By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
The field is set for next week’s 9th Region boys basketball tournament and the Newport Wildcats are back in the eight-team bracket for the seventh consecutive year.
Newport defeated crosstown rival Newport Central Catholic, 45-39, in a 36th District semifinal game on Wednesday at Dayton High School to continue its streak of regional playoffs appearances.
The Wildcats (7-15) will take on Highlands (22-4) in the district final at 7 p.m. Thursday. Both teams will advance to the regional tournament along with Conner, Ryle, St. Henry, Dixie Heights, Covington Catholic and Holy Cross.
For the first time since 2009, the 9th Region boys and girls basketball tournaments will not be played at Northern Kentucky University’s BB&T Arena due to COVID-19 restrictions.
A draw at Holmes High School this weekend will determine the pairings for first-round games between the district winner and runner-up teams.
Boys first-round games will be played Monday at the home of the four district winners. Holmes will be the site for the semifinal games at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. on March 24 and the championship game at 7 p.m. on March 26.
Girls first-round games will be played March 25 at the home of the four district winners. Holmes will be the site for the semifinal games at 1 and 3:30 p.m. on March 27 and the championship game at 7 p.m. on March 29.
Newport won its boys district semifinal game at the free-throw line. The Wildcats had a 30-20 lead going into the fourth quarter and made 13 of 17 foul shots in the final period to hold off a late charge by NewCath.
Newport senior guard Alex Greene made all eight of his free throws attempts in the fourth quarter and finished with a game-high 18 points. The team’s other double-figure scorers were sophomore forward Marquez Miller with 12 points and senior guard KeAndre Nelson with 10.
Those three players combined also made five 3-point goals for the Wildcats, who finished with a 15-6 scoring advantage from behind the arc.
The leading scorer for NewCath was junior guard Joel Iles with 16 points. After being limited to six points in the first three quarters, he scored 10 of his team’s 19 points during the fourth-quarter rally that fell short.
Newport snapped a four-game losing streak with the victory. The Wildcats’ next opponent is a Highlands team riding a 13-game win streak that includes an 85-45 victory overt the Wildcats on Feb. 19.
NEWPORT 5 15 10 17 – 45
NEWCATH 5 7 8 19 – 39
NEWPORT (7-15): Nelson 3 3 10, Greene 4 8 18, Jefferson 0 2 2, Miller 5 0 12, Sanders 1 1 3. Totals: 13 14 45.
NEWCATH (9-10); Runyon 0 1 1, Dawn 1 2 5, Giesler 1 0 2, Baggett 2 0 4, Wiles 2 0 5, Butts 3 0 6, Iles 6 4 16. Totals: 15 7 39.
3-point goals: N – Greene 2, Miller 2, Nelson. NC – Wiles, Dawn.
BOYS DISTRICT TOURNAMENT SCORES
33rd – Conner 57, Boone County 55
33rd – Ryle 55, Cooper 41
34th – St. Henry 95, Ludlow 50
34th – Dixie Heights 72, Lloyd 49
36th – Newport 45, Newport Central Catholic 39
37th – Campbell County 68, Scott 57
GIRLS DISTRICT TOURNAMENT SCORES
35th – Notre Dame 66, Beechwood 24
35th – Holy Cross 56, Holmes 30
36th – Newport Central Catholic 2, Bellevue 0 (COVID cancellation)
