By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Brennan Hall was a double-figure scorer in Newport Central Catholic’s first three boys’ basketball games this season, but the Thoroughbreds lost two of them by close margins. The junior guard made sure that didn’t happen again Wednesday by sparking a late run that carried his team to a 61-47 win over the visiting Newport Wildcats.
Hall went to the bench after picking up his fourth foul with 5:27 left in the fourth quarter. While he was out, Newport sophomore Tahj Harding hit a 3-point shot that cut NewCath’s lead to 48-45.
With the game on the line, Hall returned to the court and did a little bit of everything during a 13-2 run that sealed the victory. In the final three minutes, he scored six points, blocked a shot and came up with a steal.
“I didn’t want us to lose and that really made me mad,” Hall said of the fourth foul that took him out of the game. “So I just came back out and played harder.”
Hall scored 13 of his game-high 19 points in the second half despite being in foul trouble. He got most of his field goals by doing what first-year head coach Ken Collopy has been emphasizing in practice.
“We’re preaching attack the rim and don’t settle for contested looks outside,” Collopy said. “Brennan did that, and it was huge.”
Hall and senior guard Luke Moeves, who scored 11 points in Wednesday’s game, were both starters on the NewCath team that won the 9th Region championship last season. They rest of the players on this year’s roster saw limited action as reserves.
Most of Newport’s players are also first-year starters, but coach Rod Snapp saw a lot of positive signs in the district seeding game at NewCath.
“This is by far the best game we’ve had up here, where we usually lose by 20 or more points,” Snapp said.
The lead changed hands several times during the first half that ended with Moeves hitting a 3-pointer that put NewCath ahead, 27-26, at the break. The Thoroughbreds opened the second half with a 10-2 scoring run. It started with senior forward Trey Wurtz getting a basket inside and ended with him burying a 3-pointer that gave the home team a 37-28 lead.
Newport rallied and cut the margin to 39-38. But Hall hit a trey at the end of the third quarter and scored on a drive to the basket in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter to keep NewCath on top.
“He was a little slow getting back from football, but I really feel like he’s very close to being 100 percent,” Collopy said of Hall, who missed most of preseason practice while playing football. “He’s a vital piece of what we do. He creates so much for our other guys. He’s something special.”
NewCath ended up shooting 37.9 percent (22 of 58) from the field compared to Newport’s 33.3 percent (17 of 51). At the free throw line, the Thoroughbreds made 12 of 17 and the Wildcats made 11 of 21. Newport’s leading scorers were junior guard MeKell Burries, sophomore guard Donnie Miller and junior forward Najae Williams with nine points each.
Collopy liked the way the veterans and newcomers on his NewCath team worked together to come away with the tough win at home.
“We’re certainly getting to where we need to be,” the coach said. “That’s why I’m really positive about this team. If we keep improving each day, hopefully, we’ll have a shot at the end in the regional.”
NEWPORT 13 13 12 9 – 47
NEWCATH 14 13 15 19 – 61
NEWPORT (4-2): Burries 2 4 9, Miller 3 3 9, McGuire 1 0 2, Harmon 3 1 7, Najae Williams 4 1 9, Najee Williams 2 0 4, Harding 2 2 7. Totals: 17 11 47.
NEWCATH (2-2): Hall 8 2 19, Moeves 4 1 11, Pangallo 2 6 10, Neff 2 2 7, Wurtz 4 0 9, Luken 2 1 5. Totals: 22 12 61.
Three-pointers: N – Burries, Harding. NCC – Moeves 2, Hall, Neff, Wurtz.