[WILDCATDEN07]

Great fight to both teams..Congrats Holmes on being the KHSAA State Champions.I was really pulling for Central in this one.Because they came into the tournament with a 16-14 record. But a very hard fight for both teams and a great way to end the season.

[ky wildcats]

Congrats Holmes

[UK Wildcat]

Congrats Holmes...:Cheerlead

[TheGuyYouLoveToHate]

Great game. My personal opinion was that Holmes was extremely confident-arrogant coming into this game, that why they got spanked in the first half. They came out in the second and made it a better game, but i was never really impressed with them. The refs were horrible in this game, there were tons of blown calls and questionable calls on both sides. Great effort by both teams though, really exciting.

[ecqb8]

Great effort by both teams. Congrats to Holmes. Best high school ball game i've ever seen!

[Stardust]

State of tears as Central falls in final
By Jason Frakes • [email]jfrakes@courier-journal.com[/email] • March 22, 2009

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LEXINGTON, Ky. -- After two overtimes, the Rupp Arena court was covered in confetti -- and tears.



Tears of disappointment for Central High School boys' basketball coach Doug Bibby, who has to say goodbye to five seniors.

And tears of redemption and joy for Holmes junior Jeremiah Johnson, who got to celebrate a state championship with a 67-63 win just minutes after missing a wide-open layup that nearly cost his team the opportunity.

After 32 minutes of regulation and two four-minute overtimes, Holmes was the last team standing in the final of the National City Sweet 16 before 15,632 fans.

"I feel good, I feel good," Johnson said while fighting through tears. "I'm just so happy right now."

Holmes (36-2), No. 7 in The Courier-Journal's Litkenhous Ratings, won its first state championship after losing its three previous appearances in a final (1978, 1990 and 2008).

The Bulldogs lost two starters -- Braeon Avery and Arrez Henderson -- from last season's team that fell 57-48 to Mason County in the state final but found championship-caliber replacements.

"It's the greatest feeling in the world because our community takes so much pride in the boys' basketball program," said coach David Henley, whose team avenged both of its regular-season losses (Bryan Station and Boone County). "I know there's going to be a lot of happy people in Covington. I'm happy for them."

Junior Elijah Pittman had 14 points, eight rebounds and three blocks to lead the Bulldogs. Jeremiah Johnson and Dominique Johnson each scored 13 points, and Sweet 16 MVP Ricardo Johnson pitched in six points and seven boards.

Ridge Wilson had 18 points and seven rebounds to lead Central (19-15), which reached the state final after starting the season 0-8. The Yellowjackets were playing in their second straight Sweet 16 after a 30-year absence.

As the postgame awards ceremony began, Bibby wept while sitting with his players.

"I can't be joyful because we didn't win," he said. "I'm not disappointed because our guys left it on the floor. I am disappointed because it's the last time me and these guys will be together on the floor."

(2 of 2)


The game featured 12 lead changes and several clutch shots at the end of regulation and both overtimes.



Brandon Housley sank two free throws to give Holmes a 51-45 lead with 2:21 left in regulation, but Alex Morrison (1:59) and Marcel Williams (1:21) hit three-pointers to tie the score at 51.

Holmes ran down the clock, and Ricardo Johnson found his brother Jeremiah wide-open under the basket with five seconds left. His layup rolled around the rim and off, leading to the first overtime.

"I wish I would have put it in, but my team told me to keep my head up," Johnson said. "They said it wasn't over and four more minutes to go. We just pulled it out."

The first overtime included five lead changes, the last coming when JaMel Riley nailed a three-pointer from the right corner to give Holmes a 60-58 lead with 13 seconds left.

But after a Central timeout, Wilson got free in the lane and scored just before the buzzer to tie it at 60 and force overtime No. 2.

"I didn't know if I got the ball off in time, but I actually thought I got fouled and was going to the free-throw line," Wilson said. "I was just glad to get the ball off."

Desmond Brown's free throw gave the Yellowjackets a 61-60 lead with 2:14 left in the second overtime, but the Bulldogs responded with six straight points.

Housley nailed two free throws and Jeremiah Johnson beat Central's trapping defense for a layup and a 64-61 lead with 32 seconds left. Central had a chance to tie, but Ricardo Johnson got a steal and found Jeremiah Johnson for a layup that sealed Holmes' victory.

For Jeremiah Johnson, it was sweet redemption.

"He came up big," Henley said. "Yeah, he had a little boo-boo right there at the end of (regulation), but he came back like a champion."

For Central, it was a bitter end to a successful two-year run in football and basketball. The Yellowjackets have won the past two Class 3-A football championships and now have a two-year stretch of Sixth Region basketball titles.

"The bottom line is now we know how to get there," Bibby said. "That's the big thing. We know what it takes to win the region, to get to the final game. … The tough road is behind us."

[Stardust]

Holmes tops Central for first state title
By Mike Fields - [email]mfields@herald-leader.com[/email] It was sweet redemption in the Sweet Sixteen in Rupp Arena Saturday night.

Holmes junior Jeremiah Johnson got a second chance to be a hero. Holmes finally won a state basketball title. And Bulldogs Coach David Henley finally got to smile after a classic championship game.

The drama played out in front of 15,632 fans who saw Holmes outlast Central 67-63 in a riveting double-overtime finals in the National City Boys' Sweet Sixteen.

Johnson, who missed a "gimme" layup with five seconds left in regulation that would have given Holmes a two-point lead, got two clinching baskets in the second OT.

"After I missed that layup, my teammates told me to keep my head up, that we'd pull it out," Johnson said, crying tears of relief and joy.

For Holmes, it was a title long overdue. The tradition-rich program has been state runner-up three times (2008, 1990, 1978). Now it finally gets to take the big trophy home to Covington.

"It's the greatest feeling in the world just because our community takes so much pride in the boys' basketball program," Henley said.

"I know there's going to be a lot of happy people because there's a lot of pride in the program, and I'm happy for them."

This state finals was one of the most exciting in the 92-year history of the tournament, rivaling Henry Clay's triple-overtime thriller over Carlisle County in 1983.

Henley played on that Carlisle County team.

Did this title finally heal those 26-year-old wounds?

"It's so much different because as a player you think you're supposed to be there," Henley said. "But as a coach you understand just how hard it is to get to a state tournament, win a game or two, and then win (a title)."

This last win couldn't have come any harder.

After Holmes beat Christian County, Lexington Catholic and Elliott County in the first three rounds, it was a solid favorite to dispose of Central, which wasn't supposed to get this far.

The Yellowjackets had a 12-13 record going into district play. Even after Doug Bibby's team beat Graves County, upset Eastern and escaped West Jessamine, few people figured the Yellowjackets could give Holmes much trouble.

But Central outplayed the Bulldogs for a half, leading by as many as 10 points.

Henley called his team's first-half performance "ugly," especially its 3-for-17 three-point shooting.

"That's about as bad as it can get," he said. "But our kids hung in there. We challenged them and they responded."

In the first OT, Holmes took a 60-58 lead on JaMel Riley's three-pointer from the right corner with 13 seconds left in the extra period. But Central tied it when Ridge Wilson powered into the lane and dumped in a buzzer-beater.

Holmes finally prevailed in the second OT. It scored six points in a row on two free throws by Brandon Housley and two baskets by Johnson that gave it a 66-61 lead that finally zipped up the Jackets.

Elijah Pittman led Holmes with 14 points and eight rebounds before fouling out early in the second OT.

Jeremiah Johnson had 13 points and eight rebounds.

Dominique Johnson also had 13 points.

Ricardo Johnson, Jeremiah's brother, was named MVP of the tournament after averaging 13.3 points and eight rebounds and playing stellar defense.

Central was led by Wilson, the University of Kentucky football signee, who had 18 points and seven rebounds.

"Some balls didn't bounce our way," Bibby said. "I'm just so proud of my guys.

"I told them before the game, regardless of whether we win or lose, we're winners."

Central was trying for the school's third state title, and its first in 35 years.

For the usually stoic Henley, it was a moment to savor.

"I don't get too excited," he said. "Kids at school tell me, 'Mr. Henley, you should show more emotion, get more excited.' The kids tell me I don't smile enough."

How about after winning the state championship and a school-record 36 games?

"He's gonna smile, of course he is," Riley said. "He's got no choice but to smile."

[Stardust]

Holmes wins in epic style
By Ryan Ernst • [email]rernst@enquirer.com[/email] • March 21, 2009

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LEXINGTON – During his team’s three straight trips to the Sweet Sixteen boys’ basketball state tournament, Holmes coach David Henley has told his players to “respond to adversity” like he was preaching from the bible. The Bulldogs have quoted the words like chapter and verse.


On Saturday at Rupp Arena, they lived them.

• Photos: Bulldogs 67, Louisville Central 63


After overcoming a hostile crowd in the semifinals, the Bulldogs came back to beat Louisville Central 67-63 in epic double-overtime fashion to claim the storied program’s first state title in four trips to the finals.

“I don’t think it could have gotten any worse than it did in the first half,” Henley said. “Our kids just hung in there. … We challenged them at halftime and I think our kids responded. Well, I know they did.”

Holmes junior Jeremiah Johnson, who missed an uncontested layup near the end of regulation that could have put the Bulldogs ahead, scored four points down the stretch to cap the victory. His brother, tournament MVP Ricardo Johnson made a free throw with two seconds remaining to put the game out of reach.

The Bulldogs, who beat crowd favorite Elliott County 67-57 in the semifinals earlier in the day, trailed Central 37-30 midway through the third quarter. Ricardo Johnson was on the bench in foul trouble. And yet Holmes responded with a 14-0 run to take control of the game.

“We just stayed down and played defense,” said senior guard JaMel Riley. “We knew the whole time we were going to win this game. We’d worked way too hard not to.”

Senior guard Dominique Johnson keyed the rally with two 3-pointers.

After making 3-of-17 shots from 3-point range in the first half, the Bulldogs kept firing away from behind the line. They finished 7-of-30.

“We have people that know their roles and have confidence,” Dominique Johnson said. “Shots weren’t falling, but it’s all about confidence and heart. That’s what we needed.”

Central showed plenty of heart as well, coming back to tie the score at 51-51 on a Marcel Williams 3-pointer with 1:21 to play.

In the first overtime, after Riley made a 3-pointer from the corner to give Holmes a 60-58 lead, Ridge Wilson made a floater at the buzzer to force the second overtime.

Elijah Pittman, who joined Riley and Ricardo Johnson on the all-tournament team, led three Holmes players in double-figures. He finished with 14 points, eight rebounds and three blocks before fouling out.

Despite playing with foul trouble, Pittman helped neutralize Ridge Wilson and Tim Patterson, Central’s big and physical power forwards.

“They’re very big and very strong and very aggressive,” Pittman said. “I just had to be stronger in the second half.”

Wilson, the state’s leading rebounder, finished with 18 points and seven boards.

As Central threw up a desperation and inconsequential heave at the buzzer, Holmes players swarmed the court and assembled in a large pile in front of the Bulldogs bench.

Afterward, they embraced with former players who had played on state runner-up teams and walked to center court to claim the state championship trophy, just the second one won by a place Northern Kentucky team.

“We made history today,” Ricardo Johnson said. “We made history.”

[Stardust]

Johnson brothers revel in championship
By Ryan Ernst • [email]rernst@enquirer.com[/email] • March 22, 2009

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LEXINGTON - With time winding down in double overtime and Holmes' state championship dreams hanging in the balance, junior Ricardo Johnson intercepted a Central pass and then tossed the ball ahead to fellow junior Jeremiah Johnson, who was fouled while converting a layup.


With the title nearly in hand, the brothers pumped their fists and hugged on the Rupp Arena baseline.

"That's when I knew," Jeremiah said. "That's when it hit me."

Yup, it was quite a night for the Johnson brothers.

Jeremiah, who had missed a layup late in regulation that could have won the game, scored eight points in the two overtime periods to lead Holmes to the 67-63 win. Ricardo, who iced the game with a free throw, was named tournament MVP and picked up his first Division I scholarship offer - from Bradley - during the post-game celebration.

The duo nearly won the game at the end of the fourth quarter. With six seconds remaining, Ricardo drove the lane and dished to Jeremiah on the baseline. His layup hit off the backboard, into the rim and then out.

"It was over and done with," he said. "After that, we had more game to play. I wish I would've made it, but I didn't. You don't make every shot. My teammates and coaches told me to keep my head up."

Ricardo said the message was simple.

"That was tough, but it was in the past," he said. "I just told him to make the next play. That's the game of basketball - making plays."

Ricardo averaged 13 points a game during the tournament and was the Bulldogs' most consistent defender and ball handler.

"Man, he does everything," Holmes coach David Henley said. "He ran the point in crunch time. He's kind of turned into a point-forward for us. He did everything we needed him to do."

The postseason hardware is nothing new to the brother tandem. Jeremiah was the MVP of this year's 35th District tournament; Ricardo was the MVP of the Ninth Region tournament.

[Stardust]

Bulldogs may not be done winning
Holmes notebook
By Ryan Ernst • [email]rernst@enquirer.com[/email] • March 22, 2009

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LEXINGTON - Holmes already is on one of the best runs in the history of Northern Kentucky boys' basketball. And considering what the Bulldogs have returning from this year's state championship team, it might not come to an end anytime soon.


Three starters from this year's team - Ricardo Johnson, Elijah Pittman and Jeremiah Johnson - will be seniors next season.

Pittman and Ricardo Johnson were first- and second-team all-state, respectively, as juniors.

"Aw man, yeah, we've got some guys coming back," Holmes coach David Henley said. "Of course, losing our four seniors is going to hurt, but we still have some guys who can play. We'll enjoy this one and then start worrying about next year in a couple weeks."

The team also returns key contributors Kevon Rice and Pierre Mayfield. Both are sophomores.

The Bulldogs also had one of the area's top junior varsity teams this season.

SEMIFINALS: With their 67-57 semifinal victory over Elliott County, the Bulldogs posted their school-record 35th victory of the season.

"It feels good," Ricardo Johnson said after the game. "But we're trying to make history; we want to win a state championship."

The Bulldogs took control of the game with a 16-3 first-half run. They led 32-24 at halftime and held off several second-half Elliott County runs. The Lions cut the lead to 61-57 on a Jonathan Ferguson 3-pointer with 1:45 to play. But the Bulldogs closed out the victory with four free throws and a Pittman layup down the stretch.

Pittman led the Bulldogs with 23 points and 11 rebounds. It was the first game of the tournament in which he hadn't gone to the bench with early foul trouble.

"It just came down to who wanted it more," Pittman said. "I guess I wanted it more."

Elliott County entered the game averaging 85 points a game. It had topped 100 points five times. The Lions' 57-point output Saturday was their second-lowest of the season.

"We held them to 57," Henley said. "I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to figure out that was the difference."

ATTENDANCE: The state finals drew 15,632 fans, upping the tournament attendance figure to 130,706, the highest mark since 1991. Many in the crowd had come to see Shelby Valley and Elliott County, two small schools from the mountains in eastern Kentucky.

At times during the Bulldogs' 67-57 semifinal victory over Elliott County, it was painfully obvious which team the crowd was rooting for. And it wasn't Holmes.

"We talked about that at halftime," said Henley. "The nature of the beast at the state tournament is that people always get behind the mountain teams. Elliott County has 200-something kids in the school and those kids have been playing together forever. People want to see stories like that, and rightfully so.

"We just told our guys that if they made a run, don't be surprised if there were 15,000 people on Elliott County's side. It was going to come down to handling adversity."

ODDS AND ENDS: Holmes is the 17th team in state tournament history to play in back-to-back championship games. ... With the state finals win, Holmes claimed its 29th victory in the tournament's 93-year history. The Bulldogs are tied with DuPont Manual for sixth on the all-time list. Ashland Paul Blazer is No. 1 with 48 wins. ... Henley, in his 12th year at the school, is now 9-3 in the state tournament

[Stardust]

A fitting finish to a fab finals
Holmes survives epic struggle
By John Clay - Herald-Leader Sports Columnist There were surely some who were disappointed when the Cinderellas of the Sweet Sixteen, Elliott County and West Jessamine, didn't make the championship game.

They shouldn't have been.

Not after what the Rupp Arena crowd of 15,632 was treated to Saturday night. It was an epic struggle between two of the state's more storied high school basketball franchises.


John Clay
Only this time, in this National City Boys' Sweet Sixteen, after three times the finals losers, Holmes came out on top, 67-63 after two overtimes.

This game had it all, starting with the rags-to-riches story of the Central Yellowjackets, led by their animated and energetic coach, Doug Bibby.

Central started the season 0-8, found its footing, won the 6th Region, then avenged a 23-point February loss to crosstown rival Eastern by knocking off the Eagles 71-65 in the Sweet Sixteen quarterfinals.

On Saturday morning, the Jackets proved too much, if barely, for tourney newcomer West Jessamine, which had ridden crafty point guard Jarrod Polson all the way to the final four before losing 52-48 to Central in the semis.

And had Central won with a 19-14 record heading into Saturday night, Bibby's club would have had the fewest wins and most losses of any tournament victor.

Then there was Holmes, a long, athletic team that shot lights-out in whipping Lexington Catholic in the quarterfinals Friday night, then did the job defensively to end Elliott County's sentimental and heralded run, ending the Lions' dream 67-57 on Saturday morning.

In truth, that win might have taken a bit out of the Bulldogs on Saturday night.

"We looked like we were in quicksand out there," David Henley, the Bulldogs' coach, said of his team's first half.

Holmes settled too often for three-pointers, and too often those threes clanged off the rim. The Bulldogs missed 10 of their 11 three-point attempts in the first quarter, 14 of 17 in the first half. No wonder Holmes trailed Central 30-21 at the half.

But the second half, the ball started to move, the shots started to fall. At the end of the third, Holmes had stuck a neck in front, 39-37.

And it seemed to have the trophy won when, with less than a minute to play, the game tied 51-51, Henley's club worked the clock and the ball masterfully to the perfect position of a Jeremiah Johnson layup with five seconds remaining.

Only, Johnson missed.

Amazingly, he missed.

Overtime.

"My team told me to keep my head up, that we had four minutes to go," said Johnson.

Make that eight minutes.

Ridge Wilson, Central's muscular two-point star, buried a bucket at the buzzer, from inside the lane, which extended the drama to a second overtime.

And surely Henley had to think, if only for an instant, about that championship game 26 years ago, when his Carlisle County team lost to Al Prewitt's Henry Clay Blue Devils in one of the lowest-scoring and most dramatic finals in tournament history.

Final that night: Henry Clay 35, Carlisle County 33 in three overtimes.

There had not been a multiple-overtime Boys' Sweet Sixteen finals since that night.

"It's so much different," said Henley. "When you're a player, you think you're supposed to be there. But as a coach, you know how hard it is to get there."

How hard it is to win it.

"I don't get too excited," Henley said. "At school they said, 'Mr. Henley, how come you never smile at the games even when we're ahead 60 points.' And I say, 'Because I want us to be ahead by 61.'"

But the coach can get emotional, and when it was finally over, after tournament MVP Ricardo Johnson came up with the clutch steal, starting a fast break that ended in Jeremiah Johnson's clinching bucket, the eyes got wet, and the tears flowed.

This time, tears of joy.

"It is," said David Henley, "the greatest feeling."

[Stardust]

Here are a few thoughts from the week:

Congrats to Covington Holmes and coach David Henley for winning the title in stunning fashion - a 67-63 win over Central in double overtime.

Junior Elijah Pittman fouled out in the final but still led Holmes with 14 points. He's ridiculously talented - perhaps more than any other player in any class in the state - but still needs to grow up a bit. He doesn't play hard all the time, sometimes tending to 'goof' off. But when he's on, Pittman is sensational.

Ricardo Johnson is the other star junior for Holmes. He was sensational for most of the week, picking up MVP honors in the tournament. Johnson had six points and seven rebounds in the title game. Xavier and Kentucky are watching Johnson.

Give it up for Central and the effort they put out this week, almost pulling out a title despite 14 losses on the season. Ridge Wilson is a wonderful athlete and will have a stellar career playing football at UK and Alex Morrison is so underrated.

Another magical run ended on Saturday when Pittman scored 23 points and 11 rebounds to help Holmes take out 16th Region power Elliott County. Take a bow Ethan and Evan Faulkner and Jonathan Ferguson because you three have been fun to watch.

Elliott County sophomore Timmy Knipp had a great tournament and positioned himself as one of the top players statewide in the Class of 2011.
Speaking of solid players statewide, the talent pool is getting better - and deeper. There were more than 30 total college coaches at the event this week.

The really interesting listing to watch between now and next season will be at the top of the state's Class of 2012 rankings. Lexington Catholic's Jaylen Beckham has been considered by many as the best freshman in the state, and he did have a great game against Holmes on Friday night. But I'm saying also watch out for Scott County's Tamron Manning. There are 5-6 other really solid freshmen in the state but these two are clearly the best in the class at this point and both still have a ton of upside.

The senior in the field that deserves a good college scholarship is West Jessamine's Jarrod Polson. Not only can the kid shoot, but he's a great passer.

The Chris Dowe sweepstakes might get crowded. Bellarmine had been in the lead and is now trying to hold off Division I schools. Watch for Marshall to make a strong move for the Eastern High School senior guard.

All three of Eastern's stellar sophomores - Remy Abell, Lyonell Gaines and Arman Marks - all three have a shot to be major Division I prospects. But headed out of this season, I'd say Abell has more upside and will be the star of the pack.

LexCath senior Vee Sanford sure drew a crowd - of college coaches. Look for him to make his final four visits within the next few weeks and then try to make a decision. One thing is for sure, Sanford has plenty of good options.

[Stardust]

Knowing those kids very well from coaching against them in AAU ball, I see Dominci Johnson possibly moving to the point. It's not a natural fit, and will be a tough adjustment, but if he can make it work, this team will be huge. This would move Keevon (sic) to the three of four, and Holmes may not miss a beat.

Ricardo Johnson? Jeremiah Johnson? Those two stick out in my mind but there are SEVERAL other underclassmen, particularly those who will be their junior class next season, that could improve in the offseason and step up for their team...

Good catch, Ricardo is who I was referring to. Ricardo played a lot of point this year, and as you could see last night, he can handle the ball out top. He could transition into that poisition, and at 6-4, would make a very big point guard for HS.

I expect the following starting line-up next year:

5. Pittman
4. Rice
3. J. Johnson
2. Mayfield
1. R. Johnson

[donathanhurley]

Congrats Holmes.

Wow, 2OT.
That sounds like a greaaat game!

[gtowntiger]

I also watched it from Applebee's and this was definitely what a championship game should be like.. Holmes athleticism amazed me as they outlasted an impressive Central team. Congrats to both teams and especially to Holmes!!

[BlackcatAlum]

What an outstanding game to conclude the state tournament.

Holmes is freakishly, scary talented, but they lack a true point guard. If they had one, no one in the state would come within 20 of that team. Both Johnson's, Riley, and Pittman come up big throughout this game.

Kudos to Central as they played extremely hard the entire tournament. Morrison is one heck of a player along with Wilson & Patterson. Each made some big plays throughout the tournament.

Congrats Holmes!!!

[lickbranchlegend]

It was a great way to end one of the best state tournaments in years.

[RavenBoy]

Sounds like it was a great game.

[NIKE2010]

Congrats to Holmes. This was a very good game to watch.

[NYY10]

This game was amazing, I was sittin in front of some Holme fans, very funny they where but great fan base from Holmes. Congrats to them all. and still will be dangerous next season!

[mrfootball03]

wow, central has a talented school.. state champions in football, and an a hair from being state champions in basketball..

[MVP2]

Best Game I watched all year long! Congrats Holmes!

[Crazy Horse]

Congrats Holmes

[SolidOxygen]

Grats Holmes.
Looks like they'll have 4 great athletes returning for next years season.
:thatsfunn