After a season filled with frustration, injuries, and close calls, Newport Central Catholic finally broke through.
Sitting at 4-12 and riding a three-game losing streak, the Thoroughbreds leaned on a “short-term memory” mindset to earn their first win since Jan. 7, knocking off St. Henry 49-46 in Erlanger.
“It’s really been a challenging season,” NewCath head coach Jake Luhn said. “Four of our top rotation players didn’t play with us last season, and now two of them are injured, one being our point guard. It felt like every time we laid it on the line, it didn’t really go our way. I’m so proud of tonight. Our mindset was simple: this possession, then the next, what are we going to do?”
One of the two players is football standout and Marshall University commit Will Sandfoss, who is averaging 5.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.
With roles changing and adversity mounting, it took someone stepping up and senior Thomas Messmer delivered off the bench.
Entering the night averaging 7.1 points per game and just 25 free-throw attempts on the season (15-for-25 on the season), Messmer sparked NewCath with a game-high 20 points, including 16 in the second half. He went 12-for-15 from the free-throw line.
“I haven’t had a game like this at the line,” Messmer said. “I’ve had games where I get to the rim and score, but not a game like this.”
Despite not being in the starting lineup, Messmer’s mindset never wavered.
“I feel like I have to bring energy off the bench and be a key piece of the team,” he said. “If we have to go to the bench to find someone to give us a spark, I need to do that.”
Messmer wasn’t the only one to provide a lift. Junior Andrew Verst, who entered the game with just 15 made three-pointers on the season, knocked down two of the team’s three triples, both in the first quarter, and finished with 10 points, nearly doubling his season average of 5.7 points per game.
“It’s not really a big part of my game,” Verst said. “When I get in a rhythm, I’ll find my shot, but I try to get the best shots I can. If I’m open, I’m going to take them and hopefully hit them.”
Senior John Luhn, the team’s leading scorer this season, added 10 points.
Though NewCath has struggled to close games this season, that trend ended Thursday night. Using a full-court press, the Thoroughbreds forced turnovers and recorded two 10-second violations — something they had not done all season.
Trailing 23-20 at halftime, NewCath held St. Henry to just eight points in the third quarter to take a 34-31 lead. Both teams scored 15 points in the final quarter, making the third the decisive stretch.
“Our kids are learning how to play at this level for a full 32-minute game,” St. Henry head coach Tim Sullivan said. “If you don’t, you end up with three straight possessions of turnovers. Against the pressure, our kids didn’t get to their spots, and that’s on me.”
Sophomore Tyler Detzel led the Crusaders with 17 points.
For Coach Luhn, the night also offered perspective on the program he’s building and the lessons his team can carry forward.
“What he’s doing is really impressive,” Luhn said. “It gave me a chance to share with my guys how those kids jumped into the deep end with him. We used a number of examples from film where I said, ‘Look what he’s getting them to do.’”
St. Henry (7-10) will play Saturday at Boone County at 1 p.m.
Newport Central Catholic (5-12) hosts one of the top teams in the 9th Region, Highlands, at the same time in a district seeding game.
MORE PHOTOS: Provided by Charles Bolton:
THOROUGHBREDS 49, CRUSADERS 46
NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC — 9-11-14-15 — 49
ST. HENRY — 6-17-8-15 — 46
Scoring
Newport Central Catholic (49) — Messmer 20, Luhn 10, Verst 10, Bivens 5, Ruschman 2, Stevie 2
St. Henry (46) — Detzel 17, Kunstek 7, McIntire 6, Stevens 6, Ravenscraft 5, Lutz 3, Sullivan 2
Game Stats
3-Pointers: Newport Central Catholic 3, St. Henry 4
Free Throws: Newport Central Catholic 16/21, St. Henry 10/13
Fouls: Newport Central Catholic 11, St. Henry 16
Records: Newport Central Catholic 5-12, St. Henry 7-10