Newman answers every River Ridge run

LANARK – The road to a fourth Sweet 16 appearance for Newman was one filled with running, trying to fend off a scrappy River Ridge team known for pressing full-court for all 32 minutes and wearing down its opponents.

Ultimately, clutch shooting for Gehrig Koerner and dominant play inside from Devon House down the stretch lifted the Comets to a 69-60 victory over the Wildcats.

“They play so hard it’s unbelievable,” Newman coach Ray Sharp said of River Ridge. “They just keep playing hard. That’s the team that plays the hardest that we’ve seen all year. They cause a lot of mental fatigue as much as physical fatigue.”

River Ridge (23-7) captured a 35-34 lead with 5:16 left in the third quarter after a putback by Trey Thomas and a layup by Kameron Kiley.

“Usually we get a lead in the third quarter and build on it,” Thomas said. “This team was in shape, and we couldn’t wear them down.”

After attempting just one shot in the first half, Koerner provided the answer – and some breathing room. The senior drilled five 3s in the third, his final one coming with 2:07 left in the third to put the Comets up 50-39.

“When we got out of the locker room at halftime, Coach Sharp told me to shoot more,” Koerner said. “They weren’t really guarding me. I started getting hot. It’s just a game of ups and downs.”

The Wildcats closed the third on a 10-2 run to cut their deficit to 52-49 after three. Jacob Speed converted a pair of free throws, a three-point play and a layup off an inbounds play, and Nick Parr knocked down a 3.

River Ridge again cut its deficit to three on three separate occasion in the first 4 minutes of the fourth quarter, but Newman answered every Wildcats bucket with one of its own. Brycen Bartel found House for two layups, and Cade Gorzny came up with a dagger 3 to put the Comets up 65-55 with 2:34 remaining in regulation.

House scored 10 of his game-high 22 points in the final 8 minutes after receiving an earful from Sharp midway through the third quarter.

“He [Sharp] went off on me, so I got in the post and got some easy layups,” House said. “My teammates got me post touches, and it just kept getting easier and easier inside.”

“Devon likes to play in space and sometimes not on the block where we need him to,” Sharp said. “We have guys who can shoot the 3.”

Newman (26-4) used an 8-0 run early after a steal and layup by Parr to start the game, as Gorzny connected on a floater, and House had a pair of buckets and an assist to Travis Williams for a layup.

However, the Wildcats fought back to lead 15-13 after the first. A pair of 3-pointers from Andrew Merkle and Kiley, coupled with a Parr jumper, knotted the score at 10. After a 3 from Newman’s Ethan Behrens, Merkle hit another 3 and Thomas scored in the lane.

“With the film we saw on Newman, we were hoping not to get run away on,” River Ridge coach Shean Albrecht said. “But at the start, I thought it played right into our hands. It just came down to the fact that we didn’t convert. We got shots we wanted in transition, and we didn’t finish.”

Ben Crist’s three-point play to start the second increased River Ridge’s advantage, but a putback by Williams and a 3 from Gorzny capped a 9-4 Newman run to put the Comets up 23-22 with 5:02 left in the second quarter.

Thomas recorded a putback and Merkle hit a hook shot over House, but a steal and layup by Behrens tied the score at 27 with 1:49 left before halftime. Williams scored inside, and Behrens had a putback off a missed 3 by Williams to put Newman ahead 31-29 at intermission.

The Comets will play East Dubuque on Friday in an attempt to make their third Elite Eight in six seasons. Newman shot 46 percent (26-for-56) from the field, and outrebounded River Ridge 40-26. House added 14 rebounds, three assists, four steals and five blocks, and Williams provided depth inside with 11 points, 14 boards and a pair of steals.

River Ridge shot just 37 percent (25-for-68) from the floor, as Speer led the way with 14 points, four steals and two blocks. Thomas finished with 12 points, nine rebounds and a pair of blocks. Kiley finished with 11 points, and Merkle pitched in 10 points for the Wildcats.

Boys basketball

1A Eastland Sectional semifinal

Newman 69, River Ridge 60

Star of the game: Devon House, Newman, 22 points (10 in 4th quarter), 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals, 5 blocks

Key performers: Gehrig Koerner, Newman, 15 points, 5 3-pointers (all in 3rd quarter), 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals; Travis Williams, Newman, 11 points, 14 rebounds, 2 steals; Jacob Speer, River Ridge, 14 points, 4 steals, 2 blocks, Trey Thomas, River Ridge, 12 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks

Up next: 1A Eastland Sectional final, Newman vs. East Dubuque, 7 p.m. Friday