2/11 BBK: Cooper edges Newport on FTs

By Dan Wright

Sophomore guard Aaron Morgan made two free throws with 4.6 seconds remaining to enable Cooper to thwart Newport’s attempt at a comeback victory, defeating the Wildcats, 66-65, Saturday in Newport.

Cooper led by 12, 50-38, to start the fourth quarter, but guards JaSean Short and Cody Pearson combined for 20 points in the final quarter as Newport surged back.

Short’s layup with 9.2 seconds remaining gave Newport a 65-64 lead, but Cooper was able to regain the lead on Morgan’s free throws. Newport was unable to get off a final shot before time ran out.

Short finished with a game-high 24 points, half of those coming in the fourth quarter, and seven rebounds.

Pearson added 11, with eight in the fourth quarter.

Cooper was led by 17 points from junior forward Louis Maniacci.

Senior guard Cody Cook added 15 points and junior guard A. J. Collins 11, with both draining three 3-pointers in the first half. Cook had all three of his in the first quarter, scoring 11 points as the Jaguars jumped out to a 17-8 lead to start the game.

COOPER 17-21-12-16—66
NEWPORT 8-21-9-27—65

COOPER (14-13): Morgan 0 4 4, Henderson 0 2 2, Cook 6 0 15, Collins 4 0 11, Hathorn 0 3 3, Webster 1 10 12, Maniacci 7 3 17, Shelton 1 0 2. Totals 19 22 66.

NEWPORT (13-12): JaS. Short 9 6 24, JaQ. Short 3 0 7, An. Merrill 1 0 2, Guilkey 1 0 2, Engram 1 2 4, Au. Merrill 1 0 2, Richardson 2 0 4, Commodore 3 0 9, Pearson 5 1 11. Totals 26 9 65.

3-pointers: Cooper- Cook 3, Collins 3. Newport- Commodore 3, Q. Short.

ST. HENRY 50, LUDLOW 44 – Senior forward Mitchell Kuebbing and junior guard Darius Meiman combined for 12 second-quarter points, propelling St. Henry past Ludlow.

The Crusaders trailed by five, 14-9, entering the second quarter, but outscored the Panthers, 19-9, to move ahead, 28-23.

Meiman finished with a game-high 13 points while Kuebbing had 11.

Senior forward Drew Gaiser scored 11 points to lead Ludlow.

Ludlow made eight three pointers in the game, including three in the third quarter by Jerad Howard, Geoffrey Thornsburg, and Doug Wright.

The Panthers were 0-4 from the foul line, while St. Henry was 14-22.

LUDLOW 14-9-13-8—44
at ST. HENRY 9-19-13-9—50

LUDLOW (10-13): Yates 1 0 2, Howard 4 0 9, Thornsburg 4 0 10, Cody 3 0 7, Gaiser 4 0 11, Wright 2 0 5. Totals 18 0 44.

ST. HENRY (12-11): Best 1 0 3, Schwarte 0 2 2, Dedden 1 1 3, McLaughlin 1 1 3, Gripshover 3 1 7, Wischer 1 0 2, Carr 2 2 6, Kuebbing 4 3 11, Meiman 4 4 13. Totals 17 14 50.

3-pointers: Ludlow- Gaiser 3, Thornsburg 2, Howard, Cody, Wright. St. Henry- Best, Meiman.

HOLY CROSS 48, CONNER 37 – Holy Cross limited Conner to just 12 points in the second half, including two in the third quarter, to win its 13th straight game.

Senior guard Jake Burger scored all 15 of his points in the second half, scoring seven of the Indians’ eight points in the third quarter and adding eight more in the fourth.

Junior guard Christian McClendon followed with 14 points, also securing four steals.

Junior forward Samuel Hemmerich led Conner with 15 points.

The 13-game winning streak matches Indians streak from earlier this season, with only a 64-53 loss to Holmes on Jan. 12 separating the two.

HOLY CROSS 11-11-8-18—48
at CONNER 17-8-2-10—37

HOLY CROSS (27-2): Gabbard 3 0 9, Burger 6 2 15, Fortner 1 0 2, Chames 1 0 3, M. McClendon 0 3 3, Cox 1 0 2, C. McClendon 4 5 14. Totals 16 10 48.

CONNER (8-16): Riddle 0 2 2, Byrns 1 0 2, Huff 3 1 7, Lamblez 1 0 2, Padget 1 1 3, Barker 3 0 6, Hemmerich 6 3 15. Totals 15 7 37.

3-pointers: Holy Cross- Gabbard 3, Burger, Chames, C. McClendon. Conner- none.

NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC 60, BEECHWOOD 43 – Senior guard Brady Hightchew fueled rallies with seven points in the second quarter and eight in the fourth.

Junior guard Michael Bueter added eight of his 12 points in the second quarter, when NewCath outscored Beechwood, 23-10, to open up a 34-18 halftime lead.

Senior guard Cameron Vocke scored nine of his 17 points in the third quarter, draining both his 3-pointers in the game, as Beechwood pulled back to within 10, 46-36.

Hightchew, who finished with a game-high 19 points, helped NewCath regain control in the fourth quarter, as NewCath doubled up on Beechwood in the final quarter.

NEWCATH 11-23-12-14—60
at BEECHWOOD 8-10-18-7—43

NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC (17-7): Bueter 5 1 12, Hightchew 6 7 19, Seibert 6 2 14, Miller 3 0 6, Morse 2 1 5, Schulte 2 0 4. Totals 24 11 60.

BEECHWOOD (6-16): Cruse 4 2 11, Maus 3 3 9, Markesberry 1 0 2, Prewitt 2 0 4, Vocke 5 5 17. Totals 15 10 43.

3-pointers: Newport Central Catholic- Bueter. Beechwood- Vocke 2, Cruse.