Bluegrassrivals

Jake Burger banks in a three at the buzzer, as HC overcomes a 42-30 deficit at the end of the third quarter. Unbelievable ending.

Burger led the Indians with 18, Campbell added 12.

Heartbreak for BHS. Anthony Myrks hit a basket with two seconds to give a Bardstown a 51-49 lead, and he led them with 17, and Jordan Brewer added 13.

Must have been one heck of a game.

Congrats to NKY for putting 3 of the 4 teams into the finals for both girls and boys All A

Wow! I honestly thought Bardstown would take this tourney hands down.

Congrats CHS

^ That's only because you don't know about NKY's top team

FRANKFORT – While the Holy Cross boys’ basketball team continued its outstanding defensive play in the Touchstone Energy All ‘A’ Classic State Tournament it finally on Saturday night got the ball offensively where head coach Erik Goetz has been seeking it to go all tournament - inside.

Holy Cross shot 68.4 percent from the field in the first half thanks to scoring 22 points in the paint to build a 32-15 halftime lead and finished shooting 64.3 percent from the field for the game thanks to 46 points in the paint on the way to a 69-49 semifinal win over Louisville Collegiate in Frankfort Convention Center.

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Holy Cross (21-2), which is appearing in the All ‘A’ Classic State Tournament for the first time since 1999, advances to play Bardstown in the state championship game at 2:30 p.m. today. It will be the first championship game appearance for Holy Cross since the tournament went to a statewide format in 1990. Bardstown, which defeated Heath in Saturday’s other semifinal, 56-44, is appearing in its fourth All ‘A’ Classic state title game, winning the championship in 2006 and finishing as runner-up in 2007 and 2009.

The Indians had struggled offensively in their first two tournament games, especially in the first half, due in large part to poor shot selection. They tallied just 23 first-half points in each of the first two games while taking a combined 26 three-point attempts in those first halves, and they made just 5 of them. Against Louisville Collegiate, Holy Cross attempted only 2 first-half three-pointers, and 6-foot-8 junior center Antonio Campbell finished the half with 12 points on 6 of 8 shooting from the field and senior guard Jake Burger, who plays a significant amount inside, had nine points on 3 of 5 shooting from the field.

“I felt like our execution early tonight was much better than the first two games and our dedication to get the ball where it needed to be early in the game and to get great shots early in the game (was good),” said Holy Cross coach Erik Goetz. “That doesn’t meant necessarily throwing it to Tony or throwing it to Burger, but what it means is making the other teams honor that first so it opens up other things. It’s all we’ve talked about.”

Louisville Collegiate(15-6), which was appearing in just its second All ‘A’ Classic State Tournament ever, had only two players on its roster taller than 6 feet 2 and none taller than 6-4.

“I knew their tallest guy was only 6-4 and I wanted the ball pretty bad,” said Campbell, who finished with 16 points, nine rebounds, four blocks and three steals.

Burger also finished with 16 points and junior guard Christian McClendon added 12 points on 6 of 9 shooting from the field.

Holy Cross’ shooting percentage helped it overcome committing 24 turnovers. It entered the game having committed just 16 turnovers in the first two tournament games, including six in the previous six quarters.

The Indians have held all three of their tournament opponents under 50 points and it took Louisville Collegiate making 13 of 28 second half shots (46.4) percent for it to finish the game at 42.2 percent from the field, becoming the first of the Indians three opponents to shoot better than 40 percent from the field. Holy Cross’ full court defensive pressure did force Louisville Collegiate into 25 turnovers, 14 of which came in the first half.

“I warned our guys don’t let this team hang around, because these guys can get you,” said Goetz. “I think our defensive pressure initially in the game has been pretty good and it takes the other team a little while to adjust to that. I don’t think we capitalized the first two nights on that and tonight we did and it felt good to get us a working cushion.”

Now the boys’ basketball team is within a win of becoming the third team at Holy Cross to win a state championship this school year, joining the volleyball team, which won the All ‘A’ Classic state title, and the football team, which won the Kentucky High School Athletic Association Class 2A title.

“We came here this week to be in the game on Sunday and give ourselves the opportunity to take home the title,” said Goetz. “There’s no guarantee it’s going to happen, but they put themselves in a position to have a chance and that’s all you can ask for.”

http://www.NKY.com

Louisville Collegiate 4 11 17 17 -- 49
Holy Cross 17 15 16 21 -- 69

Louisville Collegiate (49): Perry 2-7 2-2 6, Overstreet 8-14 1-3 17, Keyer 2-3 2-4 6, Steggeman 4-9 5-8 14, Kommor 0-1 0-0 0, Schutte 0-0 0-0 0, McAnulty 2-6 0-1 4, Perellis 0-1 0-0 0, Walter 0-1 0-0 0, Dick 0-1 0-0 0, Naser 0-0 0-0 0, White 1-1 0-0 2, George 0-0 0-0 0, Powell 0-0 0-0 0, Matson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-45 10-16 49.

Holy Cross (69): Fortner 3-4 3-4 9, C. McClendon 6-9 0-1 12, Campbell 8-12 0-2 16, Thompson 2-2 2-2 6, Burger 5-8 4-5 16, Fuller 1-1 2-2 4, B. Pouncy 2-3 0-2 4, M. McClendon 0-0 0-0 0, Chames 0-0 0-0 0, Gabbard 0-2 0-0 0, Z. Pouncy 0-1 0-0 0, Cox 0-0 0-0 0, Schuler 0-0 0-0 0, Knochelman 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-42 13-20 69.

Three-point shooting: Lou. Collegiate 1-10 (Steggeman 1-5, McAnulty 0-2, Perry 0-1, Overstreet 0-1, Dick 0-1), Holy Cross 2-6 (Burger 2-4, Gabbard 0-1, C. McClendon 0-1). Rebounds: Lou. Collegiate 21 (Keyer 7), Holy Cross 28 (Campbell 9). Assists: Lou. Collegiate 11 (Kommor 3), Holy Cross 12 (Fuller, B. Pouncy 3). Blocked shots: Lou. Collegiate 1 (Walter 1), Holy Cross 4 (Campbell 4). Steals: Lou. Collegiate 12 (Steggeman 5), Holy Cross 16 (Fortner, Fuller, Campbell 3). Turnovers: Lou. Collegiate 25, Holy Cross 24. Records: Louisville Collegiate 15-6, Holy Cross 21-2.