Saturday, February 26, 2000
No. 2 Holmes pressed to extend streak
BY NEIL SCHMIDT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
ERLANGER — As boys basketball teams enter what's expected to be the tightest Ninth Region race in decades, David Henley preaches passion.
“It's all about diving for balls, working hard to box out for critical rebounds,” the Holmes coach said. “Who knows, it might be a loose ball someone gets at the end of a first-round district game that ends up propelling them to the state tournament.”
Exhibit A in his argument: Holmes' 49-45 victory Friday night at St. Henry. The streaking Bulldogs (17-8), ranked No.2 in the Enquirer's coaches poll, needed four critical rebounds in the game's last 37 seconds to hang on against a 9-13 team.
“These kind of games have been happening all year,” St. Henry coach Dave Faust said. “The region is as wide-open as I can remember.”
That goes back to his playing days in the mid-1970s at Newport Central Catholic. When Faust and Henley say anyone can beat anyone, rival coaches nod their heads.
Follow this logic: Conner (11-10) has beaten Holmes, No.3 Highlands and No.6 Simon Kenton. Holy Cross (10-16) beat No.4 Covington Catholic. Ryle (10-16) beat Highlands. Scott (16-11) beat CovCath and No.5 Dixie Heights. St. Henry beat Conner and Scott.
“We've beaten teams, and teams have beaten us,” Henley said. “Everyone is beating up on each other.”
That said, Holmes now appears as much a favorite as anyone. It has won seven consecutive games, and its 13-2 record in region play is matched only by NewCath. Everyone else has four or more losses to region foes.
NewCath (25-5) will wear the bull's-eye, by virtue of its 16-game winning streak. But remember, CovCath beat the Thoroughbreds by 20 points. Anyone can be had.
“We're not looking at the standings,” Holmes senior swingman Jerry Weaver said. “We're just listening to what Coach says every day: "Get every loose ball, because it might determine who wins.'”
It did Friday. Holmes held a 13-point lead late in the third quarter but watched the home team get hot. With 1:30 left in the game, the lead was just 46-44.
Holmes' DeShaun Jackson made a free throw with 37 seconds left, but just as important was Marco Hallman's rebound of the ensuing miss. After St. Henry regained possession and used a Chris Radcliff free throw to cut the lead to two with 23 seconds left, Holmes forced a jump ball in the scramble for the ensuing miss and got the ball back.
Hallman missed two free throws with 17 seconds left but got his own rebound. He then made a pair at the line to extend the lead, and Holmes rebounded a final Crusader miss to hang on.
Holmes outrebounded St. Henry 34-26, led by Jackson's 15 rebounds.
“He kept giving them second chances,” Faust said.
Holmes played Friday without two starters, point guard Al Huff and center James Jackson, who had one-game school suspensions for what Henley called “just rough-housing in the halls.” They'll be back when the Bulldogs open district play Tuesday against the Ludlow/Covington Latin winner.
“Even though they had a couple guys missing, their quickness was just too much,” Faust said. “We can't match up with them, and you can't simulate that quickness in practice.”
He had tried, using a drill in practice where his first-teamers brought the ball upcourt against seven defenders. Holmes remains the region's most athletic team.
“It all comes down to what players want it more,” Hallman said. “We all play hard and want to win.”
HOLMES (49) — Hallman 5 2 14, Weaver 6 0 12, Jackson 2 4 8, Engelmon 3 0 7, R.Huff 2 1 6, White 1 0 2. Totals: 19 7 49.
ST. HENRY (45) — Eisenmenger 6 3 15, Radcliff 3 2 10, Fabiani 2 1 7, Koop 2 1 5, Love 2 0 4, Vieth 1 0 2, Cook 1 0 2. Totals: 17 7 45.
Holmes ....... 15 11 13 10—49
St. Henry ....... 10 11 6 18—45
3-point field goals: H—Hallman 2, R.Huff, Engelmon; SH—Radcliff 2, Fabiani 2. Records: Holmes 17-8, St. Henry 9-13.
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