By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Covington Catholic forward Donovan Bradshaw continued his impressive debut as a varsity starter on Tuesday when he scored a game-high 22 points in his team’s 64-53 win at Simon Kenton.
The 6-foot-5 junior has been a double-figure scorer in every game for the 4-1 Colonels and he wasted no time doing it Tuesday. He netted 17 points in the first half by going 7-for-7 from the field and 3-for-4 at the foul line.
CovCath shot 71.4 percent (15 of 21) from the field during the first half to take a 38-30 lead. The Colonels connected on just 33.3 percent (8 of 24) in the second half, but they remained on top.
The Colonels ended up shooting 51.7 percent with 17 assists in the victory. It was a much better offensive performance than they had in a 70-61 loss to Great Crossing last Saturday. They shot 36.9 percent with 11 assists in that game against the state’s top-ranked team in one preseason coaches poll.
On Tuesday, CovCath took a 33-19 lead on a 3-point goal by junior guard Athens McGillis in the second quarter. Simon Kenton (2-3) trimmed the margin to 38-30 at halftime and pulled to within five points several times in the second half.
When Simon Kenton got to within five points, 53-48, late in the fourth quarter, CovCath sophomore Teagan Stava scored off a steal and then hit a 3-point shot to make it 58-48 with 1:17 remaining.
CovCath’s other double-figure scorers were McGillis and junior point guard Cash Harney with 17 and 14 points. In the first half, Bradshaw and McGillis provided 31 of the Colonels’ 38 points and Harney got five of his eight assists.
Simon Kenton shot 45.7 percent (21 of 46) from the field on its home court, but the Pioneers committed 25 turnovers and went 8-of-14 at the free throw line. Senior center Bode Stone did post a double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds. He also blocked three shots.
It was the third straight loss for the Pioneers, who will face Holy Cross (3-1) in the opening round of the Scott Winter Classic at 5 p.m. Saturday. CovCath’s next game is against St. Vincent-St. Mary of Ohio at 7:30 p.m. Friday in a holiday tournament at McNicholas High School in Cincinnati.