Sunday, January 09, 2000
Highlands wins Girls Classic
Boothe scores 44 in two games
BY RAY SCHAEFER
Enquirer contributor
ALEXANDRIA — Highlands sophomore center Tara Boothe was a good listener Saturday, and the Ladybirds were the beneficiaries.
Boothe's 22 points and 11 rebounds led her team to a 53-44 win over Enquirer No.1 Bishop Brossart in the finals of the Northern Kentucky Girls Basketball Classic at Brossart's Seither Center.
Highlands (8-3) won its fourth tournament and first since winning three in a row from 1994-96. The Ladybirds also have turned a three-game losing streak into a five-game winning string.
“They are a crazy group of girls,” Highlands coach Luci Cecil said. “They're starting to believe in themselves after a rocky start.”
Boothe said she was just trying to do what Highlands assistant Steve Hunt told her.
“(Hunt) told me to stay strong and keep posting up and I'd get open,” Boothe said. “I just tried to keep moving around and wear (Brossart) out.”
It worked. Boothe was 9-of-13 from the field and 4-of-5 from the free throw line, blocked five shots and served two assists.
Brossart guard Katie Schwegmann said the loss was a small setback.
“Our goal was just to make it to the finals,” said Schwegmann, who led the Lady 'Stangs with 21 points. “It would've been nice to win.”
Brossart coach Ray Kues said his team was exhausted after Saturday morning's 45-40 semifinal win over Wayne County. It showed against Highlands — the Lady 'Stangs shot 16-of- 47 from the field for 34 percent and committed 19 turnovers.
Highlands eliminated Boone County, 48-36, in its semifinal behind Boothe's 22 points and 16 rebounds. The Ladybird defense held the Lady Rebels to 14-of-52 for 26.9 percent from the field and kept junior guard Ciara Henderson — who averaged 27 points over her three previous games — to just 13.
Boothe started strong against Brossart — six points in the first quarter and 12 for the first half against a combination of Schwegmann and seniors Emily Phillips and Lisa Henke.
Brossart (10-5) was happy to balance its scoring the first half. Schwegmann led with seven points and Phillips and Henke had six apiece.
Junior guard Carrie Clift's three-pointer with 41 seconds left gave the Lady 'Stangs an 11-9 lead after eight minutes.
Highlands had problems the rest of the half; After sophomore guard Christian Stefanopoulos hit a three 15 seconds into the second period, the Ladybirds didn't score again until Boothe's two free throws with 3:49 left; and Highlands committed 10 turnovers, which Brossart turned into 14 points.
SEMIFINAL
BISHOP BROSSART (45) Schwegmann 5-4 15, Phillips 3-0 6, Henke 6-2 14, C. Clark 1-0 2, Clift 2-2 6, Schultz 1-0 2. Totals: 18-8 45.
WAYNE COUNTY (40) Shearer 6-0 14, Bell 1-0 2, New 3-0 6, Allen 2-0 4, Wixson 0-2 2, Troxell 2-0 6, Hollars 2-0 4, Garner 1-0 2. Totals: 17-2 40.
Bishop Brossart ....... 10 9 14 12—45
Wayne County ....... 5 10 9 16—40
Three-point goals: BB-Schwegmann. WC-Shearer 2, Troxell 2. Records: BB 10-4, WC 13-5.
SEMIFINALS
HIGHLANDS (48): Imhoff 3-2 8, Gearding 1-0 3, Ripberger 2-2 6, Stefanopoulos 2-0 6, Boothe 9-4 22, Dickerson 1-0 3. Totals: 18-8 48.
BOONE COUNTY (36): Martin 2-0 4, Boswell 1-0 2, Matheny 1-0 3, Molleson 1-0 2, Newhouse 1-0 2, Grobmyer 3-2 8, Henderson 4-2 13, Isaac 1-0 2. Totals: 14-4 36.
Highlands ....... 14 17 9 8—48
Boone County ....... 5 11 10 10—36
Three-point goals: H-Stefanopoulos 2, Gerding, Dickerson. BC-Henderson 3, Matheny. Records: H 7-3, BC 6-6.
FINAL
BISHOP BROSSART (44) Schwegmann 7-7 21, Phillips 3-0 6, Henke 3-0 6, Clift 2-0 5, C. Clark 1-3 6. Totals: 16-10 44.
HIGHLANDS (53) Imhoff 1-7 10, Ripberger 3-1 7, Stefanopoulos 3-3 11, Boothe 9-4 22, Dickerson 1-0 3. Totals: 17-15 53.
Bishop Brossart ....... 11 15 6 12—44
Highlands ....... 9 12 13 19—53
Three-point goals: BB-Clift, C. Clark. H-Stefanopoulos 2, Dickerson, Imhoff. Records: BB 10-5, H 8-3.
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