By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Simon Kenton basketball player Kelly Niece will watch his team’s first preseason scrimmage game from the bench Saturday when the Pioneers play Cincinnati Shroder in the annual Kelsey Sorrell Memorial Scholarship fundraiser on their home court.
The junior guard, who was among the state’s leading scorers last season with a 23-point average, had knee surgery in April to repair a torn ACL in his right knee. He has been practicing with the Simon Kenton team, but he said the orthopedic surgeon has not yet given him permission to play in a game.
“I’ve had a couple setbacks, but I should be back soon,” Niece said. “We haven’t set a date yet.”
Eight games between Northern Kentucky and Ohio teams are on Saturday’s scrimmage game schedule. The list includes five teams that were ranked among the top 10 in the Northern Kentucky coaches preseason poll – No. 1 Covington Catholic, No. 2 Beechwood, No. 4 St. Henry, No. 5 Conner and No. 8 Simon Kenton.
Donations will be taken at the door for the memorial scholarship fund named in honor of Kelsey Sorrell, a Notre Dame Academy graduate who died in an automobile accident in 2008.
The preseason coaches poll tabbed Niece as one of the top players in Northern Kentucky. In three seasons as a varsity starter, he scored more than 1,100 points and was named to the Division I conference all-star team as a freshman and sophomore.
Niece said he was playing for the Indiana Elite select basketball team last spring when he tore his ACL during a game in Indianapolis.
“I jump stopped and when I went to jump in the air my right foot slipped out from under me and my knee collapsed in,” he said.
Niece had surgery four days later and started rehabilitation as soon as he was able. During the arduous rehab process, he has gotten a lot of support from his older sister, Ally, an all-state basketball player who tore ligaments in her left knee the summer before her senior year.
“She’s given me some advice and she’s been a real mentor for me during all this,” said her younger brother.
The other scrimmage game players who were named to the local coaches’ top 10 are guards Scotty Draud of Beechwood, Grant Disken of CovCath and Jalen Scott of Conner, forward Wyatt Vieth of St. Henry and center Neil Green of CovCath.
Fans could also get their first look at several newcomers to the CovCath team, including 7-foot-1 senior center Noah Hupmann and sophomore guard Walker Horn, son of the new men’s head basketball coach at NKU. Both of them transferred to CovCath over the summer.
Below is a complete schedule of Saturday’s scrimmage games at Simon Kenton. Junior varsity games are scheduled at the same times in an adjacent gym.
8:30 a.m. — St. Henry vs. Harrison. 10 a.m. — Beechwood vs. La Salle. 11:30 a.m. — Covington Catholic vs. Oak Hills. 1 p.m. — Conner vs. Withrow. 2:30 p.m. — Simon Kenton vs. Shroder. 4 p.m. — Dixie Heights vs. Taylor. 5:30 p.m. — Scott vs. Cincinnati Country Day. 7 p.m. — Holmes vs. North College Hill.