Covington Holy Cross vs. Cooper Predictions/Updates (9th Region Semifinals)

[Baseball Nut 24]

This game isn't until Friday night (8:00 pm start) but will be the most anticipated girls matchup in the 9th region all year. A lot of people wanted this to be a potential finals matchup but the draw played out this way.

Holy Cross (28-5) will enter the game riding a 16-game winning streak and have won 21 of their last 22 games. Cooper comes in riding a 9-game winning streak and have won 24 of their last 25 games. Cooper has been ranked #2 or #3 in the state polls pretty much all year and Holy Cross has been #4 or #5 since winning the All A" Classic in January.

If you can't make the game in person on Friday at 8:00 pm at NKU, you can listen to all the live coverage on Holy Cross Radio using the link below.

https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/holycross/widget?I'd=145

[The Double Deuce]

This game would have been worthy of a Kentucky Final Four matchup at Rupp in the Sweet 16, but alas, we get it as a 9th Region Semifinal at Truist Arena at NKU on a Friday night.

While Holy Cross has the longest current winning streak in the Bluegrass, I fear that will come to an end this Friday night.  Holy Cross has a great team, they are tenacious defensively, and they have an outstanding "big" in the middle.  They have several players who can get hot from the perimeter, but they also have been victim to extended cold streaks against great defensive teams from the arc.  Mix in a college arena with less than ideal sightlines as compared to HS gyms, plus Cooper's fantastic ball-pressure, and I think Holy Cross struggles from the perimeter on Friday night and that will be one of the key determining factors in the outcome.

You also can't overstate the importance of "having been there before", and while no one on Holy Cross has been past this level, all of Cooper's key contributors have played beyond this point many times, and I think that inner-confidence is a key factor.

Multiple D1 players is certainly impactful as well, as much as I love how Holy Cross plays, sometimes "Billys and Joes" are part of the story.  

Give me Cooper:  47-36 -- although I love a great underdog / small school story, so I'm hoping like crazy that I'm wrong. 

[FrankNicodemus]

Could this be the year of the small school?  We saw it with Bethlehem in girls soccer, can Holy Cross pull off the same feet beating big Cooper?  My heart wants this to happen so badly!  If there is a player that could put the school on her back Julia Hunt could possibly do it!

Give me Holy Cross in a thriller, with Julia with a game winning tip in 49-48!

Why not?!!

[The Double Deuce]

A) I'm re-surfacing this poll / thread previewing the Game of the Year in NKY.

B) I couldn't be more surprised at this poll result (HC currently has more of the votes to win) if I woke up tomorrow morning with my head sewn into the carpet.  

C) If you are not a religious follower of NKY / KY Girls' high school basketball, and you're wondering just how good this Cooper Lady Jags team is, here is some empirical data to help you:  Cooper beat Mt. Notre Dame (OH) by NINETEEN points this year....AT MND.  Last night MND beat the Ohio D1 defending state champs, Princeton, and are now in a very real position to win the Ohio D1 State Championship.  Hope that helps.

Holy Cross has had an AMAZING year, their 4-0 record against Pikeville, Notre Dame, and Franklin County is very impressive, and their ascension into the KY Top 5 was on no one's radar in October.  However, they are a decided underdog in this game and they need some things to go very right for them to win on Friday night.

But......man, what a story that would be, so I'm hoping like heck it happens.

P.S. -- the winner of this game likely still has to beat Ryle in the finals, a State Top 15 team, and a team with more winning pedigree over the last 10 years than any other team in this area.

#Gauntlet

[FrankNicodemus]

How ironic that the most storied small school program in the history of High School basketball was also called the Indians!

We believe, I believe!!! IYKYK

#GO INDIANS!!!!

[The Double Deuce]

Quick (and hopefully correct) look at common opponents this year:

Cooper was 13-0 against common opponents:  Butler, Highlands, Conner, McCracken County (by 12), Boyd County (by 9), Dixie, Campbell County, Ryle (by 6), Simon Kenton, NewCath, Notre Dame, Ryle (by 11), and Bellevue.

Holy Cross was 11-3 against common opponents:  Ryle (L), Dixie, Highlands, Boyd County (L), McCracken County (L), Butler, Bellevue, NewCath, Notre Dame, Campbell County, NewCath, Simon Kenton, Conner, and Notre Dame.

[FrankNicodemus]

39 minutes ago, The Double Deuce said:

Quick (and hopefully correct) look at common opponents this year:

Cooper was 13-0 against common opponents:  Butler, Highlands, Conner, McCracken County (by 12), Boyd County (by 9), Dixie, Campbell County, Ryle (by 6), Simon Kenton, NewCath, Notre Dame, Ryle (by 11), and Bellevue.

Holy Cross was 11-3 against common opponents:  Ryle (L), Dixie, Highlands, Boyd County (L), McCracken County (L), Butler, Bellevue, NewCath, Notre Dame, Campbell County, NewCath, Simon Kenton, Conner, and Notre Dame.

[The Double Deuce]

@FrankNicodemus, you're a NKY Treasure!!!  

[Baseball Nut 24]

DD - You know I respect your assessments of these games and appreciate your thoughts on all games throughout the year. That being said this isn't like a David vs Goliath situation. Holy Cross is really good. I understand than many people (clearly you included) that think Cooper is much better than Holy Cross. I respect that as they are the favorites. My thought here is that if Holy Cross wins this game I don't think "many" will be shocked at all. It's high school basketball where anything can happen on a given night (on a big stage) especially when it's two teams clearly good enough to both be in the top 5 of the state polls.

I like the common opponent outlook. But those games really don't mean much of anything going into Friday night other than talk back and forth. Cooper is really really good everyone knows that. They lost a couple games to Sacred Heart by 12 and by 5 (wonderful). But also lost to Montgomery Co by 9, who Notre Dame beat by 22. Then Holy Cross handled Notre Dame easily twice. See where I'm going with this? 

Bottom line, Holy Cross is the underdog no doubt. But I have a feeling the Indians will show up with a lot of confidence and will play a good game. They have lost ONE game since Dec 22nd and that was by two points on the road to #3 GRC.

I think it will be a great crowd on Friday night as you will have many stay and watch from the first game (Highlands/Ryle) and it will be a great atmosphere for these kids!

[Baseball Nut 24]

5 minutes ago, The Double Deuce said:

@FrankNicodemus, you're a NKY Treasure!!!  

No doubt!!!

[rjal]

As with most games it’s going to depend on which HC team shows up. Will it be the 0-15 from the three team that played Conner?  If so they could get running clocked.  Is it the team that dug deep and came back to beat Pikeville?  If so it will be a great game.  Cooper is obviously the best team they have played all season.  It will be a huge test of how good HC really is.  Hopefully it’s a great game, no injuries and my Indians get the victory.  We also can’t forget this is the semis.  Ryle or Highlands awaits the winner which won’t be a gimme especially after the battle of Friday. 

[The Double Deuce]

You're right, @Baseball Nut 24, it isn't "David and Goliath."  I would say it is more UC in the 2022-23 College Football National Championship playoffs.  Do they deserve their ranking and status:  YES.  Have they had an amazing year:  YES.  Are they deserved of the hype and recognition that comes with being a Top 4 team:  YES. 

Were they "likely" to beat Alabama?  No. 

But for the third time in this thread, am I rooting for them to win:  ABSOLUTELY.

[xBackDAD]

11 hours ago, Baseball Nut 24 said:

DD - You know I respect your assessments of these games and appreciate your thoughts on all games throughout the year. That being said this isn't like a David vs Goliath situation. Holy Cross is really good. I understand than many people (clearly you included) that think Cooper is much better than Holy Cross. I respect that as they are the favorites. My thought here is that if Holy Cross wins this game I don't think "many" will be shocked at all. It's high school basketball where anything can happen on a given night (on a big stage) especially when it's two teams clearly good enough to both be in the top 5 of the state polls.

I like the common opponent outlook. But those games really don't mean much of anything going into Friday night other than talk back and forth. Cooper is really really good everyone knows that. They lost a couple games to Sacred Heart by 12 and by 5 (wonderful). But also lost to Montgomery Co by 9, who Notre Dame beat by 22. Then Holy Cross handled Notre Dame easily twice. See where I'm going with this? 

Bottom line, Holy Cross is the underdog no doubt. But I have a feeling the Indians will show up with a lot of confidence and will play a good game. They have lost ONE game since Dec 22nd and that was by two points on the road to #3 GRC.

I think it will be a great crowd on Friday night as you will have many stay and watch from the first game (Highlands/Ryle) and it will be a great atmosphere for these kids!

I recall that Holy Cross was also considered the underdog in 2015... look how that turned out!

[CVG]

Cooper in total control by 2nd quarter.  Cooper is just way superior in every way and more ways.  

[1992Rebel]

2 hours ago, xBackDAD said:

I recall that Holy Cross was also considered the underdog in 2015... look how that turned out!

Who coached that team?