By Rob Kiser
Miami Valley Today
COVINGTON — The Covington boys basketball got a much needed win on Senior Night.
But, not without Newton giving them a battle for three-plus quarters Friday night.
Covington was able to pull away down the stretch for a 61-46 victory.
Covington improved to 9-13 overall and 6-6 in the CCC with the win.
The Buccs will open D-IV sectional play against Fairlawn at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 22.
“This was big for us,” Covington coach Karl Ratermann said. “We had gone through a tough stretch. We lost a lot of close games this year. We lost eight games by five points or less.”
Newton dropped to 6-16 overall and 3-9 in the CCC.
Newton will open Piqua D-IV sectional play Fridayat at 7:30 p..m. against Botkins.
“I thought the kids played hard,” Newton coach Gavin Spitler said. “I thought the biggest difference was we just couldn’t keep Covington off the boards. I felt like if we had held them to one shot, it would have been a different story.”
Newton’s post players Mitchell Montgomery and Harold Oburn got in early foul trouble.
But, Newton was able to stay in the game by hitting seven 3-pointers through the first three quarters as Covington led 15-12, 28-23 and 45-37 at the quarter breaks.
“Our post players were able to score in the second half,” Spitler said. “Obviously, they couldn’t in the first half. I thought (because of foul trouble) we had a group of young kids in the game in the second quarter who don’t normally play that much and they did a good job keeping us in the game.”
Covington was able to counter with a strong inside game, shooting 31 free throws to Newton’s six.
“That’s our game,” Ratermann said. “To get the ball down low and attack the basket and we were able to do that.”
A basket by Oburn had closed Covington’s lead to 48-44 with 4:13 remaining.
Newton had the ball with a chance to make it a one-possession game.
Covington’s Kleyton Maschino had a steal and scored to make it 50-44.
Jake Hamilton hit one of two free throws and the lead quickly reached double digits when a Newton foul and a bench technical led to Covington making three of four free throws.
Newton would score just two points the rest of the way as Covington pulled away for the win.
“Newton hit what I thought were some pretty deep threes,” Ratermann said. “Right before that (when it was 48-44), I thought we had some good possessions and just weren’t able to finish. After that, we were able to do that.”
Maschino had 17 points and five rebounds for the Buccs.
Zach Kuntz had 15 points and five rebounds, Kadin Presser had 13 points and six rebounds and Spencer Brumbaugh had nine points — as all four played their final games in the Covington gym.
Kleyson Wehrley led Newton with 16 points and Hudson Montgomery scored seven.
Covington was 18 of 36 from the floor for 50 percent and 20 of 31 from the line for 65 percent.
Newton was 17 of 53 from the floor for 33 percent and four of six from the line for 67 percent.
Covington won the battle of the boards 28-19, but had 13 turnovers to Newton’s nine.
Now both teams move on to the postseason after a big win by Covington on Senior Night.
BOXSCORE
Newton (46)
Ross Ferrell 2-0-6, Andrew Whittaker 2-0-5, Kleyson Wehrley 6-0-16, Mitchell Montgomery 2-2-6, Harold Oburn 2-0-4, Ethan Cook 0-0-0, Hudson Montgomery 3-0-7, Patrick Hughes 0-0-0, Quentin Smith 0-2-2, Chandler Peters 0-0-0, Amorie Maxwell 0-0-0. Totals: 17-4-46.
Covington (61)
Spencer Brumbaugh 3-1-9, Kadin Presser 3-7-13, Wes Gooding 1-0-2, Zach Kuntz 6-2-15, Kleyton Maschino 5-5-17, Jake Hamilton 0-3-3, Jaden Barhorst 0-0-0, Owen Boehringer 0-2-2, Cooper Jay 0-0-0, Tyler Alexander 0-0-0. Totals: 18-20-61.
3-point field goals — Newton: Ferrell (2), Whittaker, Wehrley (4), Hudson Montgomery. Covington: Brumbaugh (2), Kuntz, Maschino (2).
Score By Quarters
Newton 12 23 37 46
Covington 15 28 45 61
Records: Covington 9-13 (6-6), Newton 6-16 (3-9).
Contact Rob Kiser at [email protected].
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