By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
The first time Newport Central Catholic coach Ron Dawn took a team to the Kentucky high school boys’ state basketball tournament his son was a starting guard for the Thoroughbreds. This week, he’s returning to the state tournament after 16 years with a grandson on his roster.
That’s just one of the storylines that could make NewCath one of the fan favorites in the Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys Sweet 16 state tournament that begins Wednesday at Rupp Arena in Lexington.
The fact that the Thoroughbreds started the season with only one fulltime starter returning and that they knocked off the state’s top-ranked team in the 9th Region championship game adds even more to their accomplishment.
“I’m just so proud of these guys,” Dawn said after the regional final. “They make my job easy. They’re going to be there every day at practice and I know I can count on that. They’re going to work hard every day and they’re going to listen. It just makes it enjoyable.”
Getting their team’s first state tournament victory since 1975 is the next objective of the NewCath players. They’ll try to do that Wednesday when they take on Louisville Trinity in a first-round game at 1:30 p.m.
The last time the Thoroughbreds went to the state tournament was 2000 and they were knocked off in the first round despite a 22-point performance by coach Dawn’s son, Ronny. One of the guards on this year’s 28-4 team that hopes to make a run at the state title is Stephen Pangallo, the coach’s grandson.
“It’s actually pretty exciting and I know it’s exciting for him,” Dawn said of returning to the state tournament with his grandson on the team. “It’s something I never thought I’d have a chance to do, but it worked out good. I’m very fortunate.”
Last week, Pangallo played in the biggest victory of his grandfather’s coaching career when NewCath defeated Covington Catholic, 52-47, in the 9th Region championship game.
CovCath was the top-ranked team in the state power rankings and had won the previous four games it played against NewCath. But the Thoroughbreds pulled off the upset with 6-foor-8 senior forward Ben Weyer leading the way once again.
Weyer, a Bellarmine University recruit, had 22 points and 12 rebounds in that game to raise his team-high season averages to 21.6 and 11.4. He also blocked seven shots to help his team hold CovCath to its second lowest point total of the season.
When the season began, Weyer was the only fulltime starter returning for NewCath. Dawn built a regional championship team around him with a starting lineup that also includes four guards — seniors Eric and Brian Anderson, junior Luke Moeves and sophomore Brennan Hall.
Weyer said, “I’ve never been so happy in my life,” after winning the regional final because it meant he would end his three-year varsity career playing in his first state tournament.
“He deserves it,” Dawn said. “I know how hard Ben’s worked over the years, but I thought the biggest thing for him this year was he really became a leader of us. Everybody sees his points and rebounds and blocked shots, but some of the other things he did working with our younger guys were just as important to the team.”
Dawn and two of his assistant coaches went to the 7th Region final last week and watched Louisville Trinity come from behind to defeat St. Xavier, 52-48, in overtime to earn a state tournament berth for the third time in five years.
Trinity’s leading scorers in that game were senior guard Gabe Schmitt with 18 points and junior guard Jacob King with 14 points. Junior forward David Burton had 10 points and nine rebounds for the Shamrocks, who have won eight straight games to raise their record to 29-6.
Dawn said Trinity runs a disciplined offense that’s similar to CovCath, but the Shamrocks are a lot more athletic.
“Their point guard is so quick he makes a lot of things happen for them and they play good man-to-man defense just like CovCath,” Dawn said. “We have to be able to take care of the ball. If you turn it over, it’s easy points for them, and we can’t afford to do that.”
Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys State Basketball Tournament
at Rupp Arena, Lexington, Ky.
Wednesday – Upper bracket
Buckhorn vs. Murray, 12 p.m.
Newport Central Catholic vs. Louisville Trinity, 1:30 p.m.
Bowling Green vs. Elliott County, 6:30 p.m.
Lexington Dunbar vs. Mercer County, 8 p.m.
Thursday – Lower bracket
Lawrence County vs. Louisville Doss, 12 p.m.
South Laurel vs. Christian County, 1:30 p.m.
Mason County vs. Taylor County, 6:30 p.m.
South Oldham vs. Owensboro Catholic, 8 p.m.
Friday – Quarterfinals
Upper bracket games, 12 and 1:30 p.m
Lower bracket games, 6:30 and 8 p.m.
Saturday – Semifinals
Upper bracket game, 6:30 p.m.
Lower bracket game, 8 p.m.
Sunday
Championship game, 2 p.m.