Recap: Holmes Crowned Champs
It took four quarters and two overtimes to do so, but the Holmes (36-2) Bulldogs outlasted Louisville Central to win their first state championship, 67-63.
Junior Elijah Pittman paced the Bulldogs with 14 points, eight rebound, and three blocked shots. Dominique Johnson and Jeremiah Johnson each chipped in 13 points, and Sweet 16 MVP Ricardo Johnson contributed six points and seven boards.
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The Bulldogs got off to a sluggish start and found themselves down 37-30 late in the third quarter before going on a 14-0 run to grab the lead early on in the final frame. However, poor clock management and some cold shooting opened the down for Central (19-15) to get back into the game.
Central's Marcel Williams hit a three-pointer to tie up the game at 51-51 with 1:21 in the fourth quarter.
Holmes' Jeremiah Johnson had a chance to win the game in the final seconds or regulation, but missed a wide open lay-up to allow the game to go to overtime.
Once again the Bulldogs had an opportunity to win the game as the clock neared zeroes, but the Yellowjackets' Ridge Wilson nailed a driving floater at the buzzer to force a second overtime.
Wilson, the state's leading rebounder, finished the game with 18 points and seven boards in a losing effort for Central.
The victory was epic for Holmes following three losses in their previous state title game appearances in 1978, 1990, and 2008. The Bulldogs lost last season to Mason County in the title game. In addition, Northern Kentucky gets its first state championship team since Simon Kenton won the crown in 1981.