Saturday, March 03, 2001
NewCath rolls past Highlands
Thoroughbreds win 36th District title
By Ray Schaefer
Enquirer contributor
NewCath's Ronny Dawn is fouled by Highlands' Gino Guidugli.
(Mike Simons photos)
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BELLEVUE — Newport Central Catholic coach Ron Dawn told assistant Rob Detzel that Friday's 36th District championship game against Highlands would be close. Dawn couldn't have been more wrong.
His son Ronny scored 26 points as the defending Ninth Region champion Thoroughbreds won 56-40 at Bellevue's Ben Flora Gymnasium.
Both NewCath and Highlands advance to next week's regional tournament at Holmes. The pairings will be announced at 10 a.m. today at Holmes.
“We're right where we want to be,” Ronny Dawn said.
Ronny Dawn provided the scoring, but there also were other reasons NewCath won.
Vince Bonhaus pressures Ross Neltner.
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Start with the defense. Highlands senior forward Gino Guidugli and sophomore center Ross Neltner each scored 16 points, but junior guard Derrik Moeves was the only other Bluebirds starter to score.
NewCath (25-6) went to a 1-2-2 zone defense in the second half. Guidugli, who was 6-of-6 from the field in the first half, went 1-of-8 the rest of the way. The Bluebirds were 17-of-56 from the field for the game — 6-of-32 in the second half and 2-of-17 in the fourth quarter.
“We've only used it on a couple occasions,” Ron Dawn said of the 1-2-2. “We had to do something.”
The Thouroughbreds knew the game would have been closer if not for senior guard Vince Bonhaus, who scored 10 points and added eight rebounds and five assists.
Bonhaus broke his left wrist a more than two months ago. He was told he would miss up to three months, but he was back in less than one.
“I had a cast on it two weeks,” Bonhaus said. “I just healed well.”
After Bonhaus and Ronny Dawn each made a 3-pointer to open the game, Highlands didn't score until Neltner's basket with 3:39 to go in the first.
NewCath meanwhile, didn't score for a 3:15 stretch, and Guidugli scored seven of his 14 first-half points to put NewCath ahead 10-9 after the first quarter.
The second quarter had seven lead changes and a tie. It was a duel between Guidugli and Ronny Dawn, who scored 15 points.
Dawn started the show: a crossover dribble and 3-pointer from the right over the Bluebirds' Moeves; another 3-pointer from the left side over Neltner; a drive past Guidugli with 7.1 seconds left in the half.
Guidugli, however, finished it. His 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds to go put Highlands ahead 25-24 at halftime.
“We still felt we had a little momentum,” Dawn said.
Ron Dawn was angry because nobody fouled Guidugli before he shot, but he was happy with how the Thoroughbreds started the second half.
Senior Seth Lynn started with a 3-pointer. Senior Jeff Colson followed with four points, and Ronny Dawn, Lynn and Bonhaus each hit a three.
“They set (Dawn) coming off a lot of different screens,” Highlands coach John Messmer said. “Lynn is always there to shoot the three. Bonhaus is underrated.”
The result: a 16-6 edge in the third quarter and a 40-31 NewCath lead.
Highlands closed to 42-37 with 4:36 left in the game on a Moeves 3-pointer, but NewCath finished with a 14-2 run over the final 3:47. Dawn was 6-of-6 from the free-throw line, and the Thoroughbreds were 9-of-12.
NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC (56) — A. Dawn 1 0 2, Bonhaus 3 1 10, Colson 2 0 4, R. Dawn 8 6 26, Buten 0 2 2, Myers 3 0 6, Lynn 2 0 6. Totals: 19 9 56.
HIGHLANDS (40) — Klingenberg 1 0 3, Moeves 2 0 5, G. Guidugli 7 0 16, Neltner 7 2 16. Totals: 17 2 40.
Newport CC ....... 10 14 16 16 - 56
Highlands ....... 9 16 6 9 - 40
Three-point goals: NCC-R. Dawn 4, Bonhaus 3, Lynn 2; H-G. Guidugli 2, Moeves, Klingenberg. Records: NCC 25-6, H 19-8.
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NewCath rolls past Highlands
