By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
St. Henry will return to the All “A” Classic boys state basketball tournament to defend its title after getting past Holy Cross, 58-54, in the 9th Region championship game on Saturday at Newport Central Catholic.
After a flurry of lead changes in the third and fourth quarters, St. Henry came out on top by scoring its final four points in pressure-packed bonus free throw situations. Senior guard Ryan Butler secured the victory by making a pair of foul shots with 10.8 seconds remaining.
Jacob Meyer of Holy Cross tries to get off a shot against Cody Teten of St. Henry. (Photo by Dale Dawn)
The All “A” Classic boys and girls state tournaments at Eastern Kentucky University were postponed until Feb. 15-21 because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Crusaders (5-1) will play Owensboro Catholic in a first-round game, but the day and time has not yet been set.
Last year, St. Henry was the only boys basketball team in Kentucky that won a state championship trophy because the postseason “Sweet 16” state tournament was canceled in the early stages of the pandemic.
To earn a return trip to the small-school state tournament, the Crusaders survived three close games in this week’s 9th Region playoffs, and Holy Cross (3-3) gave them their toughest test.
St. Henry opened the region final by hitting 3-point goals on four of its first seven possessions to take a 12-3 lead. The Crusaders were ahead, 22-13, when the first quarter ended.
Early in the second quarter, a trey by St. Henry senior guard Wyatt Vieth gave his team its biggest lead, 25-13, but the Holy Cross players maintained their composure and trimmed the margin to 33-25 at halftime.
Senior forward Jude Bessler made three of St. Henry’s nine 3-point goals. (Photo by Dale Dawn)
Holy Cross started the third quarter with an 11-2 run and took its first lead of the game, 36-35, on a 3-point goal by senior guard Blake Robinson, who made five treys during the game.
The lead changed hands 10 times before St. Henry opened up a 56-52 lead on a pair of bonus free throws by Vieth with less than two minutes remaining. A basket in the lane by Holy Cross senior Jeremiah Hicks made it a two-point game once again, but the Indians missed two free throws and a field goal on their next two possessions.
After Butler made two free throws to restore his team’s four-point lead, Holy Cross was charged with an offensive foul on the ensuing inbounds play. St. Henry turned the ball over on its final possession and Holy Cross missed a 3-point shot just before the final horn sounded.
Vieth took game-high scoring honors with 19 points, followed by Holy Cross sophomore guard Jacob Meyer with 17 and Robinson with 15.
St. Henry senior forward Jude Bessler was named the tournament’s most valuable player. He scored all 11 of his points in the second half when he made four of the team’s eight field goals, including three 3-pointers.
ST. HENRY 22 11 10 15 – 58
HOLY CROSS 13 12 17 12 – 54
ST. HENRY (5-1): Shea 3 0 8, Vieth 7 4 19, Ryan 0 1 1, Bessler 4 0 11, Butler 1 2 5, Ravenscraft 2 0 6, Fedders 0 2 2, Teten 3 0 6. Totals: 20 9 58.
HOLY CROSS (3-3): McClendon 5 0 10, Meyer 7 3 17, Robinson 5 0 15, Arlinghaus 1 0 2, Hicks 3 4 10. Totals: 21 7 54
3-pointers: SH – Bessler 3, Shea 2, Ravenscraft 2, Butler, Vieth. HC – Robinson 5.
St. Henry guard Ryan Butler drives to the basket against Dylan Arlinghaus of Holy Cross (Photos by Dale Dawn)
St. Henry forward Jude Bessler eyes the basket after slipping past a defender.
Holy Cross guard Brandon McClendon adjusts his shot to avoid a block.
With masks in place, St. Henry players hoist the championship trophy.
