By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
On a cold winter night, Highlands continued its hot streak with a 66-50 home court win over Newport Central Catholic that keeps the Bluebirds on track to earn the top seed in the 36th District tournament.
Highlands has now won eight straight games and 11 of its last 12 to push its record to 12-5. The only 9th Region team with a longer winning streak is Cooper with 13 in a row.
The fact that the Bluebirds defeated seven of their last eight opponents by double-digit margins with underclassmen getting most of the playing time makes their streak even more impressive.
In the win over NewCath, Highlands took an 18-14 lead in the first quarter and extended it to 36-25 by halftime. Junior center Marissa Green scored 16 of her game-high 26 points in those first 16 minutes.
NewCath opened the second half with a 4-0 run that cut the margin to 36-29. But back-to-back 3-point goals by Highlands sophomore guard Kaylee Mills sparked a counter run that ended with her team on top, 54-40, going into the final period.
NewCath got off to a good start in the fourth quarter and cut the margin to 57-48 on a driving basket by junior guard Caroline Eaglin with less than three minutes left on the clock.
The Bluebirds responded by scoring nine straight points with Green getting the last two baskets to cap her double-double performance. The 6-foot-3 post player also snagged 13 rebounds during the game.
The two teams made a combined total of 17 3-point goals. NewCath freshman Alaina Albrinck hit five treys for 15 points, two behind Eaglin’s team-high 17.
The other double-figure scorers for Highlands were Mills with 13 points and sophomore forward Avery Barber with 10. Both of them made three treys. The team’s assist leaders were eighth-grader Mauren Orme with six and senior Amaya Barton with five.
Highlands will put its win streak on the line next week with home games against Campbell County on Monday and Newport on Thursday and a rematch with Ryle on Friday. The Bluebirds lost to Ryle in the first round of last year’s 9th Region tournament.
NewCath has home games against Newport on Tuesday and Brossart on Saturday.
NEWCATH 14 11 15 10 — 50
HIGHLANDS 18 18 18 12 — 66
NEWCATH (12-6): Brannen 2 0 6, Beck 0 2 2, Eaglin 6 4 17, McFarland 2 0 4, Cole 3 0 6, Albrinck 5 0 15. Totals: 18 6 50.
HIGHLANDS (12-5): Macke 1 0 3, Mills 3 4 13, Orme 1 2 4, Green 12 2 26, Barton 2 0 4, Bucher 2 0 6, Barber 3 1 10. Totals: 24 9 66.
Three-point goals: NC — Albrinck 5, Brannen 2, Eaglin. H — Mills 3, Barber 3, Bucher 2, Macke.