Owensboro Catholic used its size advantage to stymie a late run by University Heights Academy Friday at the Owensboro Sportscenter as the Aces start the season 2-0 for the fifth-straight season.
Catholic used a big run to start the second half to put some separation between them and the Blazers as the Aces took the game 80-67.
The Aces continued its offensive prowess to start the season as they took down Evangel Christian 82-41 Monday in its season opener. Catholic coach Tim Riley said the Blazers were a completely different opponent.
“This is a better basketball team,” he said of UHA. “This is a veteran team, really good. One of the top teams in the 2nd Region. Team we played Monday night was a really young team.”
Riley said the biggest adjustment they made in the game was at halftime as they trailed 34-30.
“The biggest thing was in the second half, we moved the basketball a little bit better and took better shots,” he said. “In the first half, we were trying to drive it right in the heart of the defense and taking tough shots. In the second half, did a much better job.”
The Aces started the second half on a 13-0 run to lead 41-34 with 5:15 left in the third.
Riley said they had to move if they wanted to come out of Friday with a win.
“The message was if we shared the ball and moved the ball, we’ll get great shots,” he said. “They didn’t have any matchup with Ji, with his size. They didn’t have any kind of a matchup for him. We started getting it and more opened up then Bryan (Griffin) started to get some down in the line, same with Gray (Weaver). Ji was the matchup in that game and they didn’t have an answer for him.”
Catholic’s Ji Webb scored 12 of his game-high 29 points in the third as Riley was pleased they were getting back to their gameplan in the frame of getting Webb the ball.
“We wanted to,” he said. “We just didn’t do a very good job and some of it is their guard play and their quickness to deal with.”
Griffith finished with 19 points as Gray Weaver also eclipsed double digits with 15 points.
UHA was led by William Bryan’s 21 points as the Blazers had four in double figures. Amani McGee (16), KJ Crump (14) and DJ Quarles (12) also had big nights for UHA.
When asked what his team can get out of Friday’s win, Riley went back to his players moving on the offense end.
“We’ve got to learn how to get open for the ball and pop and move,” he said. “We do way too much standing and holding onto the ball. The balls got to move. We’ve got three guys that can really score but they can’t score and just go into the heart of the defense. We’ve got to make that defense make some decisions, get the floor spaced and then go make plays.”
Catholic now looks to a matchup today with another 2nd Region opponent in the Madisonville-North Hopkins Maroons.
If the Aces want to win an All “A” Classic State Championship or a KHSAA Sweet Sixteen, they’re going to have to win games on back-to-back nights.
Riley said the matchup against the Maroons is going to be a tough one.
“Tonight was a war so it’ll make tomorrow really hard.”
Owensboro Catholic 80, University Heights Academy 67
UHA (0-2) 15 19 16 17 –67
OC (2-0) 13 17 24 26 — 80
UHA: Amani McGee 16, William Bryan 21, DJ Quarles 12, KJ Crump 14, Noah Shouse 2, Quinton Quarles 2
OC: Bryan Griffith 19, Gray Weaver 15, Parker Gray 8, Luke Scales 5, Ji Webb 29, Sam McFarland 4
2021 basketball coverage is presented in part by Rhoads & Rhoads Attorneys at Law.
