By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Newport scored 32 points in the fourth quarter and defeated Conner, 79-66, in the first round of the 9th Region boys basketball tournament on Tuesday at Northern Kentucky University’s BB&T Arena.
Newport senior Tahj Harding takes the ball strong to the basket. (Photo by Dale Dawn)
The Wildcats had a 47-45 lead going into the fourth quarter and didn’t pull away until the final two minutes when they scored 10 of their last 12 points on free throws. Newport ended up with a 21-11 scoring advantage at the foul line.
Newport senior forward Tahj Harding made six free throws in the fourth quarter and finished with a game-high 29 points. He scored 18 points in the first half that ended with his team holding a 32-27 lead.
Conner tied the score, 40-40, on a 3-point basket by junior forward Jalen Scott midway through the third quarter. Newport opened up a 66-56 lead in the fourth quarter, but Conner reduced it to 67-63. That’s when the Cougars used fouls to stop the clock and the Wildcats clinched the win at the free throw line.
In the fourth quarter, Newport senior guard Donnie Miller scored 13 of his 23 points and junior guard DaeShawn White got nine of his 16 points. The Wildcats ended up shooting 50 percent from the field (26 of 52) and 77.7 percent (21 of 27) at the line.
Conner shot 47.2 percent (25 of 53) from the field and 78.6 percent (11 of 14) at the line. The Cougars’ leading scorers were Scott with 19 points, senior guard Brenden Ginn with 16 and sophomore guard Spencer Couzins with 15.
Newport (25-8) advances to the regional semifinals and plays defending champion Covington Catholic (25-5) at 8 p.m. Friday. CovCath won an earlier game between the two teams, 57-40, but Newport was missing one of its starters that night.
NEWPORT 14 18 15 32 — 79
CONNER 11 16 18 21 — 66
NEWPORT (25-8): White 4 7 16, Miller 8 6 23, McGuire 3 0 7, Garland 1 0 3, Harding 10 7 29, Sanders 0 1 1. Totals: 26 21 79.
CONNER (16-13): Hicks 3 1 7, Scott 8 0 19, Ginn 6 4 16, Marcum 3 0 6, Skiles 0 1 1, Osterbur 1 0 2, Couzins 4 5 15. Totals: 25 11 66.
3-point goals: N — Harding 2, Garland, McGuie, Miller, White. C — Scott 3, Couzins 2.
Covington Catholic 68, St. Henry 46
CovCath shot 56.3 percent (27 of 48) from the field with post players getting most of the baskets to pick up the first-round victory in the 9th Region tournament Tuesday at BB&T Arena.
CovCath guard Grant Disken tries to block a layup attempt by St. Henry’s Connor Shea. (Photo by Bob Jackson)
The defending regional and state champions led 32-18 at halftime. St. Henry opened the third quarter with a 10-2 run that cut the margin to 34-28. But the Colonels got the lead back into double-digits by the end of the quarter and kept it there.
CovCath senior forward Nick Thelen scored a game-high 20 points and junior center Michael Mayer had 14. They were a combined 15 of 21 from the field and Mayer had five assists. Junior guard Grant Disken had 13 points, six assists and three steals for the Colonels.
St. Henry shot 36.6 percent (15 of 41) from the field with two seniors, one junior and two sophomores in the starting lineup. The leading scorers were sophomore forwards Jude Bessler with 17 points and Wyatt Vieth with 15.
CovCath will take on Newport (25-8) in the regional semifinals at 8 p.m. Friday. The Colonels won the regular season game between the two teams, 57-40, on Jan. 2. If CovCath wins the rematch on Friday, it will advance to the regional final for the seventh straight year.
ST. HENRY 8 10 12 16 — 46
COVCATH 16 16 12 23 — 68
ST. HENRY (15-13); Vieth 5 4 15, Bessler 4 8 17, Shea 1 0 2, Westerbeck 3 2 8, Becker 1 0 2, Ryan 1 0 2. Totals: 15 14 46.
COVCATH (25-5): Disken 4 3 13, Moser 3 1 8, Fleek 1 0 2, Davin 1 0 3, Mayer 6 2 14, Jackson 1 0 3, Thelen 9 2 20, Green 2 0 4. Totals: 27 8 68.
3-point goals: SH — Vieth, Bessler. CC — Disken 2, Moser, Davin, Jackson.
Scott 58, Harrison County 52
Scott advanced to the semifinals of the 10th Region tournament for the third consecutive year with the first-round win over Harrison County on Tuesday at Mason County Fieldhouse.
The Eagles scored eight straight points to take a 47-37 lead early in the fourth quarter. Harrison County pulled to within four points, 54-50, with less than a minute remaining, but Scott was able to secure the win.
Scott senior guard Chad Ohmer, who missed 13 games during the regular season due to injuries, scored a game-high 19 points in Monday’s victory. Senior forwards Nathan Joyce had Michael Meister had 14 points each.
Scott (19-11) will play George Rogers Clark (25-7) in a regional semifinal game at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The two teams did not play during the regular season. If the Eagles win that game, they’ll play in the 10th Region championship game for the fifth time in the last seven years.
Walton-Verona 78, Henry County 45
Walton-Verona took a 20-9 lead in the first quarter and continued to pull away to win their first 8th Region post-season tournament game in more than 20 years.
The Bearcats (25-6) shot 53 percent from the field with nine players in the scoring column. The team leaders was senior forward Kam Pardee with 18 points, followed by seniors Dieonte Miles (12) and Grant Grubbs (10). Miles also had seven blocks and three rebounds.
Walton-Verona advances to the regional semifinals to face Spencer County (21-11) at 8 p.m. Friday at Henry County. In a regular-season game on Jan. 17, Walton-Verona defeated Spencer County, 65-45.
Regional tournament schedules
9TH REGION BOYS AT BB&T ARENA
Friday
Beechwood (28-5) vs. Cooper (25-5), 6:30 p.m.
Newport (25-8) vs. Covington Catholic (25-7), 8 p.m.
Saturday
Championship game, 7:30 p.m.
9TH REGION GIRLS AT BB&T ARENA
Wednesday
Highlands (28-4) vs. Holy Cross (22-9), 6:30 p.m.
Dixie Heights (20-10) vs. Conner (29-2), 8 p.m.
Thursday
Ryle (26-5) vs. Ludlow (22-10), 6:30 p.m.
Notre Dame (19-12) vs. Newport Central Catholic (18-10), 8 p.m.
Saturday
Semifinal games, noon and 1:30 p.m.
Monday
Championship game, 7:30 p.m.
8TH REGION BOYS AT HENRY COUNTY H.S.
Friday
Oldham County (18-13) vs. Gallatin County (27-5), 6:30 p.m.
Walton-Verona (25-6) vs. Spencer County (21-11), 8 p.m.
Saturday
Championship game, 7 p.m.
8TH REGION GIRLS AT OWEN COUNTY H.S.
Wednesday
Simon Kenton (19-11) vs. Owen County (21-6), 6:30 p.m.
Anderson County (26-6) vs. Oldham County (18-14), 8 p.m.
Thursday
Walton-Verona (24-8) vs. Gallatin County (18-13), 6:30 p.m.
South Oldham (23-7) vs. Collins (20-12), 8 p.m.
Monday
Semifinal games, 6:30 and 8 p.m.
Wednesday
Championship game, 7 p.m.
10TH REGION BOYS AT MASON COUNTY FIELDHOUSE
Friday
Campbell County (27-4) vs. Mason County (15-15), 6 p.m.
Scott (19-11) vs. George Rogers Clark (25-7), 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Championship game, 7 p.m.
10TH REGION GIRLS AT MONTGOMERY COUNTY H.S.
Wednesday
Harrison County (24-7) vs. Bourbon County (21-11), 6 p.m.
Mason County (18-12) vs. Brossart (20-10), 7:45 p.m.
Thursday
Scott (22-10) vs. Nicholas County (14-15), 6 p.m.
George Rogers Clark (21-10) vs. St. Patrick (12-15), 7:45 p.m.
Monday
Semifinal games, 6 and 7:45 p.m.
Tuesday
Championship game, 7 p.m.
