Thanks to St. Elizabeth Healthcare Sports Medicine for sponsoring our girls’ high school basketball coverage this season. See all of our girls’ basketball stories here and watch for state tournament coverage March 9-13 from BB&T Arena on the campus of Northern Kentucky University.
By Terry Boehmker
NKy Tribune sports reporter
The Newport Central Catholic girls’ basketball team had a tough time scoring during a 65-38 loss to Murray in the semifinals of the Kentucky All “A” Classic on Saturday at Frankfort Convention Center.
NewCath made one field goal in the second quarter and shot 30 percent (15 of 50) for the game against the top-ranked team in the small-school state tournament field. It was only the third time this season that the Thoroughbreds were held to less than 40 points in a game.
Murray will play Owensboro Catholic in the championship game at 12 noon on Sunday. Owensboro Catholic defeated Harlan, 52-42, in the other semifinal game played Saturday.
NewCath senior guard Ansley Davenport was her team’s only double-figure scorer with 12 points. None of her teammates had more than six.
Murray scored seven straight points at the end of the first quarter to take a 21-11 team and pulled away from there. The Tigers led by as much as 32 points early in the fourth quarter.
NewCath has made it to the semifinals of the All “A” Classic girls’ state tournament 11 times in 13 appearances. The only year the Thoroughbreds won the state title was 2010.
Davenport will be among the leading candidates for this year’s all-tournament team. She was a double-figure scorer in all three of NewCath’s games with a career-high 35 points in the quarterfinals. Her three-game totals were 66 points, 24 rebounds, five assists and seven steals.