As the scoreboards on both ends of the Thomas B. Finn Center in Covington read all zeroes and the final buzzer echoed through the gym, months of adversity faded away for Newport.
From losing players to prep schools in the offseason, to battling injuries and illness, to rarely having a full roster on the floor at the same time, none of it mattered in that moment. The Wildcats walked into Holy Cross and knocked off the host Indians, 62–59, to capture the 9th Region All “A” Championship.
“Oh man, it feels great,” Newport head coach Rod Snapp said. “We talked about adversity. I always tell the kids at the beginning of the year to look around, not everybody’s going to be here. Guys are going to quit, there are going to be injuries, hopefully not severe. Guys get sick, maybe become ineligible. But the kids have been great. They’ve been awesome.”
When those moments of adversity arrived, it required different players to step up at different times. Once Newport finally had everyone back together, the pieces fit.
It came from their youth, a group that played beyond its years after gaining valuable experience through the uncertainty of the season.
Sophomore Demarco Jackson embodied that growth. Coming off the bench, Jackson scored 14 points and made countless plays that never appear in a box score. With under 10 seconds remaining and Newport clinging to a one-point lead, the ball was in his hands as he calmly handled the inbounds situation under pressure.
“One of the biggest plays was Demarco Jackson getting the ball inbounds,” Snapp said. “At the end, I think everyone was a little jittery about not throwing the ball away. I also thought he did a really good job on Luke Arlinghaus and made him uncomfortable. Dontae Holder, another sophomore, came in as well. They’re just ultra-competitive.”
And of course, having tournament MVP Amontae Lowe — who finished with a game-high 25 points — doesn’t hurt either. He delivered a clutch floater late and calmly knocked down the final two free throws to seal the win, but his impact went well beyond the stat line.
“I felt like I had to get us a bucket, but also control the game and slow it down,” Lowe said. “The gym was shaking. It was nuts. It feels great. I’m just proud of my teammates and the way the other guys stepped up.”
Adversity showed on both sides throughout the night, with runs favoring each team, but it was the response that ultimately decided the outcome.
After trailing 38–27 at halftime, Holy Cross stormed back by outscoring Newport 24–8 in the third quarter to take a 51–46 lead entering the fourth.
Newport answered with a 16–8 advantage in the final quarter to close out the win.
The Indians couldn’t capitalize late and failed to make a three-pointer all night, finishing 0-for-10 from beyond the arc.
“You have to have a balanced attack, playing inside out,” Holy Cross head coach Ric Johnson said. “Our shot wasn’t falling tonight. From the perimeter, we’ve got to continue to have a balanced attack moving forward. We didn’t capitalize on our opportunities, especially late in the game.”
After losing a heartbreaker to Holy Cross in the 2023 championship game, Newport reclaimed the title for its first 9th Region All “A” championship since 2024.
Along with Lowe, the Wildcats were led by All-Tournament selections Keegan Farrell and Davae Andrews-Glover, who scored 10 points apiece, all coming in the first half.
Holy Cross was led by Luke Arlinghaus with 20 points — including his 1,000th career point — Brady Gabbard with 18, and Nate Rominger with 10. Arlinghaus and Gabbard were named to the All-Tournament Team.
Holy Cross falls to 15–3 with its second region loss of the season, while Newport improves to 10–4 and advances to the Kentucky All “A” Classic State Tournament at the Owensboro Sportscenter.
The Wildcats will face 11th Region champion Lexington Christian Thursday at 5 p.m. in the first round.
MORE PHOTOS: Provided by Charles Bolton
WILDCATS 62, INDIANS 59
NEWPORT — 15-23-8-16 — 62
HOLY CROSS — 9-18-24-8 — 59
Scoring
Newport (62) — Lowe 25, Jackson 14, Andrews-Glover 10, Farrell 6, Hurry 4, L. Petty 3
Holy Cross (59) — Arlinghaus 20, Gabbard 18, Rominger 10, Urlage 5, Henderson 4, B. Thornberry 2
Game Stats
Field Goals: Newport 19/43, Holy Cross 21/49
3-Pointers: Newport 5/9, Holy Cross 0/10
Free Throws: Newport 19/30, Holy Cross 17/22
Rebounds: Newport 32, Holy Cross 29
Assists: Newport 8, Holy Cross 8
Turnovers: Newport 13, Holy Cross 15
Steals: Newport 7, Holy Cross 7
Blocks: Newport 0, Holy Cross 4
Fouls: Newport 24, Holy Cross 26
Records: Newport 11-4, Holy Cross 15-3