By Terry Boehmker
NKy Tribune sports reporter
More than 40 boys’ high school basketball players in Northern Kentucky are expected to take part in a new college recruiting combine this Saturday at the Griffin Elite Sports & Wellness facility in Erlanger.
Scott head coach Brad Carr organized the combine that will include fitness and strength tests, basketball skills stations and scrimmage games. He said more than 20 college coaches have accepted invitations to attend the all-day event that will begin at 9:30 a.m.
“Once we establish this thing, we hope it will become a destination for (college coaches) for years to come,” Carr said.
Players from every high school team in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties received an invitation to Saturday’s combine, according to Carr. He said the list of participants includes seniors, juniors and sophomores.
“We’ve got some kids who haven’t been getting much attention or they’re trying to figure out where they want to go that’ll be seen by a lot of college coaches,” Carr said. “We’re hoping some seniors like Adam Goetz (of St. Henry) and Michael Scott (of Conner) and other really good basketball players may be seen by a coach who likes them and they can go on and play at the next level.”
There were a few scheduling conflicts with basketball players who are participating in spring sports or AAU basketball or going on spring break trips. One of Carr’s players, junior guard Jake Ohmer, is attending the combine even though he’s on the Scott baseball team that has a game scheduled that day.
“We may miss on some kids, but just to get it started is important,” Carr said. “It’s definitely going to be a lot better than the old all-star (game) format.”
Northern Kentucky boys’ basketball coaches used to organize all-star games for seniors and juniors each spring and invite college recruiters to assess players. But that wasn’t working out very well so Carr proposed having the combine.
“I’m excited about it,” he said. “It’s been kind of a labor of love for me trying to get people to buy into this.”
Spectators will be permitted to watch combine activities from a viewing area above the courts. Scrimmage games are schedule to begin at 2 p.m., followed by an awards ceremony. College coaches will then get a chance to interact with players.
NewCath senior receives award for state basketball tournament performance
Ben Weyer earned a prestigious award sponsored by the Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches for his performance in the state tournament last week.
Newport Central Catholic forward received the Larry Conley Ultimate Teammate Award that’s given to the player who shows that scoring is just one facet of his game and complements it with passing, rebounding and defense.
NewCath made it to the semifinals in the state tournament and Weyer’s three-game totals showed how much he contributed to the team’s successful run. In addition to scoring 62 point, he had 34 rebounds, nine blocked shots and seven assists.
Weyer, a Bellarmine University recruit, was also named to the state all-tournament team along with NewCath sophomore guard Brennan Hall. They are the first NewCath players to earn that honor since 1975 when Gary Devoto was a member of the state all-tournament team.
Covington Schools will induct 22 student-athletes, coaches into Hall of Fame
Frank Wolnitzek, the first Holmes High School wrestler to win back-to-back state titles in 1992 and 1993 will be one of 22 new inductees into the Covington Schools Hall of Fame on Saturday, April 2 at the Radisson Riverfront in Covington.
Randy Marsh, a 1967 Holmes graduate who went on to become a Major League Baseball umpire, will also be inducted. The list of female honorees includes Yvonne Housley, who led the girls’ basketball team to the 1985 9th Region final.
Four former student-athletes at William Grant High School that closed in 1965 will also be added to the Hall of Fame. Two of them are Aaron Ballard and Tommy Butler, who played on the school’s first 9th Region champion basketball team in 1958.
Here are the names of the other new inductees with their graduating years in parentheses:
Ken Spurlock (coach), Nils Dawson (1962), Wayne Ferguson (1965), Ken Goodhew (1959), Tom Haney (1965), Katie Collins Barber (1999), Denny Bowman (1967), Carol Brown (1951), Tom Herron (1958), Mike Hughes (1993), Bob Logsdon (1961) Jerry McCullough (1957, William Grant), Ralph Murphy (1965), Gus Roberts (1957, William Grant), Charlie Schomaker (1962) Doug Speaks (1971), Christina Weaver (2008).