By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM
Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter
HIGHLAND
HEIGHTS – They may have hit their main goal playing on this floor.
But the
Highlands Bluebirds basketball team hoped to take another step and upset a 9th
Region contender in the quarterfinals at the Bank of Kentucky Center on the
Northern Kentucky University campus. It was not meant to happen as the Holmes
Bulldogs pulled away for a 60-41 victory Friday.
“Our kids definitely played their basketball at the
end of the year,” said Kevin
Listerman, Highlands Head Coach. “It was
very, very satisfying. It took me a long time to figure out what we do best and
how to use the pieces. Once we did and the kids got comfortable, we looked like
a completely different ball club.”
The
Bluebirds (9-15) decided to spread teams out and attack from all angles. But
Holmes (27-5) had the size and speed to make things tough, especially near the
rim.
Parker
Harris was the lone Highlands player to reach double-digits. He finished with
13 points and Brandon Hergott finished with nine.
“We started to get going then we struggled because we
were outmatched at times,” Hergott
said. “But we still found ways to get it
done this season. We couldn’t jump with (the Bulldogs) down low.”
This marked
the last game for six Highlands seniors. They are Hergott, Drew Houliston, Alex
Shepherd, Brendan Buten, Ryan Greene and Luke Brockett.
“We hope we were good role models and I think the
foundation is down for the effort that we gave,” Houliston said. “We
hope the program keeps getting better and the younger guys get back here and
get a win here. We laid it all out there for each other. I’ll miss these guys a
lot.”
Holmes saw
three players reach double-digits. Junior point guard James “Beetle” Bolden led
the way with 19 points making three three-pointers. Posts Marcus Hill and
Quinton Chames followed with 16 and 10 respectively.
“Our bigs are playing very well,” said Jason Booher, Holmes Head Coach. “In the month of February, they didn’t play
like this. A lot of teams we play don’t play above the rim like they do. That’s
an advantage there with their athleticism.”
The
Bulldogs won the rebounding battle, 34-19. Chames led everyone with 13 for a
double-double and Hill had eight.
“They’re tremendous on the glass and we knew that,” Listerman said. “We
knew that was one of our weaknesses. We battled, but it wasn’t enough to close
the gap. It’s a matter of us getting basketball-better over the next five, six
months and we’ll do that.”
Holmes made
22-of-49 shots for 45 percent including five three-pointers compared to
12-of-37 for 32 percent for Highlands. The Bluebirds made just three triples
all in the second half.
“We knew they were going to try to dribble-drive or
kick it out to shoot the three,”
Booher said. “I thought if they shot 23
threes and made nine or 10 of them, they’d have a shot at beating us. The good
thing at halftime is they were 0-for-3 in three-pointers. I told them we
guarded the perimeter the way we wanted.”
Highlands
did shoot free throws better. The Bluebirds made 14-of-20 for 70 percent
compared to 9-of-15 for 60 percent for the Bulldogs.
The game
stayed close for most of the first half. Bolden hit a three-pointer to start
the game. Highlands pulled within a point three times including 10-9 with 1:43
remaining in the first quarter when Hergott hit a jumper.
Following
another Bolden triple, Buten hit a jumper in the center with two seconds left.
Holmes led 13-11 after the first quarter.
Harris had
an offensive putback to tie the game at 13 to start the third quarter before
Daequan Glover made a three to give Holmes the lead for good. Highlands trimmed
the margin to one twice in the second quarter that saw a Harris dunk.
Hergott hit
two free throws to make the score 23-19 in favor of Highlands with 3:43
remaining in the half. But Holmes finished the half with an 8-0 run to go up
31-19 at halftime. Hill scored four points during that run.
“They are a very difficult team to match up with,” Listerman said. “They
have weapons all over the place. They handle the ball so well and are very
athletic. You have to pick your battles.”
The teams
stayed even in the third quarter scoring eight each. Highlands trimmed the lead
to 10 twice in the fourth quarter. Justin Weyer hit a jumper with 4:15 left
trimming the Holmes lead to 47-37. But the Bulldogs hit their free throws to
pull away after that.
The
Bulldogs advanced to the semifinals to face Dixie Heights. Game time is 1:30
p.m. Sunday.
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