By Terry Boehmker
NKy Tribune sports reporter
Finishing a game with double-figure totals in both points and rebounds is nothing new for Newport Central Catholic senior Ben Weyer. The 6-foot-6 senior forward has done that numerous times during his varsity career, but he broke new ground Friday night.
Weyer scored 38 points and grabbed 22 rebounds to set new career highs in both categories during his team’s 61-45 win over Danville in the quarterfinals of the Kentucky All “A” Classic at Frankfort Convention Center.
The victory moved NewCath one step closer to its fourth consecutive small-school state title. The Thoroughbreds will play Cordia in a semifinal game at 6 p.m. Saturday with the winner advancing to the championship final at 2 p.m. Sunday.
Weyer, a Bellarmine University recruit, tied a boys’ state tournament record with his 22 rebounds on Friday. He got 15 on the defensive glass and also blocked three shots at that end of the floor. His intimitating presence in the paint is one reason Danville shot just 30.2 percent (16 of 53) from the field.
On the offensive end, Weyer made 14 of 26 field goal attempts, including one 3-pointer. He scored 13 points in the second quarter when NewCath went on a 21-7 run to open up a 33-17 halftime lead. In the third quarter, the Thoroughbreds extended the margin to 47-28 with Weyer getting 10 of the team’s 14 points during that period.
NewCath ended up shooting 46.5 percent (20 of 43) from the field, mainly because of Weyer. The other NewCath players scored a combined total of 23 points, going 6-of-17 from the field and 8-of-17 from the line. Junior guard Luke Moeves made two 3-point shots and two free throws for eight points. He also had five rebounds and two steals.
The Thoroughbreds have now won 14 straight games in the All “A” Classic state tournament. One of those wins was against the team they’ll face in Saturday’s semifinal game. NewCath defeated Cordia, 72-61, in the 2014 state championship game.
Cordia won its first two tournament games this week by margins of 31 and 13 points. The leading scorers for the Lions are senior guard Anjee Chisholm and senior guard Anthony Nelson.
KENTUCKY ALL “A” CLASSIC AT
FRANKFORT CONVENTION CENTER
BOYS’ STATE TOURNAMENT
Friday – Quarterfinals
Cordia 57, University Heights 44
Newport Central Catholic 61, Danville 45
Owen County 64, Morgan County 58
Murray 59, Green County 34
Saturday – Semifinals
Cordia vs. Newport Central Catholic, 6 p.m.
Owen County vs. Murray, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday
Championship game, 2 p.m.