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Here's how Cooper held off Ryle for 2nd straight 9th Region girls basketball title

brendan connelly, cincinnati enquirer
·4 min read

In a repeat of the 2022 Ninth Region championship game, the Cooper Jaguars and Ryle Raiders met on the final day of the Ninth Region tournament at Truist Arena. The meeting was also the seventh in the last two seasons for the rivals from the 33rd District.

Cooper led by as many as 8 points, but Ryle made a push in the second half, using pressure to force turnovers and get within 2 points.

In the end, Cooper was able to secure a 48-42 win, their fifth straight over their city of Union counterparts.

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More:Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky high school sports scores, Feb. 27-March 5

It's all about the little things

Sometimes, the box score only tells half the story when breaking down a game. At the end of the game, Cooper scored more points than Ryle, but what other numbers contributed to their victory?

The Jaguars won the turnover battle by forcing 14 Raider errors and scored 14 points off of those turnovers.

Ryle turned to their three-point efficiency to overcome Holy Cross in the semifinals. On Saturday, the Raiders went 0-for-8 from beyond the arc.

The Cooper Jaguars employed a defensive scheme in the Ninth Region championship game that led to 14 Ryle turnovers and zero made three-pointers.
The Cooper Jaguars employed a defensive scheme in the Ninth Region championship game that led to 14 Ryle turnovers and zero made three-pointers.

Digging a little deeper, Cooper finished with 1.14 points per shot to Ryle's 1.10. Not only did the Jaguars take smarter shots, but they capitalized on their opportunities. Finally, Cooper registered 57 possessions to Ryle's 59, meaning the Jaguars possessed the ball for longer, leading to smarter shots and positive results.

When the Raiders applied pressure and got within two late in the fourth quarter, Cooper responded by making four of six free throws when they had previously made one of four.

Standout performances

Liz Freihofer, Cooper: The 33rd District tournament Most Valuable Player added to her trophy case as the Ninth Region MVP. She scored all seven of her second-half points in the fourth quarter, capped off by a 3-pointer and two free throws to help seal the win. She also made the play of the game, securing a jump ball for the Jaguars with 5.2 seconds left.

Austin Johnson, Ryle: Johnson completed her high school career with a 16-point effort that secured her spot on the Ninth Region all-tournament team. Ten of her points came in the second half as she led the Raiders in a comeback effort that fell just short.

What they're saying

  • "They got really good personnel over there. (Ryle coach) Katie (Haitz) does a really good job." – Head coach Justin Holthaus on Cooper's rivalry with Ryle.

  • "They both feel different, but they're both an amazing feeling." – Senior Whitney Lind on winning back-to-back regional championships.

  • "I didn't get nervous at all. I felt like we had full control of it." – Senior Kay Freihofer on how she felt when Ryle got within two points.

  • "It was a little gutsy. I wasn't for sure if I was going to dive on it or not, but I was like, 'You know what, regional championship? I'm going for it' And it worked out." – Junior Liz Freihofer on securing the game-winning jump ball.

Senior salute

Ryle graduates four seniors as well as one student manager.

Abby Holtman and Austin Johnson were both 1,000-point scorers for the Raiders. Holtman finished with 1,600 career points and made the most 3-pointers in school history (287). Johnson scored 1,183 career points, averaging at least 8.7 points per game each of the last three years while becoming a reliable scoring threat.

Ryle senior and University of Cincinnati commit Abby Holtman ends her high school career as the greatest three-point shooter in school history.
Ryle senior and University of Cincinnati commit Abby Holtman ends her high school career as the greatest three-point shooter in school history.

Meredith Snider finished her high school career with 178 points while appearing in 89 games over a five-year span. Holtman, Johnson and Snider were all a part of Ryle's 2019 state championship team.

Emerson Fong scored 46 points in 43 games over three years. Finally, student manager Anna Gregory made a lifelong memory, appearing in one game this year and scoring two points.

Next up: the state tournament

Cooper will face Mercy in the first round of the Sweet 16 at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 9, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. The Jaguars beat Mercy on Jan. 27 67-64.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Kentucky basketball: Cooper and Ryle fight for 9th Region trophy