Thoroughbred basketball aims for elusive 9th Region crown

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

It’s been a case of being close, but not quite over the mountain.

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds basketball team has been to the 9th Region championship two consecutive years, but has not been able to nab its first crown since 2000. The Thoroughbreds fell 54-49 to Boone County last year and 79-76 in quadruple-overtime to Dixie Heights in 2011.

“These guys have been working their tail ends off,” said Grant Brannen, NewCath head coach. “Last two years, it’s been heartbreaking to get to that point and not be able to get over the top, including the four-overtime game. It’s definitely been a motivation to get back to that point, succeed and get one more game in. But it’s a long road ahead. These guys know that. The 9th Region is a grind. There’s going to be no easy nights. We still have a ways to go. But the kids are working hard.”

Brannen enters his seventh season as head coach. During his tenure, NewCath boasts a record of 116-59 with five 36th District championships and three All “A” 9th Region titles. The Thoroughbreds lost in the All “A” state semifinals in 2011. The only year under Brannen they did not make the 9th Region tournament is 2008.

The Thoroughbreds graduated five seniors from last year’s team. Three started in Brady Hightchew, Andy Miller and Zach Ryan. Hightchew is playing baseball at Shawnee State in Portsmouth, Ohio.

But thanks to the return of three players who started last year including size in the paint, NewCath once again enters the season among the 9th Region favorites. The players who started last year are junior 6-foot-8-inch center Jake Schulte, sophomore 6-6 forward/center Drew McDonald and 6-0 senior guard Michael Bueter. Schulte started when McDonald was injured last year.

Senior 6-5 forward Nick Seibert is also expected to contribute on the inside. Brannen expects teams to pack their defenses in the middle against the Thoroughbred post players.

“We have to play inside and outside,” Seibert said. “Once they pass it in, the big men know we’re going to get double-teamed. Drew and Jake are good at finding us when we cut to the basket. They’re going to be a huge part of our offense. We just have to be open for them to make it easier on them. Then we can get open looks and knock them down.”

That is where the NewCath guard play will be key. After Bueter, seniors Brennan Devoto, Colin Dupont and sophomore Zach Pangallo could play big roles at guard for the Thoroughbreds. Bueter averaged 12 points and four assists last year.

“It’s very important (as) Coach Brannen has told us,” Bueter said of NewCath’s guard play. “We need to be more consistent. That will open things up (inside). (Coach) Brannen has gotten on me to do that help make (the posts) better.”

NewCath is waiting on two forwards to join the team once football season ends. Senior Jake Haas and junior Mac Franzen are playing on the Thoroughbred gridiron squad that takes on Caldwell County for the Class 2A state championship Saturday in Bowling Green.

“We don’t have that (Dixie Heights standout Brandon) Hatton guy who’s going to be doing the scoring most of the time,” Brannen said. “I don’t know who’s going to be our leading scorer this year and I really don’t care. That’s how it’s going to be.”

Brannen listed six teams that could win the region this year barring surprises. Aside from NewCath, the other five are Cooper, Dixie Heights, Covington Catholic, Covington Holy Cross and Covington Holmes. Holy Cross won the All “A” state championship last year.

“I think you can take one through six right now and probably shuffle it up and pick it out of a hat,” Brannen said. “It doesn’t matter who’s number one in the preseason.”

NewCath opens the season with three road games. The first is Tuesday at Ludlow at 7:30 p.m.