By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
LEXINGTON — People started heading for the exits at Rupp Arena after Scott County took a 22-point lead against Covington Catholic with less than six minutes remaining in a first-round game of the Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Sweet 16 boys state tournament on Friday afternoon.
But the Colonels still had a lot of fight left in them. They scored 18 straight points during a 20-4 run over the final 90 seconds and missed a desperation 3-point shot at the buzzer before Scott County escaped with 64-61 win over the defending state champions.
“Part of that was just not letting us go out like that,” CovCath junior guard Grant Disken said of the late rally. “We were more than that this year. Everybody in the 9th Region doubted us after some tough losses, but we came down here and played hard and weren’t going to stop until time was out.”
In the last Associated Press state coaches poll, Scott County was No. 2 and CovCath was No. 6. The Colonels finish the season with a 27-7 record. The Cardinals (32-3) will play Louisville Butler in the state quarterfinals at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Those last 90 seconds in the first-round game gave the Colonels something to be proud of after a lackluster performance over the first 30 minutes. They fell behind 12-3 in the first quarter and didn’t come close to taking the lead until Disken dropped a 3-point shot and two free throws to make it a one-point game, 62-61, with three seconds left.
Scott County guard Glenn Covington was fouled on the ensuing inbounds play and sank both free throws for a 64-61 lead. CovCath didn’t have a timeout left to set up a play so junior guard Joey Moser hurried the ball up the floor. He launched an off-balance shot after crossing the half-court line, but the ball missed the backboard.
“I wish I had a timeout there at the end, but I couldn’t be prouder of these guys and what they’ve been through all year long,” said CovCath coach Scott Ruthsatz. “After winning state last year, the expectations didn’t change. We lose seven seniors, five of them starters, and guess what, we’re right back in it.”
“Sometimes you just come up a little short,” Ruthsatz added, “and I couldn’t be prouder of these guys and the effort they’ve given me.”
Scott County was happy to get the win even though it squandered the big lead at the end. The Cardinals lost to CovCath in the 2014 and 2018 state championship games and wanted some payback.
“Nobody has more respect for CovCath than we do,” said Scott County coach Billy Hicks. “In our kids’ minds, our season ended last year after they’d beaten us, so we looked at this as another chance to come back and perhaps get a win against them.”
Scott County outplayed CovCath at both ends of the court in the first quarter and took a 12-3 lead. During those first eight minutes, the Cardinals forced eight turnovers and blocked two shots while holding the Colonels to just one 3-point field goal.
CovCath did a better job on offense in the second quarter, making 5 of 8 shots to cut the margin to 23-16 at halftime. The score could’ve been even closer if the Colonels had not missed the first shot in two bonus free throw situations.
The Cardinals opened the second half with an 11-0 run. Ruthsatz called two timeouts in the first four minutes to get his players on track, but it didn’t do much good. A last-second 3-point shot gave Scott County a 41-24 lead going into the fourth quarter.
When the margin reached 22 points, 48-26, fans started leaving and missed CovCath’s miraculous comeback. The Colonels got more points in the final 90 seconds than any previous quarter, and most of them came off turnovers.
Scott County had problems dealing with CovCath’s full-court defensive pressure after point guard Diablo Stewart fouled out with 2:45 left on the clock. The only field goal the Cardinals scored in the final seconds came off a long pass over the press that resulted in a layup to give them a 62-59 lead.
After Disken made a pair of free throws and Covington did the same at the other end, it all came down to Moser’s final desperation shot that was off the mark.
CovCath was 11-of-19 from the field in the fourth quarter. That raised their overall shooting percentage from 29.6 percent (8 of 27) to 41.3 percent (19 of 46). The Colonels also made six of their seven 3-point goals in the final period, including four in a row during their 18-0 run.
“Their kids stepped up and hit a lot of big shots,” coach Hicks said. “But I’m proud of our kids and how we played defense, relentless defense.”
CovCath junior center Michael Mayer posted a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds, but he was 5-of-13 from the field and had four of his team’s 16 turnovers.
“They might have been the best defensive team we played all year, and it showed,” Mayer said. “They’ve got quick guards and good big men.”
Scott County shot 50 percent (16 of 32) from the field and outscored CovCath, 26-16, at the free throw line. The Colonels missed nine foul shots with four coming in bonus situations. There were 48 fouls called against the two teams and they shot a combined total of 58 free throws.
COVCATH 3 13 8 37 — 61
SCOTT COUNTY 12 11 18 23 — 64
COVCATH (27-8): Fleek 1 6 8, Thelen 4 0 8, Disken 5 2 16, Davin 2 0 6, Moser 1 0 3, Mayer 5 8 18, Jackson 1 0 2. Totals: 19 16 61.
SCOTT COUNTY (33-3): Long 2 6 12, Williams 3 1 8, Moreno 3 0 6, Stewart 1 9 12, Covington 3 7 15, Hamilton 2 2 6, Barber 1 1 3, Harris 1 0 2. Totals: 16 26 64.
3-point goals: CC — Disken 4, Davin 2, Moser. SC — Long 2, Covington 2, Williams, Stewart.
Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys Sweet 16 State Tournament
at Rupp Arena, Lexington
Friday
Walton-Verona (28-6) vs. Campbell County (30-4), noon
Louisville Trinity (27-8) vs. Ashland Blazer (18-16), 1:30 p.m.
Scott County (33-3) vs. Louisville Butler (26-7), 6:30 p.m.
Madisonville-North Hopkins (30-5) vs. Warren Central (21-11), 8 p.m.
Saturday
Semifinal games, 7:30 and 9 p.m.
Sunday
Championship game, 2 p.m.