By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
It’s easy to see why Covington Catholic was the top-ranked boys’ basketball team in the Northern Kentucky preseason coaches’ poll. The Colonels have experienced senior leadership, exceptional height and a deep bench.
The CovCath players also have an unfulfilled goal they’re striving to achieve. The last two seasons ended with disappointing losses in the 9th Region championship game that kept them from playing in the “Sweet 16” state tournament at Rupp Arena.
“It’s very motivating,” CovCath senior guard C.J. Fredrick said of last season’s unexpected loss in the regional final. “It’s something that’s been on our minds all through the off-season. We definitely have something to play for this season, and that’s to get back to being regional champions and making it to Rupp Arena.”
Fredrick was the leading scorer on last year’s team with a 19.7 average that could have been even higher if he hadn’t missed 15 games with a broken bone in his foot. He played in elite camps and tournaments during the summer and signed a letter of intent with the University of Iowa.
“C.J.’s work ethic is second to none,” said CovCath coach Scott Ruthsatz. “He has always been able to shoot, but now he can also make plays off the dribble. We will use him at the point in an effort to get the ball in his hands and make plays for his teammates.”
CovCath’s other returning senior starters — point guard Aiden Ruthsatz, forward A.J. Mayer and 7-foot center Jake Walter — have also made college commitments.
Walter accepted a scholarship offer from nationally ranked Xavier University and Ruthsatz plans to continue his basketball career at Christian Brothers University, one of the top NCAA Division II teams in the country.
Mayer, a three-year starter at quarterback on CovCath’s football team, decided to play that sport in college. He made a commitment with Miami University of Ohio last summer.
Ruthsatz and Mayer both had double-figure scoring averages last season. Walter, the first 7-footer in the history of the CovCath basketball program, averaged 6.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.
“Jake has really improved his overall game,” coach Ruthsatz said. “His post moves have improved tremendously and his defense continues to be effective with his size and length. He is much more active on both sides and is very competitive.”
Walter said he worked hard during the off-season to become a more reliable team leader alongside the Colonels’ other returning senior starters.
“With me, C.J. and Aiden as the three captains, coach is pushing us every single day, getting on us more than the rest of the team, because he knows we’re the guys you’ve got to get us to state,” Walter said.
Here’s a look at the other teams ranked among the top 12 in the Northern Kentucky coaches preseason poll:
2. COOPER
The defending 9th Region champions have three starters back from the team that made it to the title game of the “Sweet 16” state tournament last March and finished with a 31-5 record.
The Jaguars’ top returning player is senior guard Adam Kunkel, a Belmont University recruit who averaged 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists for the state runner-up team. He was voted the top player in Northern Kentucky in a preseason poll of local coaches.
“Adam Kunkel will take on the majority of the workload as the Jags look to play an up-tempo game and use their depth at guard to wear teams down and create open looks in transition,” coach Tim Sullivan said.
Senior guards Chris McNeil and Braydon Runion are the other returning starters. Two of tallest players on the roster are 6-foot-5 junior forward Blaine Walters and 6-foot-3 senior guard Tyler Ollier, who both played in all 36 games last season.
3. NEWPORT
After getting off to a 4-0 start last season, the Wildcats weren’t able to win more than two games in a row and ended up with a 16-17 record.
There were three sophomores in the starting lineup so inexperience had a lot to do with the team’s inconsistency. But they’re all back this season, along with senior standout MeKell Burries, and expect things to go much better.
Burries was voted one of the top five players in Northern Kentucky by local coaches after averaging 18.2 points and 5.3 rebounds last season. He’s being recruited by several small colleges and he could attract more offers if his senior season goes well.
The other returning starters for coach Rod Snapp are juniors Donnie Miller, Tahj Harding and Makhi McGuire. They all had scoring averages between nine and 13 points last season and Harding snagged a team-high 7.9 rebounds per game.
One of the Wildcats’ goals this season will be breaking its 16-game losing streak against district rival Newport Central Catholic that dates back to the 2009-10 season
4. NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC
The Thoroughbreds have a proven floor leader in senior guard Brennan Hall, a third-year starter who averaged 15 points, three assists and three rebounds per game on last year’s 21-13 team.
The other experienced seniors on the roster are forward Brenden Luken and guards Jalen McDaniel and Stephen Pangallo. The one who put up the best numbers last season was Luken, who averaged with 6.6 points and 4.8 rebounds and shot 51 percent from the field.
Rebounding could be a problem for NewCath since Luken is the only returning inside player. But coach Ken Collopy thinks his team will still be a leading contender for the 9th Region All “A” Classic and 36th District championships once again.
“Despite our lack of size, we are excited at what this year could hold because of our quickness, toughness and great chemistry,” Collopy said.
5. SIMON KENTON
The Pioneers have one of the area’s best inside players in 6-foot-9 senior Zach Kelch, who made a commitment with the U.S. Naval Academy. Last season, he averaged 12.2 points and 7.8 rebounds and shot 60 percent from the field.
The other two double-figure scorers on last year’s team graduated, so coach Trent Steiner has to develop other offensive threats to keep opponents from building their defense around Kelch, who is approaching 1,000 points in his career.
The players most likely to do that are returning senior starters Chazz Kitchens and Andrew Robinson, who averaged 8.3 and 6.5 points last season. The coach also expects senior Sam Murray and freshman Kelly Niece to see significant playing time.
“These guys are fun to coach,” Steiner said. “They may not be the most talented group to come through Simon Kenton, but they make up for it through effort.”
6. CAMPBELL COUNTY
The top two scorers on last year’s 30-5 team graduated, but coach Aric Russell is counting on senior guard Joel Day and senior forwards Tanner Clos and Reid Jolly to lead the Camels to their fifth consecutive winning season.
Clos and Reid had combined averages of 15.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per game on last year’s 10th Region runner-up team. Reid ended up shooting 55.4 percent from the field. During the district and regional playoffs, Clos was a double-figure scorer in four of the team’s five games.
Day was one of the Camels’ best perimeter shooters last season with 41 of his 90 field goals coming from behind the 3-point line. Junior guard Drew Wilson and senior guard Jesse Russell saw action in all 35 games and appear to have the inside track on the two vacant positions in the starting lineup.
7. DIXIE HEIGHTS
In his first season as head coach of the Colonels, Roddy Stainforth will be building a team around lone returning starter Tyler Schreck, a senior guard who averaged nine points, seven rebounds and three assists per game last season.
“Tyler Schreck is just an all-around great basketball player,” Stainforth said. “He will lead us on both sides of the ball. His unselfish nature and his quiet leadership style will go a long away in helping our younger players develop quicker than expected.”
None of the other players on the Colonels’ roster have much varsity experience, but Stainforth expects juniors Jamin Shumate and Darian Jackson to have breakout seasons.
The new coach will continue to emphasize defense. Last season, Dixie Heights allowed only 49.1 points per game, which ranked among the top defensive averages in the state.
8. SCOTT
The defending 10th Region champions will be a different team without the services of Jake Ohmer, who led the Eagles to the semifinals of the state tournament last March and graduated as the school’s all-time leading scorer.
The three returning starters coach Steve Fromeyer is counting on to become the new team leaders are seniors Nelson Perrin and Jaycob Pouncy and junior Chad Ohmer, who joined his big brother, Jake, on the state all-tournament team.
“Chad is just a gritty player who has tremendous heart and a competitive fire,” the coach said. “He’s finished living in shadows and is determined to leave his own legacy.”
Chad averaged 9.1 points per game last season, followed by Perrin at 8.3 and Pouncy at 6.1. They’ll all need to pick up their scoring and crash the boards for the team’s up-tempo style of play to work as well as it did during their playoff run last March.
9. HOLMES
Holmes coach Mike Listerman needs eight wins to reach 300 in his career, but his main concern is getting the Bulldogs back to the 9th Region tournament after losing in the first round of the playoffs the last two years.
Two of the team’s returning senior starters are senior point guard L.J. Miller and senior wing Raavai Commodore, who both averaged nine points per game. Senior forward Raekwon Sterling is a solid defender and 6-foot-5 senior center Donavin Saxson should give the Bulldogs a strong inside presence.
The other leading candidates for starting positions are senior forward Karez Race, junior guard Tico Pouncy and senior guard Trey Gaither, who worked hard to develop his outside shooting during the off-season.
This is Listerman’s 17th season as a head coach and his fourth at Holmes. He has a 292-176 career that includes 46 wins with the Bulldogs.
10. BOONE COUNTY
After winning just 12 games over the last two seasons, the Rebels are expecting a resurgence with returning senior starters Ethan Haynes, Ethan Robbins and Raymond Rodgers leading the way.
“Haynes and Robbins have the potential to cause opponents problems when they attack the basket and get to the free throw line,” said coach Greg McQueary. “Rodgers set the school record for most 3-pointers made in one game last season.”
Haynes had team-high averages of 10.8 points and 4.6 rebounds last season while Robbins and Rodgers both averaged nine points per game. But the Rebels ended up averaging 58.1 points compared to their opponents’ 65.9.
“This team must buy into playing team defense and finish consistently at the rim on offense to be competitive,” McQueary said.
11. BEECHWOOD
The Tigers finished the last two seasons with a winning record and there’s a good chance they’ll do it again with 6-foot-4 senior forward Ben Toebbe back in the lineup along with some other promising younger players.
Toebbe averaged a team-high 18.9 points last season, shooting 55 percent from the field and 73 percent from the free throw line. He needs 32 points to reach the 1,000 mark in his four-year varsity career. He’s also the team’s top returning rebounder with a 7.8 average.
Freshman guard Scotty Draud averaged 7.9 points with 49 3-point goals in his varsity debut last season. The Tigers’ other returning guard is senior Mitchell Schilling and the addition of junior C.J. Brannen, a transfer from CovCath, gives the team added depth in the backcourt.
12. CONNER
Nine of the 12 players on the Cougars’ varsity roster are listed as guards and the only returning starter among them is senior Tanner Craddock. He averaged 11.3 points with 50 3-point goals on last year’s 15-12 team that lost six games by four points or less.
Sophomore guard Jared Hicks played in every game last season and contributed 2.8 points. The other returning players who saw action in more than half of the games are senior guard Ben North and forward Cooper Gullion.
“We have some young and inexperienced talent on the roster,” said coach Matt Otte. “Our seniors will have to take a leadership role to help guide everyone through out the season.”