Thanks to St. Elizabeth Healthcare Sports Medicine for sponsoring our girls’ high school basketball coverage once again this season. See all of our girls’ basketball stories here and watch for state tournament coverage March 8-12 from BB&T Arena on the campus of Northern Kentucky University.
By Evan Merrill
NKyTribune contributor
Coming off a narrow win in last week’s 33rd District championship game, Conner faced another tough test in the first round of the 9th Region girls’ basketball tournament Tuesday and managed to get past Newport Central Catholic, 52-43, at BB&T Arena.
NewCath jumped ahead, 15-11, in the first quarter and had a six-point lead early in the second quarter as Conner struggled to crack the Thoroughbreds’ zone defense.
But the Cougars upped the tempo with a full-court press, forcing turnovers and converting some easy layups in transition, to fuel a 15-0 run and took a 27-21 lead at the half.
“We knew if we would stay patient we were going to get some layups, we just needed to stay patient,” Conner coach Aaron Stamm said.
NewCath opened the second half with a 6-0 run that tied the score, 27-27, but Conner followed with a 6-0 stretch of its own and maintained the lead for the remainder of the game.
The Thoroughbreds cut the margin to three points in the third and fourth quarter, but they couldn’t hit timely shots to tie it up. The Cougars made clutch free throws down the stretch to ice the game.
“We had an open look for a three in the fourth that would have tied it, we just missed it,” NewCath coach George Stoll said. “I couldn’t be more proud. We executed everything we wanted to. We just missed a couple too many shots.”
The Cougars were led by Maddie Burcham and Joy Strange, who both scored 13 points. The two sophomores made clutch baskets in the second half to fend off NewCath’s potential comebacks.
Conner will face Holmes, the defending 9th Region champion, in a semifinal game at 8 p.m. Friday. The Cougars have won 10 straight since losing to the Holmes, 63-58, on Jan. 28.
“We’ve had a great run here,”coach Stamm said. “It started with beating Holy Cross the last week of the season, went to NewCath and won, won the two games in district, so we’re on a good roll right now. Our kids believe, and we’re going to have to believe Friday night.”
CONNER 11 17 14 11 — 52
NEWCATH 15 6 15 7 — 43
CONNER (27-6): Strange 6 1 13, Hurst 1 2 4, Jordan 1 0 2, McLemore 4 2 10, Burcham 2 9 13, Duncan 4 2 10. Totals: 18 16 52
NEWCATH (12-17): Bridewell 2 0 5, Zimmerman, 4 4 12, Vogt 1 0 2, Eviston 0 1 1, Breen 6 3 18, Kramer 2 1 5. Totals: 15 9 43.
Three-pointers: NC — Breen 3, Bridewell.