By Terry Boehmker
NKy Tribune sports reporter
With two starting players out of action, Newport Central Catholic boys’ basketball coach Ron Dawn wasn’t sure how his team would do in Friday’s game against Holmes at BB&T Arena on the campus of Northern Kentucky University.
The fact that several other NewCath players missed school and practice this week due to illness made Dawn even more apprehensive, but his shorthanded team managed to get the job done.
NewCath defeated Holmes, 59-41, by playing well at both ends of the college-sized court. The Thoroughbreds shot 48.7 percent (19 of 39) from the field while holding Holmes to 31.4 percent (17 of 54).
“It was a good win for us,” Dawn said. “Anytime you beat Holmes it’s a good win, especially with two guys out.”
NewCath point guard Brennan Hall did not play Friday because he’s still recovering from a concussion. The team’s other missing starter was senior Brian Anderson, who is still battling a flu-like virus that has swept through the team.
But the Thoroughbreds were able to jump ahead in the opening minutes and extend their lead to 32-16 by halftime. When Holmes made a charge in the second half and sliced the margin to eight points, 45-37, NewCath responded with a 13-0 run to clinch the victory.
“I was glad to see that,” Dawn said. “We didn’t panic and did what we needed to do to push (the lead) back out.”
NewCath ended up outscoring Holmes 15-4 at the free throw line and 18-9 from behind the 3-point arc. The Thoroughbreds made five treys in the first half with junior guard Luke Moeves getting three of them.
NewCath forward Ben Weyer finished with a game-high 23 points. Dawn didn’t have the 6-foot-8 senior’s rebounding total, but he’s sure it was also in double figures.
“We said that was probably the biggest key, we had to keep (Holmes) off the boards,” Dawn said. “Even though they’re not big, they’re athletic and they go after (rebounds) so we had to do a good job on the boards.”
The Thoroughbreds also took care of the ball on offense. They committed only nine turnovers with five coming in the first half.
In the third and fourth quarters, Holmes did get three breakaway baskets off steals during an 18-8 run that got the Bulldogs back in the game. But that’s when NewCath ran off 13 straight points come away with the victory.
With 3:02 left on the clock, Holmes coach Mike Listerman called a timeout and replaced his starting players with reserves to finish out the game. The Bulldogs’ only double-figure scorer was senior guard Markel McClendon with 14 points.
NewCath enters the final week of the regular season with a 21-4 record while Holmes is 11-11. Both teams have two games remaining before the 9th Region playoffs begin.
“This region’s going to be a battle,” Dawn said. “And (Holmes) is better than what they showed (Friday). When they want to do it, they’re as good as anybody.”
HOLMES 9 7 19 6 – 41
NEWCATH 14 18 13 14 – 59
HOLMES (11-11): Miller 0 2 2, McClendon 5 1 14, Greene 4 1 9, Moore 2 0 4, Arnold 1 0 2, Commodore 4 0 8, Sterling 1 0 2. Totals: 17 4 71
NEWCATH (21-4): Weyer 9 5 23, Moeves 3 0 9, Anderson 2 6 11, Ludwig 1 0 3, Stephen Pangallo 2 2 6, Spencer Pangallo 1 0 2, Neff 1 2 5. Totals: 19 15 59.
3-pointers: H – McClendon 3. NC – Moeves 3, Anderson, Ludwig, Neff.
COVINGTON CATHOLIC 58, DIXIE HEIGHTS 31
In the first game of Friday’s double-header at BB&T Arena, CovCath outscored Dixie Heights, 34-12, in the second half to post its 10th consecutive win.
CovCath shot 53.8 percent (21 of 39) from the field compared to Dixie’s 30.5 percent (11 of 36). In the second half, Dixie made only three field goals.
The game’s leading scorer was CovCath sophomore guard C.J. Fredrick with 20 points. Senior forward Andy Flood finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and five steals.
Dixie junior forward guard Reed Bradfield had 13 points. He made four of his team’s 11 field goals.
COVCATH 14 10 16 18 – 58
DIXIE HEIGHTS 12 7 4 8 – 31
COVCATH (21-6): Fredrick 6 5 20, VonHandorf 2 2 6, Sweeney 1 1 3, Lenhof 1 0 3, Flood 7 3 17, Mayer 1 1 3, Ruthsatz 1 0 2, Zieglemeyer 1 0 2, Walter 1 0 2. Totals: 21 12 58.
DIXIE HEIGHTS (16-9): Meyer 2 0 5, Plitzuweit 1 0 3, Schreck 1 0 2, Cox 1 1 3, Bradfield 4 5 13, Schweitzer 2 0 5. Totals: 11 6 31.
3-pointers: Hunter, Plitzuweit, Schweitzer. CC – Fredrick 3, Lenhof.