By Don Owen
NKyTribune reporter
Some will consider it a glorified dress rehearsal for an inevitable March collision in the 9th Region Tournament.
But forgive the players and coaches at Covington Catholic if they see Sunday night’s 47-32 victory over defending regional champion Cooper a bit differently. The Colonels allowed just two field goals during a 16-minute stretch and sent a message to everyone in the 9th Region that they are indeed capable of living up to their enormous preseason expectations, whether it’s late January or early March.
Cooper’s Michael Spencer (35) attempts a shot while being defended by CovCath’s Jake Walter on Sunday night. CovCath defeated Cooper, 47-32. (Photo by Dale Dawn)
Sunday’s game, part of the St. Elizabeth Healthcare Bluegrass-Buckeye Charity Classic at BB&T Arena, marked the second meeting of the season between Cooper and CovCath. The two teams had met on Dec. 23 in the King of the Bluegrass consolation game in Louisville, with Cooper pulling out a 62-59 win.
Cooper also defeated CovCath in last season’s 9th Region championship game.
“That hit hard last year, and the kids always want to avenge a loss,” CovCath head coach Scott Ruthsatz said. “It’s not a one-game season, and it has to be a constant progression of developing guys into their roles so we can make a run and be better at the end of the season. It’s a steady climb to be the best team you can be.”
Barring an upset of monumental proportions in March, it’s probable that Cooper and CovCath will clash for a third time. But that battle will happen during the 9th Region Tournament at BB&T Arena, when a trip to the state’s Sweet 16 in Lexington will be at stake.
“It was two teams that know each other very well, two very physical teams, and hats off to CovCath,” Cooper head coach Tim Sullivan said. “They made more shots, and we really struggled. We’re in a little bit of a funk right now. We’re just trying to fight through this, and it all starts at the top with the coaching staff. I need to do a better job, get the kids up and figure this out. We’re right back into district play this week with two tough games coming up, so it’s not getting any easier.”
On Sunday night, CovCath opened the game with an 8-0 run and built a 10-1 lead as Jake Walter scored a quick seven points, including a pair of dunks. C.J. Fredrick’s 3-pointer at the 1:34 mark of the first quarter extended the CovCath advantage to 18-6 and forced Cooper to call a timeout. Adam Kunkel then buried a 3-pointer to stop the CovCath momentum and Cooper trailed by nine after the opening quarter.
CovCath’s Nick Thelen dunks during the second half of Sunday night’s 47-32 win over Cooper at BB&T Arena. (Photo by Dale Dawn)
CovCath also held Kunkel — Cooper’s leading scorer at 21 points per contest — to just one field goal and five points before halftime.
“We were able to prevent Adam Kunkel from playing in space, and he does that so well and is such an outstanding player,” Ruthsatz said, noting Kunkel finished with nine points. “You can’t allow him to play in space. You have to send guys at him. You need to take him out of his rhythm because he is a great scorer and shooter when he gets going.”
With Cooper struggling to knock down shots and the game being played at a methodical pace, CovCath extended its lead to as many as 16 points in the late in the fourth quarter. Nick Thelen’s two-handed dunk with 2:28 left on the clock gave the Colonels a 42-29 advantage, and Walter later added another slam to push the lead to 45-31.
Ruthsatz scored a game-high 18 points to lead CovCath, which entered the game ranked No. 2 in the latest Northern Kentucky coaches poll. The senior guard also earned CovCath’s’ most valuable player of the game. Fredrick — who was playing while battling the flu — finished with 13 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, while the 7-foot-1 Walter added 10 points.
Walter, who made all 14 of his attempts from the floor and scored 29 points during an 89-67 win over Boone County on Wednesday, shot 4-for-5 from the field on Sunday night.
Kunkel and Blaine Walters each scored nine points to lead Cooper, which was able to convert just two total field goals during the second and third quarters combined. Senior guard Braydon Runion added seven points for the Jaguars and was named Cooper’s most valuable player of the game.
“Right now we’re not playing with a whole lot of energy on either end of the floor,” said Sullivan, whose team is currently ranked No. 1 in the Northern Kentucky coaches poll. “I thought some guys came off the bench and gave us some good minutes. Credit CovCath for getting after us, and they obviously made more shots.”
Cooper shot just 27 percent from the field and finished with a total of nine field goals. CovCath converted 45.2 percent of its shots from the field and finished with a 27-19 edge in rebounds. Thelen grabbed eight rebounds to lead CovCath, while Walter and Ruthsatz both hauled down six boards.
Proceeds from the 17th annual classic will be donated to charities on both sides of the Ohio River that serve our community — Ruth Lyon’s Children’s Fund, Neediest Kids of All, St. Elizabeth Foundation and Chicks & Chucks, a breast cancer support group.
COVCATH (47) — Fredrick 5 0 13, Fleek 0 1 1, Ruthsatz 3 10 18, Thelen 2 1 5, Walter 4 2 10. Totals: 14 14 47.
COOPER (32) — Kunkel 2 4 9, Ollier 0 3 3, Runion 2 3 7, Walters 4 0 9, Houston 1 0 3, Baker 0 1 1. Totals: 9 11 32.
