to start fast,” said Head Coach Robbie Graham. “If you have a fast start you can get the other team back on their heels and they become hesitant. We wanted to pressure them for 32 minutes and did a good job with it.”

Green and Sophomore Anaya Chestnut both scored their 1,000th career point in the win, putting an exclamation mark on a historic night.

“Scoring 1,000 points means a lot,” said Green. “It was a memorable moment and the way my team celebrated made me feel 10 times better.“ 

Chestnut agreed it was a special moment. “It feels good to finally reach this goal,” said Chestnut. “After all the hard work it means a lot.”

This led to the Cards’ Region Championship showdown against the Camels of Campbell County. GRC led the entire game, ending with a 73-36 win and another trip to the Sweet 16. 

“It’s exciting to win this region championship. To see the joy on these kids’ faces, it’s why I do what I do,” said Graham. “I love these kids and they work so hard. To see them be successful, it warms my heart.”

Sophomore Teigh Yeast had it her way, scoring a game-leading 23 points. She was unguardable, able to score from the paint, mid range, and 3-point line.

“Campbell County came out in a triangle and 2 defense which left some people open including me,” said Yeast. “That got me fired up and I played with some confidence. I hit some shots and attacked the basket well.”

Hoops showed their depth with 25 bench points on the night, led by Sophomore Annette Miller’s 10. Green and Miller combined for 65 points off the bench in GRC’s three-game Region Tournament run.

“I can get a feel for the game while I’m on the bench,” said Miller. “I know how to adjust my game so I can benefit my team as much as possible.”

Stamper, Chestnut, Green, and Yeast were all awarded 10th Region All Tournament Team. 

“I stayed focused and was able to be aggressive while still making smart decisions,” said Stamper. “I looked for opportunities to score on offense and took high-percentage shots.”

GRC Hoops will begin their Sweet 16 journey against a familiar foe in 7th region champs, Sacred Heart.

These two met earlier in the year, where Sacred Heart pulled away in the 4th quarter and came out on top. The Cards know this time will be different.

“Defensively we have gotten better,” said Graham. “Our ball handling and execution have improved. We will see some improvement.”

Gametime is 6 p.m. Thursday in Rupp Arena. The Cards have been in Rupp the two previous years, and know how to adapt to a big venue.

“There are a few more seats up there,” said Graham. “It will be a little different but at the end of the day, the goal is 10 feet high. You still have to put the ball in the goal.”