By: James Weber, jweber@enquirer.com
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS Sunday night's showdown of highly touted senior guards was ultimately decided by the tallest player in the building.
Jake Walter, Covington Catholic's 7-foot-1 senior center, dictated the flow of the game in the first quarter during a hot start by the Colonels. The Colonels then kept Cooper at arm's length the rest of the way as they defeated the Jaguars 47-32 at BB&T Arena.
"He's got more confidence," said CovCath head coach Scott Ruthsatz. "He's able to play more minutes. He's in really good shape. He's learning more about his body and how to move it. He's been really working hard in practice and his footwork is great."
The game was a rematch of last year's Ninth Region final and a holiday tournament game Dec. 23, both won by Cooper. It was a match of two teams highly ranked in the Kentucky Associated Press poll (Cooper fifth, CovCath sixth). It also put two senior guards against each other who are going to Division I colleges and making a run at Mr. Basketball in CovCath's CJ Fredrick (Iowa) and Cooper's Adam Kunkel (Belmont).
Except for a possession here and there, the pair never guarded each other. But Walter's presence under the basket allowed the Colonels to press the Jaguars and build an early lead and the Jaguars never threatened.
Kunkel was playing with a mask after breaking his nose three weeks ago. He had missed several games and returned Friday night against Boone County. The Colonels blanketed Kunkel all night and forced him into nine points on 2 of 8 shooting.
"The key was to not let Adam Kunkel play in space," Ruthsatz said. "He plays in space so well. You have to send guys at him. He's a great player, shooter, scorer. You got to get him off his rhythm and we were able to do that."
Walter set the pace early in the game, making his first three shots, two of them dunks. Those shots and a three by Fredrick gave CovCath a 10-1 lead. Senior guard Aiden Ruthsatz hit two baskets and Fredrick hit another trey, and CovCath led 18-6. Kunkel hit his first basket, a trey, at the end of the period.
"We tried to get it into Jake early," Scott Ruthsatz said. "We tried to run some sets where we're running our shooters off of him and you have to play one or the other. We were making good passes into the post and Jake was finishing, and that really opened up things for us on the outside."
The game bogged down after the first quarter. The teams combined for 12 points in the second quarter and CovCath led 25-14 at halftime, then 33-19 late in the third quarter. Cooper closed to within nine (36-27) early in the fourth period on two baskets by Blaine Walters, but Ruthsatz hit four straight free throws to push the lead back to 13.
CovCath limited Cooper to 27 percent shooting (9 of 33).
Fredrick, playing with the flu, had 13 points and three assists. Ruthsatz led everyone with 18 points and also had three assists, two steals and six rebounds. Walter had 10 points and six rebounds, and Nick Thelen had eight rebounds.
"We came out with so much energy that there was no way they were going to beat us tonight," Aiden Ruthsatz said. "We always know where Adam is, always go help side. When he's driving, try to cut him off or take a charge."
Coach Ruthsatz said taking Cooper out of their tempo was key.
"Changing speeds, who handles the ball, just try not to let them ease into their stuff was key," coach Ruthsatz said. "You have to make them work for those things. We've been trying to do that all year, be more aggressive. We have good athletes out there and Jake protecting the basket. That engages us early in the game."
While the Colonels avenged last year's regional final loss on the floor, coach Ruthsatz kept his emphasis on the long term.
"The kids always want to avenge a loss but they are playing hard and playing within themselves," he said. "We always talk about it's not a one-game season. It has to be a constant progression of developing guys into their roles so we can make a run and be better at the end of the year."
Covington Catholic (16-4): Fredrick 5 0 13, Fleek 0 1 1, Ruthsatz 3 10 18, Thelen 2 1 5, Walter 4 2 10. Totals: 14 14 47.
Cooper (14-5): Kunkel 2 4 9, Ollier 0 3 3, Runion 2 3 7, Walters 4 0 9, Houston 1 0 3, Baker 0 1 1. Totals: 9 11 32.
Halftime, CCH 25-14. 3-pointers: CCH 5 (Fredrick 3, Ruthsatz 2), CO 3 (Kunkel, Walters, Houston)