Friday, February 26, 1999
Football star Gibson leads Highlands again
Bluebirds too strong for NewCath
BY NEIL SCHMIDT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
NEWPORT — In football, Highlands would batter opponents with bruising fullback Brian Ulbricht, then use speedy tailback Noah Gibson for a quick kill.
As the Bluebirds now chase a third consecutive Ninth Region basketball title, Gibson still gets guillotine duty. As muscle men Derek Smith and Jared Lorenzen bullied inside, it was Gibson's 16 points — including four three-pointers — that finished off host Newport Central Catholic in a 76-57 36th District semifinal Thursday.
“I love making big shots, just like I love making big plays in football,” said Gibson, a senior. “In our offense, we're supposed to get the ball inside. But if we hit three-pointers, it gives a whole new aspect to our game.”
Gibson's point total was a career high, and he added two assists, two steals, no turnovers and strong defense on NewCath's Tony Bacigalupo. He keyed a 9-for-13 three-point attack (.692) for Highlands, part of a .714 shooting night overall.
“We can't handle Derek one-on-one; I don't think anyone in the state can,” NewCath coach Ron Dawn said. “So you double down on him, and you end up giving something up.
“If they're hitting their three-pointers, they're awful tough. Did Gibson even miss a three tonight?”
Yes, his first attempt failed. But the other four found strings, part of a 6-for-8 shooting night overall.
His outburst helped Highlands (21-6) run its winning streak to 12 games and clinch a berth in the Ninth Region Tournament next week. First, it will meet Bellevue (10-14) tonight at 7:30 at NewCath in the 36th District finals.
Highlands, trying to become the first boys team to win three straight Ninth Region titles since Holmes from 1976-78, will be greatly helped if its hands stay hot. Thursday, five different Bluebirds made three-pointers before halftime, and they totaled five threes in a four-minute span that stretched an 18-9 second-quarter lead to 33-16.
“If they're going to give you the outside, you've got to have shooters,” Highlands coach John Messmer said. “Noah was really able to zero in tonight.”
Down 44-20 early in the third quarter, NewCath (16-13) made a charge. A 16-0 run cut Highlands' lead to 10, but NewCath was called for a blocking foul on Lorenzen that turned into a three-point play.
“It was a questionable call, but it was a backbreaker,” Dawn said.
With Highlands up 57-45 a minute into the fourth quarter, Gibson broke NewCath further, nailing two three-pointers in a two-minute span. Smith and Joe Herald each made five free throws down the stretch to put the game away.
Herald finished with 19 points. Smith totaled 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals, and Lorenzen added 14 points (5-of-6 shooting) and five assists.
“Everything is now starting to click,” Lorenzen said. “We're starting to read each other well. It feels like how we played the end of the season the last two years.”
NewCath was led by Dawn's son, Ronny, with 21 points. Jonathan Vinson added 20 on 7-of-8 shooting.
“We ended up pretty good the second half of the season,” coach Dawn said. “We had three sophomores and three juniors playing a lot, so hopefully this will carry over.
“We lose two important people (Vinson and Brian Veneman), but a lot of people in the region lose more than we do.”
HIGHLANDS (76) — Herald 6 6 19, Smith 5 7 18, Gibson 6 0 16, Lorenzen 5 2 14, Barone 2 0 5, Muehlenkamp 1 0 2, Grover 0 1 1, Guidugli 0 1 1. Totals: 25 17 76.
NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC (57) — Dawn 7 2 21, Vinson 7 6 20, Bacigalupo 2 4 8, Bonhaus 1 2 4, Wallenhorst 1 0 2, Veneman 1 0 2. Totals: 19 14 57.
Highlands ....... 18 21 17 20—76
Newport CC ....... 7 13 21 16—57
Three-point field goals: H—Gibson 4, Lorenzen 2, Smith, Barone, Herald; NCC—Dawn 5. Records: Highlands 21-6, NCC 16-13.
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