Covington Catholic’s 65-55 home loss to Cooper on Jan. 23 was one of the Colonels’ ugliest efforts.
The Colonels continued to erase the memory of it Tuesday. They ran past Campbell County, 73-50, on 19 points each from Caden Miller and Brady Hussey.
“The day after wasn’t pretty,” Miller said of the Cooper loss.
Tuesday was CovCath’s third straight win, but the Cooper debacle was on Colonels coach Scott Ruthsatz’s mind. He said the guards were too often stationary.
“I think we took an hour and a half after the Cooper game watching film and just watching our guards just stand on the perimeter while Cooper crashed the boards,” Ruthsatz said. “We corrected that the very next day, told them they had to get much more physical, be much more aggressive, help Caden around the basket ‘cause he can’t get every rebound.”
Campbell County (14-5) sought its first win over the Colonels since 2000 and just the second in 25 meetings since 1998.
It didn’t happen for more reasons besides Miller’s and Hussey’s combined 38 points: Miller grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked four shots; Athens McGillis added 14 points and served seven assists, and Hussey’s total included 5-of-5 from 3-point range.
“I had total confidence in my shot,” Hussey said.
Miller loves to run and be the first one to the basket, but he also believes finding Hussey, McGillis and the others for open looks is maybe better.
“I like getting them into the game, getting them the ball,” Miller said. “Eventually, that opens up the game for me, too.”
CovCath’s (18-5) team totals were maybe nicer because they included: making 11-o- 20 three-pointers; hitting 30 field goals on 20 assists; shooting 53%; an 18-4 total in second-chance points; and a 16-11 edge in bench scoring.
“(CovCath was) just solid all the way around defensively,” Campbell County coach Brent Sowder said. “If you don’t handle pressure or you don’t shoot it confidently, they’re going to lock you up.”
Campbell County had a few highlights. Connor Weinel led the Camels with 14 points and nine rebounds, and Broc Sorgenfrei and Cole Johnson each added 10 points.
Miller opened the scoring with a loose-ball layup, which Sorgenfrei countered with a steal and layup.
It was the only time the Camels were anywhere close because the Colonels scored the next 14 points with as much variety as what you’ll find in a box of chocolates.
In order: Cash Harney’s 15-foot jumper, Miller’s runout dunk and tip-in of Harney’s miss, Donovan Bradshaw’s 5-footer, 3-pointers from Hussey and Harney, and after Campbell County Garyn Jackson’s bucket, Bradshaw’s field goal with a second remaining.
The score: Colonels, 18-4.
CovCath did pretty much the same thing in the second stanza. The Colonels’ 16-7 streak included Hussey’s three 3-pointers, McGillis’s backcourt steal-and-score, and Miller’s five points.
“I think we came out a little timid, and they’re too good a team to let that happen,” Sowder said. “We wanted to guard against transition points, and we just didn’t do it at all.”
Campbell County turned in its best run in the third quarter. An 11-9 streak included Weinel’s 5-footer over Miller and 3-pointer and long, far ones by Sorgenfrei and Jackson.
With less than a minute to go, CovCath’s Christopher Kennedy – better known as “C-Low” to his friends – knocked down a 3 from the left wing. The shot caused an eruption of joy with the toga-wearing “Colonel Crazies” student section and seemingly everybody else except for folks wearing Campbell County purple and gold.
“All my friends, all the student section, they’re all my friends,” Kennedy said. “They cheer for me every game. I don’t really get that much playing time, so when I get in and I hit a shot, they all go crazy.”
COLONELS 73, CAMELS 50
Scoring
CAMPBELL CO. 4 7 22 17 – 50
COV. CATHOLIC 18 16 16 23 – 73
Game Stats
Campbell County (50) — Franzen 6, Sorgenfrei 10, Fancher 5, Jackson 5, Johnson 10, Weinel 14. Jackson 5).
CovCath (73) — McGillis 14, Harney 5, Miller 19, Stewart 3, Johnson 2, Wermuth 2, Bradshaw 4, Kennedy 3, Hussey 19, Kruer 2.
Field Goals: Campbell Co. 18-47, CovCath 30-56.
3-Pointers: Campbell Co. 8-24, CovCath 11.
Free Throws: Campbell Co. 6-9, CovCath 2-3.
Rebounds: Campbell Co. 23, CovCath 35.
Assists: Campbell Co. 9, CovCath 20.
Turnovers: Campbell Co. 13, CovCath 12.
Fouls: Campbell Co. 7, CovCath 15. Fouled out: None.
Records: Campbell Co. 14-5, CovCath 18-5.
