Schaefer hits 1,000 points as Highlands dominates Dixie Heights

Photo by G. Michael Graham. Highlands senior Leah Schaefer (23) fires up a free throw in Tuesday's game against Dixie Heights. She made it for the 1,000th point of her career. Schaefer scored 14 points as Highlands opened with a 64-30 win over Dixie Heights. Schaefer became the 13th player in school history to reach 1,000 points in her career.
 

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

Highlands Ladybirds basketball head coach Jaime Walz-Richey and staff would love to see this remain consistent the entire season.

All 12 players who saw action contributed in host Highlands’ 64-30 win over the Dixie Heights Lady Colonels on Tuesday. This marked the season-opener for both teams.

Nine different Ladybirds scored. But senior forward Leah Schaefer hit a scoring milestone with at least two predecessors watching. With 5:19 remaining in the third quarter, Schaefer drew a foul and hit two free throws to score her 1,000 career point.

Schaefer came into the season needing 14 points to become the 13th player in Highlands history to hit the plateau. Those 14 points marked the game-high for both teams. Schaefer added five rebounds. Richey hit 1,000 points as an eighth-grader on her way to the state-record 4,948 points.

“I really wanted to get it over with this game with everyone here cheering me on,” Schaefer said. “I’m glad I have the teammates that I do. They’re really awesome. They pass me the ball and I tried to get it to them as much as I could so we really helped each other out.”

Dixie head coach and former Highlands standout Tara Boothe-Smith also hit the plateau before going to Xavier and setting Xavier records for career points with 2,324 and rebounds with 1,004. Smith is in her second year as head coach of the Lady Colonels after serving as an assistant at Highlands.

The guard play turned out to be the difference in this game. Dixie Heights turned the ball over 25 times and only took 22 two-point attempts.

“We feel we can go pretty deep on the bench to where we can wear teams down,” Richey said. “That’s what I felt we did.”

Highlands turned a number of those turnovers into steals and points. Schaefer led Highlands with four steals with Ava Abner and Alex Combs recording three each. The Ladybirds constantly pressured the ball all over the court doubling the guards at certain locations.

“(The Ladybirds) are number two in the region for a reason,” Smith said. “They have very quick, athletic guards. Luckily, not a lot of people can simulate the kind of pressure they do.”

Highlands made eight three-pointers and 14-of-17 free throws for 82 percent. Dixie Heights hit three triples and just 3-of-7 free throws for about 43 percent.

After Schaefer, one other player for both teams made double-figures. Senior guard Vanessa Fisse made three three-pointers and two free-throws for 11 points.

“I was really, really happy,” Fisse said. “My shots are falling more this year than they have been and I’m more confident to shoot. We’ll see how it goes.”

Jesse Daley and Alex Combs followed with eight each for Highlands. Combs made two triples with Brianna Adler, Tomi Blanton and Lydia Graves added one three-pointer a piece.

Highlands scored the game’s first eight points and never looked back. Richey credited Daley for two buckets in the post there because Dixie Heights started to double the paint after that point.

The Ladybirds used a 12-0 run to pull away and lead 27-9 after the first quarter. Adler and Graves made three-pointers during the run.

Highlands extended the lead to 38-10 at halftime. The Ladybirds would have shut out the Lady Colonels in the second quarter if Molly Diamon had not drawn a foul as time expired and made 1-of-2 free throws for Dixie Heights.

“We just told them to relax on offense,” Richey said. “Get the ball and attack. We didn’t mind the turnovers real bad because we were attacking the basket as opposed to just throwing it out of bounds.”

Highlands won the second half, 26-20. The Ladybirds made five three-pointers in the fourth quarter.

Liza Tibbs, a 6-2 sophomore, led Dixie Heights with nine points. She scored five in the fourth quarter, but did battle foul trouble the entire game.

Dixie Heights finished 10-22 in Smith’s first season. The Lady Colonels lost 72-38 to Ryle in the 9th quarterfinals in their first appearance in the regional tournament since 2008. Dixie Heights last won region in 1992.

“It’s just about the change in the style we play,” Smith said. “I think we’re headed in the right direction. I think the players we have want to be here and win. They show up, play hard and work hard. You don’t go from where we are to the number one team in the region overnight.”

Highlands travels to Cincinnati Ursuline on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

Thoroughbreds open with big win at Ludlow:

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds opened the season with a convincing 69-46 win at Ludlow on Tuesday.

The Thoroughbreds face another District 34 team Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. They travel to battle the Dixie Heights Colonels. It will be the season-opener for Dixie Heights.