By Terry Boehmker & Jake Dickman
NKyTribune sports
What does it take to beat Covington Catholic?
That’s a question that nagged Conner boys basketball teams for the last 13 seasons before they finally found a solution on Tuesday when the Cougars visited CovCath and came away with a 74-68 victory.
Conner senior guard Dalton Kramer leads a fast break during the win at CovCath. (Photo by Bob Jackson)
Conner snapped a 15-game losing streak against the Colonels that began in the 2008-09 season. The Cougars also became the first Northern Kentucky team to win a game on CovCath’s home court since 2013.
With five seniors in the starting lineup, Conner was able to outscore the Colonels, 37-21, in the second and third quarters to take a 53-38 lead.
CovCath mounted a comeback in the fourth quarter, but Conner’s experienced players didn’t panic and upset the team that was ranked No. 2 in the state in a poll of media members from 16 regions.
It was the fourth consecutive win for the Cougars, who lifted their record to 10-4. CovCath is now 12-2 with its other loss coming to a Florida team during a holiday tournament.
Conner shot 43 percent (21 of 49) from the field compared to CovCath’s 36 percent (25 of 64). The Cougars outscored the home team, 25-10, at the free throw line to offset the Colonels’ 12-7 advantage in 3-point goals.
The game’s leading scorers were CovCath senior guards Evan Ipsaro with 24 points and Kascyl McGillis with 23. Ipsaro also had nine rebounds and eight assists.
Conner had three senior guards score in double figures. Dalton Kramer had 21, followed by Landen Hamilton (20) and Ayden Lohr (11). The Cougars’ leading rebounders were Kramer and senior forward Daniel Campbell with eight each. Campbell also had one of his team’s four blocked shots.
Landen Hamilton of Conner tries to block a shot by CovCath guard Brady Hussey. (Photo by Bob Jackson)
The second quarter started with Conner going on a 9-3 run. The Colonels battled back to tie at 25-25, but they only managed to score one more point in the quarter and found themselves trailing, 33-26, at the half.
Hamilton and Kramer led Conner’s 20-12 scoring surge in the third quarter. It started with a 10-1 run when Hamilton scored the 1,000th point of his career to earn the game ball.
“He’s one of the hardest workers,” said Conner coach Matt Otte. “He deserves it.”
The highlight of the third quarter, and probably the game, was a behind-the-back pass from Kramer to Lohr, who finished with a nice jam at the rim. That was one of the plays that gave Conner a 15-point lead, 53-38, going into the fourth quarter.
Ipsaro and McGillis led a CovCath rally that trimmed the margin to four in the final seconds. Coach Otte said his team “made enough free throws to hold on” and the Cougars got a standing ovation from their fans after the final horn sounded.
COVCATH 17 9 12 30 — 68
CONNER 16 17 20 21 — 74
COVCATH (12-2): Ipsaro 9 3 24, A. McGillis 1 0 3, K. McGillis 7 4 23, Hussey 1 1 4, Link 2 0 4, Detzel 2 0 6, Jones 1 2 4. Totals: 23 10 68.
CONNER (10-4): Hamilton 5 9 20, Kramer 5 7 21, Lohr 4 2 11, Henson 1 0 3, Campbell 1 4 6, Fay 2 2 6, Reece 3 1 7. Totals: 21 25 74.
Three-point goals: COV — K. McGillis 5, Ipsaro 3, Detzel 2, Hussey, A. McGillis. CON — Kramer 4, Hamilton, Lohr, Henson.
Conner coach Matt Otte clutches a towel while watching his team’s tense upset victory over CovCath. (Photo by Bob Jackson)
Conner guard Daniel Campbell maneuvers around a CovCath defender. (Photo by Bob Jackson)
