The Cooper girls basketball team fought through the difficult challenge of playing four games in four days defeating Meade County, 59-42 to win the Queen of the Commonwealth Tournament at Bullitt East.
Cooper has held eight opponents to 42 points or fewer this season. The Jaguars (9-3) are 8-0 in those games and 1-3 when teams score 54 or more points against them.
“That (defense) really helped us throughout this whole tournament because our legs heavy, especially later in the week,” Cooper head coach Justin Holthaus said. “Some of those jump shots and other shots that typically fall just weren’t falling for us. We kind of just said, ‘Let’s keep hanging our hat on defense and guarding.’ A lot of that starts with Maleah Alexander. She’s kind of our defensive stopper and gives us energy. She brought it all four nights there. When you get an honest night on defense every night out of your kids, you’re going to have a good shot at winning games.”
The three all-tournament selections led the way for Cooper. Posts Logan Palmer and Bella Deere scored 16 and 14, respectively, and Liz Freihofer scored 11. Alexander added nine.
“It’s definitely shown how we’ve become a tougher team,” Freihofer said. “Over these last couple years, we’ve definitely built a family atmosphere in our program and it’s been really cool getting to know each other not only on the court playing with each other, but off the court, which really helps us to play well together. The relationships lead to good team chemistry.”
Cooper hosts Ashland Blazer on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
Girls Basketball
Central 54, Scott 31
The Eagles lost in their bid for the title at the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Swishmas Tournament at Tates Creek in Lexington.
Nakiah Mejia led Scott with 12 points and Kaia Peterson made the all-tournament team.
Scott (7-2) takes on Mercer County in the 4 Bank Winter Classic at Garrard County on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
Newport Central Catholic 65, Oldenburg Academy (Indiana) 59
The Thoroughbreds moved above .500 at 4-3 on the season with the home win.
“Our girls have been really aggressive all year and (Friday) they were again the entire 32 minutes,” NewCath head coach Dan Albrinck said. “Toward the end, they stayed calm, hit free throws and made big plays in the final minutes. This was a good win for us.”
Caroline Eaglin once again led NewCath with 28 points. Eaglin had nice help as Jaylee Brannen scored 10 and Delaney Green added eight.
“We just have to get the ball around a lot,” Brannen said. “If we keep passing it, everyone is going to get a chance to shoot it, take it in or anything. Caroline is going to get the ball to you or she is going to take it in. She does a lot for our team and everyone else is going to keep putting the pieces together.”
NewCath takes on Ludlow in the Stephanie Wilson Memorial Tournament on Thursday at 3 p.m.
Simon Kenton 58, DuPont Manual 51
The Pioneers finished 2-2 in the Queen of the Commonwealth Tournament at Bullitt East with the win.
Anna Kelch earned a spot on the all-tournament team scoring 21 points and Haylie Webb scored 12.
Simon Kenton (9-3) does not play again until Jan. 3 at home against Scott at 7:30 p.m.
Campbell County 50, Boone County 35
The Camels won their fifth straight in the home non-region game.
Izzy Jayasuriya once again led Campbell County with 21 points and Madeleine Barbian scored 13. Both made three three-pointers.
Boone County saw just three players score. Joslyn Humphrey scored 13 points to lead the way with Lyric Hooper and Mya Bennett scoring 11 each.
Campbell County (7-1) takes on Bryan Station in the Giovanni’s Pizza Holiday Classic at Berea on Thursday at 5:15 p.m. The Rebels (3-6) travel to Woodford County on Thursday for a 2:30 p.m. game.
Bishop Brossart 49, Ursuline Academy (Ohio) 23
The Mustangs found themselves back on the winning track besting the Lions in the Queen City Christmas Classic at Archbishop McNicholas (Ohio).
Rachel Shewmaker led the Mustangs with 16 points and Zoee Meyers scored 15. Shewmaker leads Brossart averaging 14.8 points per game.
Brossart (7-2) travels to Raceland on Thursday for the Ryan Keeton ExP Realty Ohio River Classic at 5:15 p.m.
Dixie Heights 63, Paul Laurence Dunbar 36
The Colonels broke a three-game losing streak with a convincing win in the White, Greer and Maggard Holiday Classic at Lexington Catholic.
Dixie Heights shot 49% from the field and made an astounding 18-of-22 free throws for 82%. Avery Moore and Bella Crawford led the Colonels with 13 and 12 points respectively. Abby Thelen added 10 rebounds.
Dixie Heights (5-4) takes on Henry Clay at 1:45 p.m. back at LexCath on Saturday.
Archbishop McNicholas (Ohio) 39, Notre Dame 37
The Pandas lost for the first time this season in the Queen City Christmas Classic to the host Rockets.
McNich made nine three-pointers and Notre Dame made none out of 12 attempts. Sophia Gibson and Maya Lawrie led the Pandas with 18 and 10 points respectively.
The Pandas (8-1) travel to Nashville to take on Siegel (Tennessee) in the Zaxby’s Christmas Classic on Thursday at Christ Presbyterian Academy located on Nashville’s south side.
Other Girls Basketball Scores
Ryle 62, Lexington Catholic 25
McCracken County 67, Holy Cross 54
Dayton 54, Carroll County 51
Bellevue 73, Holmes 42
Bracken County 61, Ludlow 29
Mason County 76, Newport 30
Scott County 68, Walton-Verona 58
Henry Clay 45, Conner 42
Boys Basketball
Cooper 50, Dixie Heights 35
The Jaguars downed the Colonels to finish 2-1 in the Scott Winter Classic.
Shaun Pouncy and Yamil Rondon gave the Jaguars a nice inside-outside punch with 19 and 16 points respectively.
Griffin Derry led Dixie Heights with eight points.
Cooper (6-4) travels to Lexington on Wednesday for the White, Greer and Maggard Holiday Classic at Lexington Catholic taking on Madison Southern at Noon. Dixie Heights (5-4) takes on St. Mary out of Paducah in the Henry County Invitational Tournament at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
Newport 83, Spencer County 70
The Wildcats bounced back from the tough loss Thursday with a nice win in the King of the Bluegrass Tournament at Fairdale in Louisville.
Newport won the rebounding battle, 32-22 and put four players in double figures. Jabari Covington led the way scoring 21 points and Taylen Kinney scored 16. DeShaun Jackson and James Turner scored 14 points each.
Newport (8-2) takes on the Trinity Shamrocks of Louisville at 4:30 p.m. to conclude the tournament.
Ryle 64, Atherton 50
The Raiders will play for the Beth Haven Holiday Classic after taking care of the Ravens.
AJ Davis scored 20 points to lead the Raiders. Jon Degroff and Anthony Coppola followed with 12 points each.
Ryle (6-4) takes on the host Bearcats at 3 p.m. Saturday.
Archbishop McNicholas 61, Covington Catholic 58
The Colonels could not overcome the host Rockets in the Queen City Holiday Classic across the Ohio River.
McNicholas hit nine three-pointers to three for CovCath and hit their free throws better. The Rockets made 14-of-16 free throws for 88% and the Colonels made just 13-of-22 for 59%.
The Colonels put four players in double figures. Athens McGillis led the way with 14 points. Cash Harney and Caden Miller followed with 13 points each and Brady Hussey scored 11. Miller also pulled down nine rebounds.
CovCath (7-3) travels to Florida to play in the Battle at the Villages Charter School against Florida State University High out of Tallahassee at 3 p.m. Thursday.
Other Boys Basketball Scores
Archbishop Hoban (Ohio) 68, Newport Central Catholic 40
Bryan Station 98, Boone County 83
Bellevue 88, Cumberland Gap (Tennesse) 62
Green County 75, St. Henry 61
Oldham County 80, Conner 56
Simon Kenton 64, Fern Creek 50
Aiken (Ohio) 57, Scott 49
Bourbon County 61, Bishop Brossart 51