By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Covington Catholic senior point guard Cash Harney will step inside Rupp Arena for the first time in his life Wednesday morning to play in the boys state basketball tournament.
“I’ve never been in that place, even as as spectator, and I think it’s going to be really amazing,” Harney said after the Colonels’ victory in the 9th Region championship game put them in the “Sweet 16” state bracket.
There’s a very good chance a large crowd will be watching Harney and his teammates take on Louisville St. Xavier in the tournament’s opening game at 11 a.m. Wednesday.
In the final statewide media poll, CovCath (31-2) was voted No. 2 and St. Xavier (26-7) No. 3. They’re considered two of the leading title contenders since top-ranked Madison Central was eliminated in the 11th Region playoffs.
If any St. Xavier coaches scouted CovCath during the 9th Region tournament games, they watched Harney put up some solid numbers to earn most valuable player honors.
His three-game totals included 51 points, 12 assists, 7 steals and 11 rebounds. He shot 60 percent (21 of 35) from the field, hitting 46 percent (6 of 13) from behind the 3-point arc.
“It wasn’t just me,” Harney said of the Colonels winning all three region games by double-digit margins. “We all played our roles. And I feel like that’s why we’re on a roll right now.”
Playing in his first state basketball tournament at Rupp Arena caps a highly successful senior year for Harney. As the football team’s quarterback, he surpassed 1,000 yards in both passing and rushing for the second consecutive season. He will join the University of Kentucky football team as a preferred walk-on and expects to play wide receiver for the Wildcats.
Harney is hoping UK football coaches will come to the state basketball tournament and see what makes him one of the best players on CovCath’s highly ranked team.
“I feel like once they see my athleticism in basketball they can trace it over to football, too.” he said. “My football coach (Eddie Eviston), said he sends football recruiters basketball clips to see how athletic I am on the court, moving differently than I am in football.”
Defense has played a major role in the CovCath basketball team’s success. The Colonels’ average margin of victory is 31.3 points, mainly because their players apply relentless pressure on opposing ball-handlers to force turnovers that often result in transition baskets.
‘Our defense creates offense,” Harney said. “Our coaches always tell us that our shooting might not always travel with us, but our defense always will. We always play hard and that’s how we win games.”
Three of the starters in CovCath’s lineup have double-figure scoring averages. The leader is senior guard Athens McGillis at 22.8, followed by junior forward Breaeden Myrick (16.9), senior forward Donovan Bradshaw (12.2) and Harney (9.8). All of them are shooting 53 percent or better from the field.
St. Xavier also has a balanced scoring attack that includes senior Jeremiah Jackson (16.5), sophomore Joshua Lindsay (14.3), senior Connor Klein (10.6), senior Jermaine Cameron (10.0) and sophomore Jordan Jackson (9.6). The Tigers’ average margin of victory is 16.3 points after winning all three of their 7th Region tournament games by double-digit margins.
This is St. Xavier’s second consecutive trip to the state tournament. The last time a CovCath team made it was 2022.
“Last week, coach (Jake) Thelen said us seniors haven’t won anything these past four years and that really lit a fire in our guys,” Harney said. “I feel like we showed that in the last three games we played. We’re scary and we’re coming in hot.”
Boys state basketball tournament at Rupp Arena
WEDNESDAY — UPPER BRACKET
Covington Catholic vs. Louisville St. Xavier, 11 a.m.
Warren Central vs. North Laurel, 1:30 p.m.
Taylor County vs. Grayson County, 6 p.m.
Danville Christian vs. Great Crossing, 8:30 p.m.
THURSDAY — LOWER BRACKET
Louisville Butler vs. Hazard, 11 a.m.
Boyd County vs. Marshall County, 1:30 p.m.
North Oldham vs. Lyon County, 6 p.m.
George Rogers Clark vs. Johnson Central, 8:30 p.m.
FRIDAY
Upper bracket quarterfinals, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Lower bracket quarterfinals, 6 and 8:30 p.m.
SATURDAY
Semifinals, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Championship game, 7:30 p.m.