Thursday is the day for NKU.
Both NKU basketball teams will be in action Thursday evening in the Horizon League quarterfinals. The No. 4 seed NKU men (19-12) host an Oakland team they just beat in the final road game of the season at Truist Arena in a 7 p.m. tip. But the Norse have to be careful since this 13-18 Oakland team, while bowing to the Norse in Michigan, 71-66, Saturday, upset NKU 64-63 Jan. 6 in Highland Heights.
Norse men at home, women on the road in tourney hoops action Thursday.
The No. 5 seed NKU women head off to Youngstown State for a 5:30 tip in a women’s-men’s quarterfinal doubleheader with the No. 1 Penguin men hosting No. 8 Detroit Mercy at 8. The 16-13 NKU women have lost twice in close games to No. 4 seed Youngstown State, 52-51 and 59-55.
Jeremiah Israel’s focus
For those wondering if Northern Kentucky might score an unprecedented three-guard Kentucky All-Star delegation for the annual series against Indiana, with Covington Catholic’s Evan Ipsaro and Holy Cross’ Jacob Meyer sure things if they want to play, what about Lloyd Memorial’s 6-foot-3 do-everything Jeremiah Israel who has the district-winning Juggs on to Sunday’s Ninth Region semifinals. “I told them I wanted to concentrate on getting ready for college after the season,” the NKU signee said after scoring 18 second-half points to lead his team to a 56-53 overtime win against Conner Monday so he’s not going to go. Not saying Jeremiah’s the only candidate. Conner’s Landen Hamilton and Dalton Kramer and Campbell County’s Ayden Hamilton are all capable of making this Kentucky team from a guard-heavy Northern Kentucky this year.
Thomas More men’s coach Justin Ray waiting on the NAIA Selection Show to learn where the Saints will go on the postseason.
Thomas More men, women waiting on Thursday NAIA Selection Show
With losses in the Mid-South Conference Tournament over the weekend, all the Saints basketball teams can do right now is catch the NAIA Selection Shows Thursday night to see who the No. 3 women (26-3) will host at the Conner Convocation Center March 7-8 in a four-team first round and where the 24th-ranked men (22-8) will head for their first-round action those same nights.
The women’s Selection Show airs at 7 p.m, the men’s show at 8. Catch both live on the NAIA – YouTube channel.
More TMU spring sports action
With its 3-1 victory over Midway Monday, the Saints men’s volleyball team improved to 9-4 overall (3-2 in the MSC), tying for the most wins in program history . . .The TMU baseball team, down 7-1, came back for 10 unanswered runs and an 11-7 win over Goshen College to improve the Saints to 8-7 . . . With a pair of Sunday wins over Trinity Christian, 6-4 and 7-6, the Saints’ softball team stayed unbeaten at 6-0 . . . And finally, in a Rocket League Esports matchup against Miami University (Ohio), the Saints fell 3-0 to drop to 0-3 on the season.
‘Play ball’ right around the corner’
Baseball and softball always get lost in the shuffle this time of year. It’s tournament basketball time in Kentucky so everything else takes something of a back seat.
But Monday, March 13, is opening day in both with Augusta at Bellevue, Boone County at Frankfort, Calvary Christian at Holmes, St. Bernard-Elmwood Place (Ohio) at Ludlow, Cincinnati Trailblazers Home School at Newport Central Catholic, Pendleton County at Scott and Holy Cross at Villa Madonna in baseball.
Almost time to “Play Ball.”
The Northern Kentucky High School Baseball Coaches have already picked their Top Ten and it starts in a familiar place – Fort Mitchell where the Beechwood Tigers are probably well past preseason workout No. 60 in the fieldhouse. Here’s the list of top teams in Northern Kentucky which includes a Campbell County team from the 10th Region and a Simon Kenton from the Eighth as well as the eight Ninth Region teams:
1) Beechwood, 172: 2) Conner, 141; 3) Campbell County, 136; 4) Highlands, 134; 5) Ryle, 114; 6) Covington Catholic, 113; 7) St. Henry, 100; 8) Dixie Heights, 57; 9) Simon Kenton, 43, 10) Newport Central Catholic, 34.
Catcher Brice Estep one of two top Beechwood baseball players who will not be back this spring.
Beechwood Coach Kevin Gray said he didn’t expect the Tigers to be picked to repeat considering that they lost their best two players – football star/pitcher/outfielder Mitchell Berger to knee surgery in the fall and catcher Brice Estep to a South Carolina Baseball Academy.
“I was surprised at the ranking to be honest,” Kevin said, “got some big shoes to fill but boys are working their tails off.”
As for softball, we haven’t seen any rankings yet but the first batter is up March 13, as well, with Walton-Verona at Augusta, Lloyd Memorial at Conner, Cooper at Louisville Male and Pendleton County at Simon Kenton.
What makes it easier to look ahead to spring schedules in baseball and softball is that so many schools have added all weather fields as CovCath and Ludlow did since since last spring. Much better chance to get the games in these days.
Long-time sports reporter in the NKY region, Dan Weber, now reports for the NKyTribune.
