Wednesday, February 24, 1999
Smith, Lorenzen team up again
Highlands gets 75-51 rout of Newport
BY RAY SCHAEFER
Enquirer contributor
NEWPORT — Derek Smith was mad before Tuesday's 36th District boys tournament game at Newport Central Catholic. The Highlands senior forward took it out on Newport.
Smith and senior forward Jared Lorenzen each scored 19 points in a 75-51 win.
The two-time defending Ninth Region champion Bluebirds, ranked fifth in the state, meet Newport Central Catholic in the semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. The winner advances to next week's regional tournament at Conner.
“We wanted to come out and show we're still the team to beat,” Smith said.
Smith, who will play football at Kentucky next fall, said one basketball goal is left: A chance at the state title that has eluded him the past two years.
“I've had a wonderful career in Northern Kentucky,” Smith said. “But I still feel like I've got one more thing to accomplish.”
Smith grabbed 11 rebounds and Lorenzen added nine. Highlands held a 34-22 edge, and the defense held Newport to 18-of-45 shooting.
“We were beaten by a good team,” Newport coach Scott Draud said. “We were manhandled, in fact, in all phases. This team has a lot to be proud of, though. It's been a good year. We were 21-7.”
Why was Smith upset? Part of it was the memory of a 55-35 loss at Newport on Jan. 26 — a game Lorenzen missed because he was recovering from an ulcer. Part of it was Newport players quoted in recent stories as saying they were the more talented team.
Newport came in with strong credentials: the school's first 20-win season since 1992; and two double-figure scorers in senior forwards Pete Greene and Johnny Bonner, who scored 18.8 and 16.8 points per game respectively.
Greene and Bonner finished with 12 and 15 points respectively, but in the first half Greene had just one free throw and Bonner had no field goals and five free throws.
“(Senior guard) Joey Herald did a great job on Greene and didn't give him a lot of looks,” Highlands coach John Messmer said. “We felt pretty good about putting Smith on Bonner down inside.”
Newport was just 4-of-17 from the field in the first half.
Senior guard Brian Kuntz led the Wildcats with 16 points.
NEWPORT (51) — Lewis 1-0 2, Kuntz 6-0 16, Bonner 3-6 12, Marshall 1-2 4, Greene 6-3 15, Muench 1-0 2. Totals: 18-11 51.
HIGHLANDS (75) — Rider 0-3 3, Gibson 2-0 6, Herald 5-2 14, Barone 2-0 4, Messmer 0-3 3, Lorenzen 8-3 19, Smith 7-4 19, Combs 1-0 2, Grover 1-1 3, Muehlenkamp 0-2 2. Totals: 26-18 75.
Newport ....... 8 9 16 18-51
Highlands ....... 17N14N19N25-75
Three-point goals: N-Kuntz 4. H-Gibson 2, Herald 2, Smith. Records: N 21-7, H 20-6.
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