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CovCath boys basketball team wins second state championship behind Fredrick’s hot hand


By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter

LEXINGTON — Covington Catholic basketball coach Scott Ruthsatz said someone could write an inspiring book about senior guard C.J. Fredrick, who was named most valuable player in the Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Sweet 16 boys state tournament after leading the Colonels to their second state title.

Fredrick, who wasn’t good enough to be a starter on his freshman team, was the Colonels’ leading scorer in all four state tournament games, including a 73-55 win over Scott County in the championship final on Sunday before a crowd of 12,647 at Rupp Arena.

C.J. Fredrick launches a shot over a Scott County player during the state championship game (Photo by Dale Dawn)

The other four seniors in the CovCath lineup played major roles in the team’s four-game sweep, but Fredrick scoring 111 points and shooting 63 percent (35 of 55) from the field made him the standout performer.

“He’s got special talent,” Ruthsatz said.  “He was the sixth or seventh man on our freshman team, grew a little bit, but his dedication in the gym is unsurpassed. That’s a kid who just followed his roles from his sophomore year to his junior year and now here we are — best player on the floor (in the state tournament).”

Fredrick scored 32 points in the championship game, hitting 9 of 15 shots, including four 3-pointers, and converting 10 of 11 free throws. One of the people impressed with his impressive shooting performance was Scott County’s veteran coach Billy Hicks.

“We said before the game we couldn’t let Fredrick go crazy and he did,” Hicks said. “I can’t remember playing anybody in the state tournament any better than that.”

Fredrick, a University of Iowa recruit, was a finalist for Mr. Kentucky Basketball this season. That award went to someone else, but we was named Gatorade Player of the Year in Kentucky. He said neither of those individual honors mean as much to him as winning the state tournament.

“The award I wanted was a state championship, and we got it,” Fredrick said.  “Coming in as sophomores we lost in the regional championship and as juniors we lost in the regional championship. All (last) summer this was the goal. We were determined to get here. And to finally be sitting here as state champions, I’m so proud of this team.”

CovCath is the first Northern Kentucky high school to win two state basketball championships, adding this year’s trophy to the one it took home in 2014 after beating Scott County in the final. The Colonels finished the season with a 35-4 record, giving Ruthsatz a 200-48 record in seven years as head coach.

A.J. Mayer looks for an outlet pass after coming down with one of his eight rebounds for CovCath. (Photo by Dale Dawn)

The other CovCath players named to the state all-tournament team were senior point guard Aiden Ruthsatz, the head coach’s son, and senior forward A.J. Mayer, who was quarterback on the school’s Class 5A state championship football team last season.

CovCath is one of three Kentucky high schools that have won the state basketball tournament and one of the six state football titles in the same school year.

“There’s not six state champions (in basketball). There’s only one, and we’re the one,” Mayer said.  “Everybody knows we’re the best team now. We came in and killed everybody, pretty much. That’s how we wanted to do it. We wanted to prove to everybody we’re here to win it all.”

CovCath won three of its state tournament games by double-digit margins. The Colonels were able to do that in the title game because they shot 63 percent (21 of 33) from the field compared to Scott County’s 36 percent (18 of 50).

CovCath also had a 28-22 advantage on the boards.  Mayer pulled down a team-high eight rebounds, followed by his younger brother, Michael, with six and senior center Jake Walter with five. Sixteen of the 19 rebounds collected by those three players came on the defensive glass.

“After the first game down here,” Walter said, “my offensive game wasn’t really going so I was just focusing on defense the entire tournament. That’s what helped us win the championship so I’m happy.”

After five lead changes in the opening minutes of the title game, CovCath ran off eight straight points and took a 17-11 lead when Fredrick drilled a 3-point shot from NBA range.

CovCath head coach Scott Ruthsatz, right, acknowledges his team’s fans as the final seconds tick away. (Photo by Dale Dawn)

Scott County pulled to within 24-21 on a driving basket by Cooper Robb midway through the second quarter, but the Colonels responded with a 6-0 run and were up, 32-25, at the halftime break.

Fredrick scored 13 points in the third quarter when his team went 9-for-11 from the field. In the final seconds, he hit his fourth 3-pointer of the game to give CovCath a 54-43 lead.

The Colonels switched to a passing offense in the fourth quarter to eat up the clock. Scott County had to foul and CovCath made 17 of 22 free throws for most of its points in the final period.

Aiden Ruthsatz finished with 16 points and five assists to earn his spot on the all-tournament team. His older brother, Nick, was the most valuable player on CovCath’s 2014 state championship team.

“It’s special,” coach Ruthsatz said of winning a state title with both of his sons. “These are opportunities fathers and sons don’t usually get to enjoy together. I’m so proud of Aiden. Imagine, having me as his coach and Nick as his brother. But he did the job, and Nick had a lot to do with it. He helped him a lot.”

COVCATH                 18  14  22  19 — 73
SCOTT COUNTY     12   13  18  12 — 55

COVCATH (35-4): A.J. Mayer 3 5 12, Walter 3 0 6, Fredrick 9 10 32, Ruthsatz 5 5 16, Fleek 1 0 2, Davin 0 1 1, M. Mayer 0 1 1, Thelen 0 3 3. Totals: 21 25 73.

SCOTT COUNTY (37-2): Moreno 8 5 21, Robb 6 6 22, Stewart 3 1 10, Covington 1 0 2. Totals: 18 12 55.

3-pointers: CC — Fredrick 4, A.J. Mayer, Ruthsatz. SC — Robb 4, Stewart 3.

WHITAKER BANK/KHSAA SWEET 16 BOYS STATE TOURNAMENT
Wednesday — Upper bracket
Corbin 50, Estill County 40
Scott County 54, Louisville Trinity 53
Warren Central 68, Pulaski Southwestern 44
Pikeville 72, John Hardin 69 3-OT
Thursday — Lower bracket
Campbell County 82, University Heights 65
Fern Creek 69, Boyd County 67 OT
Oldham County 65, McCracken County 58
Covington Catholic 71, Owensboro Apollo 47
Friday
Scott County 73, Corbin 62
Warren Central 74, Pikeville 57
Oldham County 56, Campbell County 55
Covington Catholic 66, Fern Creek 58
Saturday
Scott County 75, Warren Central 46
Covington Catholic 67, Oldham County 28
Sunday
Championship game: Covington Catholic 73, Scott County 55


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