The Conner Cougars have shot consistently all season.
But even with that, this convincing win hits the exceptional category. The Cougars (17-6) ventured to Fort Thomas to take on the Highlands Bluebirds (21-7) in a battle of teams that love to push the tempo. Conner made drained 15 3-pointers, 12 of them in a first half on their way to a 86-52 victory.
The Cougars long distance shooting got them out to a 62-27 halftime lead and forced a running clock the rest of the way. The 15 three-pointers tied a season-high.
Conner has won six in a row. The win snaps a four-game losing streak against Highlands dating back to a 73-61 win in Hebron on Jan. 9, 2020. This also marked Conner’s first win at Russell Bridges Gymnasium since a 78-66 win Feb. 14, 2015.
Things started on the defensive end. Conner made a stop, found trailers in transition or created shot opportunities off dribbles and solid passes in the halfcourt sets.
“You couldn’t script it any better. But I think a lot of that was how we defended,” said Matthew Otte, Conner head coach. “We did a great job of understanding personnel on their team and not letting them do what they do the best. When you’re in that rhythm defensively, it can carry over to that other end of the floor like it did (Friday).”
Conner’s four senior guards came into the game having scored 84 percent of the team’s points. Three scored above their season averages. Dalton Kramer and Landen Hamilton both made six three-pointers on their way to astounding 32 and 27 point-games, respectively, with Daniel Campbell making two on his way to 16 points.
“Before every game, (Otte) tells us just to be confident in ourselves and with each other,” Campbell said. “We were really confident in the shots we were taking and that other people were taking. We had to trust that we were going to knock them down.”
The fourth senior guard Ayden Lohr made two triples on his way to 10 points.
Conner’s fifth starter in senior center Grant Reece may not put up the numbers of the four guards. But he does a lot of dirty work inside. Reece is committed to running track and field at Western Kentucky University.
“It’s great. We know our roles and we execute them really well,” Reece said. “Obviously, mine is not to score. But I get in and play good defense. I’m loud, active and I create the energy for the team. Whatever I can do to help them win is what I’ll do.”
For the game, Conner hit 63% from the field including 24-of-32 in the first half. They knocked down 15-of-27 from long range in the contest.
“The seven seniors have been through it, especially the guys that are starting,” Otte said. “They know how to take care of themselves. For the most part, they do. We have to continue to be smart as coaches in practice time with how hard we’re pushing them making sure they all have their legs down the stretch here.”
Highlands was led by junior Nathan Vinson with 15 points and senior Seth Ryan scored 11.
The Bluebirds also have four players averaging in double-figures. But Conner limited the other two in senior Will Herald to eight points and junior Brayden Moeves scoreless.
“We didn’t play very well,” said Kevin Listerman, Highlands head coach. “It’s high school basketball. Some teams get hot and have a night where they’re good. (Conner) played more physical than we did. They knocked shots down. All the credit goes to them. It happens. We had a night earlier this year where we hit 21 threes. We did not do enough to make (Conner) uncomfortable. Their whole group stepped up and played very well.”
Herald came into the game needing four three-pointers to tie former Dixie Heights guard Brandon Hatton’s record for most three-pointers made by a Ninth Region player with 334. Herald hit two to up his Highlands school record total to 332.
Campbell hit a three from the left wing for the game’s first bucket before Herald hit one from the top of the key to tie it 15 seconds later. But Campbell scored 20 seconds after that to give the Cougars the lead for good. A Lohr three with 3:02 left in the first quarter gave Conner a double-digit 21-10 lead. Hamilton made a half-court heave to end that quarter giving the Cougars a 33-17 lead.
“We know that we have to score,” Listerman said. “We had three or four close ones there in the first quarter and didn’t finish them and they turned into baskets at the other end. We have to finish plays. In games where we haven’t, we’ve gotten beat. When we finish them, we play pretty well.”
The Cougars kept adding to that lead in the second quarter. It hit 30 at 51-21 with 3:58 left in the half when Kramer had a three from the left wing. Hamilton hit a lay-up in the final seconds of the first half to give the Cougars that 62-27 lead.
The second half breezed by quickly with the running clock. Conner led 76-38 after three. Then with 3:16 left int he game and Conner up 85-46, both teams let their reserves see some action.
Highlands heads to Breathitt County (13-9) for a non-region game Saturday at 7 p.m. Conner plays at Newport Central Catholic (10-16) on Monday at 7:30 p.m.
Campbell County 91, Boone County 70
Jake Gross led four Camels (17-11) in double figures with 22 points as Campbell County got a road win at Boone County (4-18) on Friday night.
Aydan Hamilton added 19, Garyn Jackson with 13 and Nathan Smith adding 10. The Camels drained 13 three-pointers as they’ll look to win their third straight when they host Pendleton County on Tuesday.
Boone County plays at Simon Kenton on Tuesday.
Other Boys Basketball Scores
Ludlow 55, Dayton 48
Bellevue 71, Heritage Academy 69
Mason County 75, Bishop Brossart 64
Calvary Christian 54, Covington Latin 42
Madison Southern 77, Newport Central Catholic 61
Beechwood 65, Holmes 37
North Laurel 72, Covington Catholic 58
Scott 52, Simon Kenton 46
Great Crossing 57, St. Henry 55
Spencer County 83, Walton-Verona 78
Girls Basketball Scores
George Rogers Clark 77, Campbell County 54
Christian Academy of Louisville 59, Conner 42
Cooper 68, Frederick Douglass 56
St. Henry 48, Great Crossing 41
Holy Cross 69, Bishop Brossart 46
Lloyd Memorial 64, Newport 53
Notre Dame 78, Bracken County 31
Ryle 80, South Laurel 76
