By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
In last year’s 9th Region boys basketball tournament, the winning margins in five of the seven games was seven points or less. The bracket for this year’s playoffs show there’s no easy road to the championship once again.
The top four teams in the field are district champions Newport, Covington Catholic, Lloyd and Cooper. They all made it to the final four in last year’s region tournament with Newport taking the title for the first time since 2010.
Newport won the 2023 championship game in dramatic fashion. In the final seconds, guard Jabari Covington made a shot that gave the Wildcats a 44-42 victory over Cooper.
During the regular season, Newport, CovCath and Cooper all had a 1-1 record against each other and Lloyd lost to all three of them. Barring any upsets, the semifinal matchups will be Lloyd-Newport and CovCath-Cooper this year.
The opening games at Northern Kentucky University’s Truist Arena on Monday are Lloyd vs. Beechwood at 6:30 p.m. and Newport vs. Ryle at 8 p.m. The first round continues on Wednesday with CovCath vs. Dixie Heights and Cooper vs. Highlands at 8 p.m.
The boys semifinals are set for Sunday, March 10 at 2 and 3:30 p.m. with the championship game at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 12.
The 9th Region girls tournament gets under way this Sunday with all four first-round games at NKU. Cooper is the two-time defending champion in that eight-team field. The Jaguars defeated district rival Ryle in the title game the last two years.
Pre-sale tickets for the 9th Region boys and girls tournaments are available at the participating schools for $8. General admission are $12 and can be purchased at the Truist Arena box office or online at Ticketmaster.com.
9TH REGION GIRLS TOURNAMENT AT NKU
Sunday
Highlands (21-8) vs. Notre Dame (20-9), 1 p.m.
Dixie Heights (18-12) vs. Ryle (19-11), 2:30 p.m.
Holy Cross (27-5) vs. St. Henry (15-14), 6:30 p.m.
Cooper (26-4) vs. Bellevue (22-9), 8 p.m.
Friday
Semifinal games, 6:30 and 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 9
Championship game, 7 p.m.
9TH REGION BOYS TOURNAMENT AT NKU
Monday
Lloyd (24-8) vs. Beechwood (16-15), 6:30 p.m.
Newport (29-3) vs. Ryle (19-11), 8 p.m,
Wednesday
Covington Catholic (25-5) vs. Dixie Heights (18-13), 6:30 p.m.
Cooper (22-8) vs. Highlands (17-15), 8 p.m.
Sunday, March 10
Semifinal games, 2 and 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 12
Championship game, 7 p.m.