In January 1994, the only other time Nicholas County won a boys 10th Region All “A” title, a gallon of gasoline cost around $0.63.
The Blue Jackets ended the 32-year drought Thursday with a 74-61 win over Bishop Brossart at Bracken County High School behind Braxton Martin’s 25 points.
Despite the loss, Brossart (6-9) is 4-2 over its last six games, including a 37th District win over Campbell County. Mustangs coach Ben Franzen didn’t waste much time bemoaning Nicholas County’s win.
“We hope we can learn, and now, with this, the way it turned out, now we’ve got to strive for districts now,” Franzen said. “We’ve got two district games left (at Scott Jan. 30 and at Calvary Christian on Feb. 3), so we’ve got to refocus on that.”
Brossart senior Beckett Kuntz, who led the Mustangs with 18 points, thought his team played well in spurts.
“I think there was a good stretch that we were all together,” Kuntz said. “But then, sometimes, we tended to fall apart.”
“Teamwork” was Martin’s one-word explanation for the win.
“I think we shared the ball well,” Martin added. “Using our size to our advantage was the biggest piece.”
Starting with the opening minutes.
With Martin and Caiden Smith standing 6-foot-6 and 6-foot-5 Preston Blake, Nicholas County (14-5) had lots of size. Smith scored 14 points and Blake had 12.
And the Blue Jackets used it in the first four minutes – an 11-4 run featured Blake’s four points, Martin’s 3-pointer and Smith’s two.
Franzen wanted to spread out Nicholas County’s defense and penetrate in the lane.
“We were able to do that in the second half,” Franzen said. “We were able to hit a few floaters in the lane over that size, but we did not do that in the first half. We missed a lot of layups, actually.”
Thursday was not the first time Brossart had faced a tall team – Franzen said Holy Cross was possibly bigger. As for Thursday …
“Our guys were hesitant at first, very hesitant getting into the lane when they did,” Franzen said. “And getting their shots up, they were hesitant when they saw the big bodies.”
Nicholas County (14-5) didn’t hesitate. The Blue Jackets outscored the Mustangs in the second quarter, 20-10, and held Brossart scoreless the final 2:32.
Yet the Mustangs hung around; Nicholas Cozzi’s two free throws pulled Brossart to within 63-55 with 2:43 in the fourth. It wasn’t enough because the Blue Jackets finished with an 11-6 streak.
Brossart’s Brady Boruske scored 12 points, and Cozzi and Carson Hesse added 10 apiece.
“I think overall we played a good game,” Kuntz said. “Just toward the end, everyone got tired, kind of gave up in a way.”
BLUE JACKETS 74, MUSTANGS 61
BISHOP BROSSART — 14-10-16-21 – 61
NICHOLAS COUNTY — 19-20-13-22 – 74
Bishop Brossart (61) — Boruske 12, Kuntz 18, Rowe 3, Steffen 6, Hesse 10, Feldman 2, Cozzi 10. 3-Pt. FG: 3 (Kuntz 2, Rowe). FT: 8-10. Fouls: 25. Fouled out: Steffen.
Nicholas Co. (74) — Hatton 15, True 2, Simons 6, Smith 14, Martin 25, Blake 12. 3-Pt. FG: 4 (Martin 2, Hatton, Simons). FT: 18-38. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: Martin.
Records: Bishop Brossart 6-9, Nicholas County 14-5.