Caroline Eaglin set the Newport Central Catholic’s girls basketball career scoring record Tuesday.
She’s the school’s all-time leading scorer now, too.
Eaglin’s 28 points in the Thoroughbreds’ 64-46 win over Beechwood in the opening round of the girls Ninth Region All “A” tournament gives her 2,125 in nearly five seasons at 13 Carothers Road – one more than 2004 alumna Nicole Chiodi’s and 2001 graduate Ronny Dawn’s 2,124.
“It’s definitely a really cool accomplishment,” Eaglin said Thursday. “I don’t really think it’s sunk in yet.”
Eaglin, who’s headed for Northern Kentucky University next year, joins a list of NewCath basketball luminaries, which includes Naismith Memorial Hall of Famer Dave Cowens, former Cincinnati men’s head coach John Brannen, NKU standout Drew McDonald and Thoroughbred girls Stephanie Desmond and Christie Freppon McDonald.
“I know that all those players were really good,” Eaglin said.
NewCath girls coach Trevor Steiner called NewCath basketball “a very nice, storied tradition.”
“(Eaglin’s) been extremely humble through this entire process, and I know there’s been a lot of pressure hanging over her head since the beginning of the year,” Steiner said.
Eaglin broke the record with 1:04 left in the third quarter and NewCath leading Beechwood, 48-26. She and NewCath sophomore Brooklyn Cole were underneath Beechwood’s basket when Cole grabbed the rebound, and after Cole passed to Eaglin just past mid-court, Eaglin dribbled twice and went between the Tigers’ Hayden Ritter and Emme Blackburn for the transition layup.
“I didn’t even know I was close to the record, but you know, I’m always looking to get downhill, so I saw an opening and just took it,” Eaglin said.
Eaglin joined NewCath’s varsity as an eighth-grader in 2021. She scored 56 points on a team that finished 12-11 behind Thomas More junior Rylee Turner’s 19.9 points a game and Annie Heck’s 11.5.
“There was a lot of great talent above me,” Eaglin said. “So yeah, it was a really cool honor, you know, to be even in a varsity jersey as an eighth grader looking up at those girls.”
Eaglin averaged 11.8 points a game as a freshman in 2022. Her 379 points included 50-of-132 (37.9%) of her 3-pointers.
“I do remember that a lot of the game was through Rylee,” Eaglin said. “She was such a good player. She knew how to score, and I felt like I was there to help her a little bit.”
The 2022-23 season was Eaglin’s breakout year – 693 points for a 24.8 average that yielded 38.2% from the field and 72.7% from the free throw line.
“I just kind of saw the opportunity once Rylee left, and I had to be a balloon scorer, so I had to put that into my brain, you know, to go out there every single game and score,” Eaglin said.
Eaglin is both a shooting guard and the point guard who brings the ball up the floor; she doesn’t have a preference. “So whatever the team needs me to do, I’ll do it,” she said.
Last season, Eaglin scored 679 points (21.9 per game). She shot 45% from the field, 29% from 3, and 74.3% from the line.
Through 14 games this season, Eaglin has scored 318 points (22.7 a contest). She’s made 49.3% of her shots from the field, 38.1% from long distance and 86.4% at the line.
“I’m happy,” Eaglin said. “My teammates have really contributed to stuff.”
Eaglin hugged Cole after her record-setting shot. Chiodi and NewCath athletic director Jeff Schulkens presented her with the game ball.
“Nicole being there at the game was really cool,” Eaglin said. “… She was a great player, and her family’s awesome.”