Beechwood basketball fans rush the court to celebrate with players after their team’s first win over Covington Catholic in 10 years. (Photo by Dale Dawn)
By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Sophomore guard Scotty Draud’s game-winning shot on Friday could boost the image of the Beechwood boys basketball program to new heights.
With six seconds left, Draud drained a 3-point goal from the top of the key that gave the Tigers a 49-48 win over defending state champion Covington Catholic in front of a sell-out crowd at Beechwood.
In this week’s Associated Press state basketball poll, CovCath was ranked No. 5 and Beechwood didn’t get a single vote. But the Tigers have to be considered a serious contender for the 9th Region title after Friday’s stunning upset.
Beechwood sophomore guard Scotty Draud, right, protects the ball against CovCath defender Jay Jackson. (Photo by Dale Dawn)
“We haven’t put ourselves in that conservation for quite a long time,” said Beechwood coach Erik Goetz. “Where we are, I don’t know. The 9th Region is loaded with some of the best teams in the state. We just want to be in the conversation, and this win might have kept us there.”
The last time Beechwood defeated CovCath was in the 2009 35th District playoffs. The Colonels won the next 11 games between the two teams, including a 79-43 victory in last year’s district playoffs that ended the Tigers’ season.
That’s why Beechwood fans swarmed the court after the final horn sounded in Friday’s district seeding game.
“It was crazy,” Draud said of the celebration after the game. “It’s the first time we beat CovCath in a long time and I’m just happy we could pull it out.”
CovCath took a 44-38 lead with 3:34 left in the fourth quarter, but Beechwood ran off five straight points to make it a one-point game. After a field goal extended the Colonels’ lead to 46-43, the Tigers called a timeout with 44 seconds left.
With fans on their feet cheering wildly, Beechwood senior forward C.J. Brannen hit a 3-pointer that tied the score. But CovCath senior forward Nick Thelen made two free throws that put his team back on top, 48-46.
Beechwood called a timeout with 23 seconds remaining to set up a play. Brannen was supposed to attack the basket, but he couldn’t find an open lane. The ball went to Draud instead and he got off a 3-point shot with a defender in his face that dropped through the net.
Beechwood senior forward C.J. Brannen, left, drives to the basket against Tyler Fleek of CovCath. (Photo by Bob Jackson)
“The play was for C.J. to drive and take a two-pointer, but I said if he doesn’t get there to kick me the ball and I’d make the shot,” Draud said. “I just blocked (the defender) out and sunk it. I had to bring it over to my side a little bit, but the rest is history.”
The Colonels called a timeout after Draud’s basket and the officials put six seconds on the clock. CovCath junior guard Grant Disken rushed up the court and missed an off-balance desperation shot as time expired.
Draud finished with 16 points, eight below his season average. But his teammates picked up the slack in the low-scoring game. Brannen had 11 points and Aidan Bieger had 10 coming off the bench.
Brannen, who sat out the Tigers’ overtime loss to Conner on Tuesday with an ankle injury, scored six of his team’s last 12 points in Friday’s victory.
“I thought he struggled for most of the night, but like I’ve said about him for two years now, he’s a closer,” coach Goetz said. “He’s got a knack down the stretch for making big shots and making big plays.”
Beechwood shot 47.6 percent (20 of 42) from the field with seven 3-point goals. CovCath shot 38.6 percent (17 of 44) with two treys. The Colonels had a 27-24 rebounding advantage, but they only had six second-chance points off offensive rebounds during the second half.
“Our whole philosophy was to get the ball inside and pound it,” said CovCath coach Scott Ruthsatz. “I guess they did a good job of defending. We were just missing shots and weren’t able to get second-chance points. And that really hurt us coming down the stretch.”
Thelen posted a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Colonels. He made four free throws in the fourth quarter when his team scored just eight points in the final eight minutes.
“I thought down the stretch in the fourth quarter when it was gut-check time we got the 50-50 balls and pass deflections and rebounds that we needed out of a lot of different guys,” Goetz said.
COVCATH 6 17 17 8 — 48
BEECHWOOD 11 10 12 16 — 49
COVCATH (18-6): Disken 5 0 11, Moser 1 1 4, Fleek 1 1 3, Thelen 5 8 18, Green 4 2 10, Jackson 1 0 2,. Totals: 17 12 48.
BEECHWOOD (21-4): Bieger 4 0 10, Deatherage 1 0 2, Brannen 4 1 11, Draud 7 0 16, Schilling 1 1 4, Baugh 3 0 6. Totals: 20 2 49.
Three-pointers: CC – Disken, Moser. B – Brannen 2, Draud 2, Bieger 2, Schilling.
