By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Covington Catholic missed two 3-point shots in the final seconds and lost to Warren Central, 61-58, in the semifinals of the UK HealthCare/KHSAA “Sweet 16” boys state basketball tournament on Saturday at Rupp Arena.
Warren Central scored six straight points to take a 59-56 lead with 41 seconds remaining on the clock. After both teams converted a pair of free throws to make it 61-58, CovCath got the ball with 11 seconds left needing a 3-point goal to tie it.
CovCath junior point guard Evan Ipsaro makes his way around Malik Jefferson of Warren Central on a drive to basket. (Photo by Dale Dawn)
Junior guard Evan Ipsaro dribbled up the court and took a 3-point shot that rolled off the rim. The ball went to sophomore guard Brady Hussey in the left corner, but his shot bounced high off the rim and Warren Central got the rebound as the final horn sounded.
Warren Central (29-3) went on to play George Rogers Clark (36-1) in the 7 p.m. state championship game. CovCath finishes the season with a 30-5 record.
Ipsaro, who limped off the court after injuring his ankle in the fourth quarter of CovCath’s quarterfinal game, scored 30 points in the season-ending loss. He made all nine of his free throws and went 21 of 21 from the line in the state tournament.
Hussey had 10 points, but CovCath’s other three starters scored a combined total of 16, making just five of 13 field goal attempts.
The Colonels shot 48 percent (11 of 23) from the field in the first half that ended with them holding a 34-25 lead. In the second half, they shot 36 percent (8 of 22) and were outscored, 36-24, by the Dragons.
CovCath made it to the state semifinals for the fourth time in nine years. Two previous teams advanced to the championship game and won state titles in 2014 and 2018.
CovCath junior Chandler Starks attacks the basket with Chappell Whitney of Warren Central guarding him. (Photo by Dale Dawn)
It looked like the Colonels were headed back to the title game when they outscored Warren Central, 20-12, in the second quarter to take a 34-25 halftime lead. Ipsaro had 11 points during that period to give him 22 at the break.
Warren Central tied the score, 43-43, with an 18-9 run of its own in the third quarter. The players who did all of the Dragons’ scoring in that quarter were junior forward Chappell Whitney with 12 points and senior guard Jaiden Lawrence with six.
The same two players accounted for 11 of their team’s 18 points in the fourth quarter. Whitney finished with 21 points and Lawrence had 15.
CovCath senior center Mitchell Rylee’s only points were four free throws. He didn’t have any field goal attempts in his final high school game. Junior forward Chandler Starks finished with six points, 10 rebounds and four assists for the Colonels.
In Saturday’s other semifinal game, top-ranked George Rogers Clark edged Lincoln County, 54-51, in double overtime. The championship game also came down to the wire with Clark edging Warren Central, 43-42.
Eleven of the 15 games in this year’s state tournament were decided by eight points or less and the final margin in eight of those was four points or less.
COVCATH 14 20 9 15 – 58
WARREN CENTRAL 13 12 18 18 – 61
COVCATH (30-5): Ipsaro 10-22 9-9 30, Hussey 3-7 1-2 10, Rylee 0-0 4-4 4, Starks 3-6 0-0 6, McGillis 2-7 0-0 6, Jones 1-1 0-0. Totals: 19-45 14-15 58.
WARREN CENTRAL (29-3): Walkup 2-3 1-1 5, Villafuerte 1-4 0-0 3, Lawrence 4-9 4-5 15, Glover 2-6 4-4 8, Whitney 10-17 0-0 21, Farley 0-0 1-2 1, Unseld 2-3 2-2 8. Totals: 21-42 12-14 61
3-point goals: CC — Hussey 3, McGillis 2, Ipsaro. WC — Lawrence 3, Unseld 2, Whitney, Villafuerte.
CovCath teammates Evan Ipsaro, left, and Mitchell Rylee walk off the court together after the season-ending loss to Warren Central. (Photo by Dale Dawn)
