Few doubted the longest winning streak in the 9th Region would end on Sunday night in the girls 9th Region basketball tournament.
Balanced scoring and pressure defense has led Holy Cross to 16 wins in a row in their aspirations for the KHSAA Sweet 16 with a 77-38 victory over St. Henry in the quarterfinals at Truist Arena on the campus of Northern Kentucky University.
Holy Cross threw a variety of traps at the Crusaders, especially near the sidelines and corners. The Indians had 14 steals off 21 St. Henry turnovers, compared to 10 turnovers and a 28-6 edge in points off turnovers.
“I’m sure there was a little bit of anxiousness, a little bit of nerves of the region tournament,” Holy Cross head coach Ted Arlinghaus said. “I think that had a little bit to do with the first quarter. It felt like we were settling a bit. Once we started attacking the rim, dishing inside and outside threes, that’s when we’re at our best.”
The win puts Holy Cross in the region semifinals on Friday for the second year in a row. The Indians face two-time defending champion Cooper at 8 p.m. back at Truist Arena.
Holy Cross shot a blistering 58% from the field making 11 three-pointers and holding the Crusaders to just 35% with just one triple.
“In the first quarter, St. Henry came out a bit unorthodox. They played a Diamond-and-One on Julia (Hunt),” Ted Arlinghaus said. “Typically, you see it on perimeter players. You don’t see it on post players too often so it took us a little bit to adjust.”
Holy Cross was crisp as they doled out 15 assists, Miyah Wimzie with five and Alyssa Arlinghaus and Nelson recording three each and Hayes recording two. Nelson and Aniyah Carter led Holy Cross with five and four steals, respectively.
The Indians finished with five players in double figures, Hayes leading the way with 17 points and hitting 7-of-8 from the field. Hunt, Arlinghaus, Nelson and Wimzie scored 11 points each and Carter scored nine.
“We had to try to come up with a game plan to try to pick our poison,” St. Henry head coach Todd Smart said. “I think the biggest thing is Julia’s a tremendous player so we went ahead and tried to double team her and not let her get in the zone. When you do that, you have to sacrifice other things. You have to give them credit. They hit shots.”
Seniors Kayla Unkraut and Taylor Hill led the Crusaders, Unkraut scored 16 points to go with four steals and Hill scored 11 to go with five rebounds and three blocked shots.
“(Unkraut) is quick, fast and good at decision making,” Hayes said. “You have to make sure you’re not overhelping or over-denying her because she will get the pass, go in and score.”
With the score knotted at eight, Holy Cross finished the first quarter on a 7-2 run for a 15-10 advantage.
Unkraut made a three from the right corner to make it 15-13 Crusaders to start the second quarter before Holy Cross put the game out of reach with a 24-2 run before half and a 39-15 lead at halftime.
“When Julia can’t get her shots, other people need to (hit them) to let us go on a run,” Alyssa Arlinghaus said. “We all swung the ball around. We all passed it to each other and were unselfish. I was able to step into my shots and knock them down.”
St. Henry got the deficit to 20 twice in the third quarter before Holy Cross outscored the Crusaders, 15-6 the rest of the frame to double up St. Henry at 58-29 after three. Wimzie scored eight points in the quarter to lead the Indians.
“The biggest thing is it always seems like there are six, seven players on the floor and they’re always just trying to find an opportunity to get the ball where they can be successful and run their offense,” Smart said. “I felt like we did a pretty good job with that because the first time when we played them (Nov. 28), they really challenged us with getting the ball up the floor. I felt we handled their press well (Sunday). It’s just after that, it became a struggle.”
The reserves wound up playing most of the fourth quarter. Lacey Hunt and Kaelyn Bowens made triples for the Indians in the game’s final 3:30.
St. Henry has made it to the 9th Region quarterfinals two years in a row. The Crusaders graduate six seniors in Unkraut, Hill, Josie Knollman, Liz Mason, Aubrey Logan and Sydney Bollman.
INDIANS 77, CRUSADERS 38
ST. HENRY — 10-7-12-9 — 38
HOLY CROSS — 15-24-19-19 — 77
Scoring
St. Henry (38) — Unkraut 16, Hill 11, Mason 3, McElheney 2, Sydney Bollman 2, Logan 2, McDermott 1, Kelcey Bollman 1
Holy Cross (77) — Hayes 17, Julia Hunt 11, Alyssa Arlinghaus 11, Nelson 11, Wimzie 11, Carter 9, Bowens 3, Paige Arlinghaus 2, Lacey Hunt 2
Game Stats
Field Goals: St. Henry 14/40, Holy Cross 32/55
3-Pointers: St. Henry 1, Holy Cross 11
Free Throws: St. Henry 9/15, Holy Cross 2/4
Rebounds: St. Henry 30, Holy Cross 22
Fouls: St. Henry 7, Holy Cross 14
Assists: St. Henry 9, Holy Cross 15
Turnovers: St. Henry 21, Holy Cross 10
Steals: St. Henry 7, Holy Cross 14
Blocks: St Henry 3, Holy Cross 1
Records: St. Henry 15-15, Holy Cross 28-5