The Newport boys took their talents across the Ohio River and brought home two wins against Indiana opponents at the Ray Furney Holiday Classic at Lawrenceburg.
Newport knocked off Jennings County, 64-46 in the early game. Newport outrebounded Jennings County, 33-17 and took 12 more shots as a result making 52% from the field compared to 42% for the Panthers.
Taylen Kinney continued his consistent play making six 3-pointers on his way to 24 points to go with a team-high eight rebounds. Jabari Covington and DeShaun Jackson followed with 10 and nine points, respectively, as eight different Wildcats scored.
The Wildcats then took down New Palestine, 72-66 later in the day. Newport used its athleticism to draw 16 fouls and made 18-of-21 free throws. Kinney hit all six tries and Covington hit all five on their way to 16 points each to lead the Wildcats.
Newport (10-3) put four players in double figures. Jackson and James Turner followed with 15 and 13, respectively.
They’ll finish out their play in Indiana on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. against Guerin Catholic (Indiana) back at Lawrenceburg.
Boone County 84, Henry County 58
The Rebels moved into the championship game of the Henry County Invitational with a convincing win over the host Wildcats.
All but two players that dressed scored for Boone County. Mason Hall led the Rebels with 22 points and Maddox Jones scored 18. Thomas Williams and Eli Bodkin followed with 12 and 11, respectively.
Boone County (10-2) plays South Oldham at 6 p.m. for the tournament championship.
Beechwood 41, Lewis County 31
The Tigers won their third straight, taking down the host Lions to make it to the title game of the Battle on the River.
Carson Blackburn led Beechwood with 14 points with Quinn Eviston scoring eight. Freshman Kingston Brockett also scored eight hitting a key three-pointer in the fourth quarter.
Beechwood (6-3) takes on Anderson County at 6 p.m. Saturday in the championship game back at Lewis County.
Covington Catholic 65, Concord First Assembly Academy (North Carolina) 49
The Colonels bounced back from the Thursday loss with the win over the North Carolina opponent in the Battle at the Villages in Florida.
Caden Miller led CovCath with a double-double of 14 points and 20 rebounds as the Colonels shot 48% from the field and collected 20 rebounds.
CovCath put four players in double figures. Athens McGillis scored 14 with Cash Harney and Brady Hussey scoring 13 and 11, respectively.
CovCath (8-4) takes on The Villages Charter in the fifth-place game Saturday at 3 p.m.
Bellevue 73, Elliott County 59
The Tigers earned a victory in the consolation bracket behind Noah Frommeyer’s 26 points at the Battle on the River presented by Peoples Bank at Lewis County.
Jase Iles added 10 points, Tristan Woodyard with nine and Zach Mertens chipping in eight.
Bellevue (6-4) will play in the fifth place game against Williamsburg back at Lewis County on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
Villa Madonna 56, Cornerstone Christian 39
The Vikings earned their second straight victory at the Ray Zellar Classic at Whitefield Academy.
Henry Thole led the way with 16 points and 11 rebounds, Aiden Day adding 14.
Villa Madonna (4-8) plays at Calvary Christian on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
Heritage Academy 66, Jackson City 59
The Eagles closed out the Smoky Mountain Winter Classic in Gatlinburg, Tennessee with a victory.
Elisha Schultz led three in double figures with 17 points. Cade Holtman added 16, Trent Stone with 10. Heritage Academy (5-5) shot 50% from the field.
They return to action on Tuesday at Bellevue at 7:30 p.m.
Cooper 55, Washington County 40
The Jaguars bounced back at the White, Greer and Maggard Holiday Classic in Lexington with a victory over state-ranked Washington County.
Yamil Rondon and Jaidan Combs led the way with 11 points each, Isaac Brown adding 10 as Cooper got 19 points from the bench on Friday.
Cooper (8-5) forced the Commanders into 18 turnovers and 34% from the field.
They’ll play their fourth game in four days in Lexington against DeSales at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Other Boys Basketball Scores
Highlands 69, Aiken (Ohio) 57
Milford (Ohio) 78, Ryle 70
Lincoln County 65, Bishop Brossart 41
Danville Christian 40, Simon Kenton 34
South Oldham 88, Dixie Heights 67
Huntington Express Prep (West Virginia) 87, Holmes 55
Montgomery County 44, Holy Cross 41
Eminence 30, Calvary Christian 27
Girls Basketball
Ryle 44, Butler 37
The Raiders bounced back from the loss to Ashland on Thursday with a win in their third game in three days.
Ryle made all 13 free throws in the victory. Quinn Eubank led the Raiders with 19 points and Sarah Baker scored 17.
The Raiders (9-4) host Dixie Heights on Friday at 6 p.m.
Bishop Brossart 67, Nicholas County 40
The Mustangs moved into the championship game of the Ryan Keeton ExP Realty Ohio River Classic at Raceland with a solid 10th Region win.
Brossart shot 47% from the field. Zoee Meyers scored 17 points to lead the way and Rachel Shewmaker scored 14.
Brossart (9-2) takes on Saint Joseph Central (West Virginia) at 5:15 p.m. back at Raceland for the championship.
Campbell County 60, Madison Southern 53
The Camels kept rolling with their seventh straight win in the Giovanni’s Holiday Classic at Berea.
Izzy Jayasuriya scored just more than two points above her average with 20 points making all six free-throw attempts. Madeleine Barbian scored 12 with Faith Whitford and Alli Collins scoring 11 and 10 respectively.
Campbell County (9-1) takes on Jackson County in the championship game back at Berea on Saturday at Noon.
Cooper 66, Dixie Heights 38
The two-time defending 9th Region champion Jaguars won their third game in three days taking down the visiting Colonels.
Cooper’s depth wore out Dixie Heights as 11 different players scored. Bella Deere led the way scoring 12. Liz Freihofer, Logan Palmer and Haylee Noel scored 10 points each.
“I think that’s what we’re built on – guarding with intensity,” Cooper head coach Justin Holthaus said. “Our girls know too if they don’t come with that on defense, they’re just not going to get those minutes. Our kids have just really bought into it. We ask a lot out of them. We’ve been full-court pressing more this year than we have in the past. We’re asking them to man press for four quarters and they’re accepting the challenge. It’s paid dividends for us.”
Dixie Heights saw just one player reach double digits in Abby Thelen with 14 points.
Dixie Heights (5-6) plays at Notre Dame on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Cooper (12-3) travels to Mount Notre Dame (Ohio) on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
Scott 61, Estill County 48
The Eagles find themselves in another holiday tournament championship game with a win over the Engineers.
Kaia Peterson scored 19 points to lead Scott. Kourtney Peterson scored 12 points to go with eight rebounds and Ariana Patterson scored 10 points to go with eight rebounds.
Scott (9-2) takes on Holy Cross from Louisville at 7:30 p.m. back at Garrard County in the 4 Bank Winter Classic.
Newport Central Catholic 53, Lloyd Memorial 38
The Thoroughbreds won a season-high three straight with the win over the Juggernauts in the Stephanie Wilson Memorial Tournament at Bellevue.
None other than Caroline Eaglin led NewCath with 22 points. Junior forward Jaylee Brannen gave her some help with 15 points.
Sierra McCoin led Lloyd Memorial with 15 points and Mya Holden scored 10.
NewCath (6-3) takes on host Bellevue for the tournament championship at 7 p.m. Saturday. Lloyd Memorial (3-7) faces Augusta at 5 p.m. in the third place game.
Highlands 63, Metcalfe County 44
The Bluebirds earned another win in the Lady of the South Invitational at Allen County-Scottsville behind a Marissa Green double-double of 18 points and 15 rebounds.
Highlands won the rebounding battle, 36-34. Avery Barber grabbed six in addition to scoring 14 points.
“That’s good for us. Most of the time, we’re about a negative-12 on rebounds,” Highlands assistant coach Bert Richey said. “For us to be even or ahead, we’ve rebounded pretty well. We had a little more energy rebounding. We went after some balls that were out of our area that normally we might just see what happens. But (Friday), we went and got them.”
Highlands (6-5) takes on Taylor County for seventh place in the invitational at 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time back at Allen County-Scottsville.
Conner 43, Owen County 13
The Cougars snapped a seven-game losing streak with a sound win in the Century Bank Holiday Classic at Anderson County.
Conner saw eight players score. Anna Hamilton and Izelee Kerns led the way scoring 10 points each and Aubrey Fisher scored eight.
Conner (3-9) takes on Oldham County in the final game of the tournament at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Ludlow 50, Beechwood 37
The Panthers took down the Tigers at the Stephanie Wilson Memorial Tournament consolation bracket.
Olivia King led the way with 14 points, Addy Garrett adding 11 while Ava Hoffmeister chipped in nine and Prestyn King dropping in eight. Hoffmeister added 11 rebounds as the Panthers pulled down 33 as a team.
Ludlow (6-6) faces Lloyd Memorial at 3 p.m. at Bellevue on Saturday.
Other Girls Basketball Scores
Walton-Verona 60, Carroll County 43
St. Henry 53, Narrows (Virginia) 32
Bellevue 59, Augusta 53
Williamstown 48, Newport 45
Trimble County 46, Holmes 38