By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
After losing two close games last week, the Dixie Heights boys basketball team shot 66 percent from the field and rolled to a 63-41 win at Beechwood on Monday.
The Colonels made 26 of 39 field goal attempts overall and were 6-of-12 from behind the 3-point arch in the victory that raised their record to 9-7. The scoring leader was senior Hudson Blank with 23 points. He made 10 of 12 shots, including two treys, according to Beechwood’s online scoring summary.
Dixie Heights forward Hudson Blank battles for position under the backboard. (Photos by Bob Jackson)
It was the fifth time in 16 games that Hudson scored 20 points or more. The 6-foot-3 forward has been a double-figure scorer in seven straight games and the Colonels won four of them. The margins in their two losses last week were six and eight points.
In Monday’s game, Dixie Heights ended the second quarter with a 9-0 run to take a 26-14 halftime lead. A 3-point goal by Blank sparked the spurt and he went into the locker room with a game-high 12 points, hitting 5 of 7 shots.
The Colonels outscored the home team, 23-15, in the third quarter to extend their lead to 49-29. During that period, Blank got 11 points and junior teammate Griffin Derry scored eight of his 15 with a pair of 3-point goals.
Dixie Heights scored nine of its 14 points in the fourth quarter on two 3-point goals by Derry and one by junior guard Owen Niehaus.
The other double-figure scorer for the Colonels was senior Jaxson Gray with 12 points to go along with five assists.
The top scorers for Beechwood (8-8) were senior guard Rett Dawson with 12 points and junior guard Carson Blackburn with 11. Junior forward Jack Sullivan finished with six points, nine below his average. The Tigers shot 39 percent (16 of 41) from the field and made just 4 of 16 3-pointers in the first loss on their home court this season.
Dixie Heights guard Owen Niehues drives to the basket against Austin Navin of Beechwood.
Beechwood has games at Boone County (12-3) on Wednesday and Trimble County (3-13) on Saturday. Dixie Heights visits Mason County (10-6) on Friday and then plays an important 34th District seeding game at home against Lloyd (12-4) on Jan. 23.
DIXIE HEIGHTS 9 17 23 14 — 63
BEECHWOOD 6 8 15 12 — 41
DIXIE HEIGHTS (9-7): Gray 6 0 12, Niehues 1 4 7, Blank 10 1 23, Derry 6 0 15, Parker 1 0 2, Johnson 1 0 2. Vonderhaar 1 0 2. Totals: 26 5 63.
BEECHWOOD (8-8): Blackburn 4 1 11, Eviston 1 2 4, Dawson 5 2 12, Sullivan 3 0 6, Fryman 1 0 3, Popham 1 0 2. Stiles 1 0 3. Totals: 16 5 41.
Three-point goals: DH — Derry 3, Blank 2, Niehues. B — Blackburn 2, Fryman, Stiles.
