By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Losing four of five games over a two-week period didn’t crack the confidence of the Covington Catholic boys basketball team. The Colonels shook off the setbacks and won three games in four days this week to remain among the top teams in the 9th Region.
CovCath capped the 3-0 streak Friday with a 47-43 home court win over Newport, the two-time defending region champion, in front of a capacity crowd. It was the second-lowest point total of the season for the Colonels (18-6), but they offset that with their defensive effort.
“We’re a special team, and it’s only going to get better for the postseason,” said CovCath junior guard Chase Harney. “We’ve got a lot of grit.”
Harney received the most valuable player medallion from game sponsor St. Elizabeth Healthcare. He had one field goal and two assists during a crucial 11-3 run in the fourth quarter that put CovCath ahead, 44-34, with less than two minutes remaining.
After Newport sliced the margin to 46-43 with three seconds left, CovCath junior guard Athens McGillis made a free throw to clinch the victory.
McGillis finished with a team-high 15 points, followed by Harney with 12. Newport also had a pair of double-figure scorers in senior guards Yamil Rondon and DaShawn Anderson with 15 and 12 points.
But the Wildcats were 5-of 29 from the field in the second half when they were outscored, 25-19, by the home team. Another stat that irritated Newport coach Rod Snapp was getting a combined total of eight points from 6-foot-7 post players James Turner and Griffin Starks, who both have double-figure averages.
Newport opened the game with a 7-0 run and had a 15-8 lead at the end of the first quarter. CovCath responded with a 14-9 rally in the second quarter that cut the Wildcats’ lead to 24-22 at halftime.
McGillis and Harney scored 12 of their team’s 14 points during the rally, but CovCath coach Jake Thelen was not happy at halftime and let his players know it.
“Coach Thelen got us fired up in the locker room and that’s what we needed,” Harney said. “We needed to come out on fire and that’s what we did.”
In the third quarter, Newport went 1-of-11 from field and committed five turnovers against CovCath’s amped up defense. The period ended with the Colonels ahead, 31-29, and they maintained a lead the rest of the way.
Early in the fourth quarter, Turner had a dunk bounce off the back of the rim that triggered a fast break by CovCath senior guard Nolan Ruthsatz.
He was fouled while making a layup and converted the free throw to get the first points in his team’s game-changing 11-3 scoring run.
“I thought our guys made some tough plays down the stretch to win the game,” coach Thelen said. “I thought we rebounded really well, which was a big key for us. And we had to defend, which I think we did a really nice job of.”
CovCath won the battle on the boards, 32-31, with 6-foot-5 junior center Donovan Bradshaw snagging a game-high eight rebounds.
The Colonels’ defensive standout was Ruthsatz, a 6-foot-1 guard who battled Newport’s taller players under the basket.
“Nolan does an awesome job,” coach Thelen said. “He always gives you 100 percent every night. He gets rebounds, deflections, live ball stops … I just think he truly accepts his role and just does whatever the team needs to help get the win.”
CovCath ended up shooting 42.1 percent (16 of 38) from the field compared to Newport’s 30 percent (15 of 50). At the free throw line, the Colonels made 11 of 17 while the Wildcats hit 12 of 20.
COVCATH 8 14 9 16 — 47
NEWPORT 15 9 5 14 — 43
COVCATH (18-6): McGillis 4 4 15, Gaiser 1 2 4, Harney 5 1 12, Stewart 0 1 1, Carroll 1 0 2, Bradshaw 2 2 6, Stava 1 0 2, Ruthsatz 2 1 5. Totals: 16 11 47.
NEWPORT (14-9): Anderson 4 4 12, Turner 2 1 5, Starks 1 1 3, Rondon 6 2 15, Nichols 0 2 2, Lowe 2 2 6. Totals: 15 12 43.
Three-point goals: CC — McGillis 3, Harney. N — Rondon.