Dan Penick chooses Wright State

[Raider Country]

Penick chooses Wright St.

Ludlow senior Dan Penick accepted a basketball scholarship offer from Wright State University following a recruiting visit last week.

The 6-foot-9, 235-pound senior is the first 9th Region boys' basketball player to make a college commitment this season. He'll be joining a Wright State team that competes on the NCAA Division I level as a member of the Horizon League.

"I just think it's the best thing for me and my family because it's close (to home)," Penick said of playing for the Fairborn, Ohio, school.

Penick is averaging 16 points and 14 rebounds this season. He has scored more than 1,000 points and grabbed more than 900 rebounds during his four-year varsity career at Ludlow.

"There were three or four colleges that were pretty interested in him," said Ludlow coach Cory Highfield. "When he went up there (to Wright State) he liked the coaches and he liked the facilities. He just feels like that will be the best place for him."

Bowling Green State University in Ohio was one of the Division I college teams recruiting Penick before he accepted Wright State's scholarship offer last week.

"One of the (Wright State) assistant coaches told me to get in touch with them when I decided what I wanted to do," Penick said. "I called them back Saturday and that happened to be the day they were playing Bowling Green."

Wright State defeated Bowling Green, 70-51, to raise its overall record 13-12 this season. The Raiders have an 8-6 record against Horizon League opponents.

Penick won't be able to sign a letter of intent until April, but he's glad the recruiting process has ended.

"It's a huge relief not to be worried about somebody in the stands watching me," he said.

Penick is one of the leading rebounders in the state this season, but he said the Wright State coaches recruited him to play a small forward position.

"They said they need an outside shooter and want to make me a 3-point threat," he said. "It'll be a challenge, but I'm always up for a challenge."

Penick has been used primarily as a post player during his four-year varsity career at Ludlow, but he played small forward on all-star teams in the summer.

That could help him earn some playing time during his freshman season at Wright State.

"From what I'm told going hard in practice is what determines how much playing time you get," Penick said. "I'll just get up there and work hard and hopefully I'll get in there."

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[Raider Country]

LUDLOW 74, VILLA MADONNA 70 - Ludlow senior center Dan Penick scored the 1,000th point of his career on a first-quarter field goal, and finished with 30 points, giving him 1,027 for his career.

Penick also hit 12-of-14 free throws in the second half to hold off Villa Madonna, which trimmed the gap to four at the end of the game but could not get any closer.

Blue Lightning senior guard Michael Schuh scored a game-high 34 points - including 18 in the first half - and sank all eight of his foul shots.

VILLA MADONNA 8 20 16 26 -70
at LUDLOW 19 13 28 14 -74


VILLA MADONNA (70): Ford 2 2 7, Love 2 4 9, Lonneman 4 0 8, Schuh 12 8 34, Hamilton 1 0 3, Pemberton 4 1 9. Totals 25 15 70.

LUDLOW (74): King 8 3 21, Logan 2 0 5, Rouse 2 2 6, Hardin 4 4 12, Penick 8 13 30. Totals 24 22 74.

3-pointers: L -King 2, Logan, Penick. VM -Schuh 2, Ford, Love, Hamilton. Record: Ludlow 11-11. JV: Ludlow, 50-28.

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[Raider Country]

WALTON-VERONA 13 17 15 15 -60
at LUDLOW 11 12 14 14 -51


WALTON-VERONA (60): Jones 3 2 10, Sommers 0 4 4, Roberts 6 0 12, Lynn 3 0 8, Burch 1 0 2, Tungate 6 0 12, Hensley 1 1 3, Zwick 1 0 2, Daugherty 3 1 7. Totals 24 8 60.

LUDLOW (51): King 3 0 8, Logan 4 0 8, Gier 2 0 4, Rouse 2 0 5, Hardin 3 4 10, Penick 7 0 16. Totals 21 4 51.

3-pointers: W -Jones 2, Lynn 2. L -King 2, Penick 2, Rouse. Records: Walton-Verona 8-12, Ludlow 11-12. JV: Walton-Verona, 51-28.


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[Raider Country]

SILVER GROVE 72, LUDLOW 59

Senior forward Justin Pelle scored 24 points to lead Silver Grove. Junior guard Corey Pelle added 23 points.

Silver Grove - Faulkner 1 2 4, C. Pelle 10 2 23, J. Pelle 11 2 24, S. Pelle 3 2 11, Allen 4 0 8, Wiseman 1 0 2. Totals: 30 8 72.

Ludlow (10-11) - King 6 3 15, Poe 2 2 6, Rouse 1 0 2, Hardin 8 1 17, Penick 7 4 19. Totals: 24 10 59.

Silver Grove 12 15 26 19 72
Ludlow 14 18 15 12 59

3-pointers: S 4 (S. Pelle 3, C. Pelle); L 1 (Penick).

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[Raider Country]

LUDLOW 58, HERITAGE 34

Senior center Dan Penick had 15 points and 15 rebounds to lead Ludlow.

Heritage - Moore 1 0 2, Pugh 2 0 4, Ry. St. Blancard 0 2 2 , McMillan 0 4 4, Moss 2 1 5, Ri. St. Blancard 7 1 16, Napier 0 1 1. Totals: 12 9 34.

Ludlow (9-10) - King 4 1 11, Logan 1 0 3, Poe 1 1 3, Gier 1 0 2, Rouse 3 0 8, Hardin 5 2 12, Ziegler 2 0 4, Penick 7 1 15. Totals: 24 5 58.

Heritage 6 10 9 9 34
Ludlow 8 15 20 15 58

3-pointers: H 1 (Ri. St. Blancard); L 5 (King 2, Rouse 2, Logan).

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[Raider Country]

LUDLOW 61, DAYTON 42

Ludlow - King 7 4 20, Powe 4 0 8, Rouse 3 1 9, Harding 4 1 9, Ziggler 1 0 2, Penick 5 2 13. Totals: 24 8 61.

Dayton - Farrell 4 0 9, Roberts 1 0 2, Dilts 1 0 2, Schwartz 1 0 2, Foster 1 0 2, Hightchew 3 2 9, Simmons 1 1 3, Polly 5 3 13. Totals: 17 6 42.

Ludlow 12 13 26 10 -61
Dayton 8 9 15 10 -42

3-pointers: L 5(King 2, Rouse 2, Penick); D (Farrell , Hightchew).

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[Raider Country]

LUDLOW 71, TRIMBLE COUNTY 52

Chase King tied a season high with 28 points, and Dan Penick added 18 points to lead Ludlow.

Trimble County (4-21) - Staples 4 0 9, Maldanado 3 2 8, Buchanan 1 1 3, Green 3 3 9, Bray 2 0 6, Rosenbaum 3 0 6, Aaron 3 0 6, Ward 1 1 3, Courtney 1 0 2. Totals: 21 7 52.

Ludlow (12-12) - King 12 0 28, Logan 6 1 14, Rouse 1 0 3, Aynes 0 2 2, Hardin 3 0 6, Penick 7 4 18. Totals: 29 7 71.

Trimble County 9 14 12 17 -52
Ludlow 20 18 20 13 -71

3-pointers: T 3 (Bray 2, Staples); L 6 (King 4, Logan, Rouse).
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[Raider Country]

LUDLOW 48, LLOYD 42 34th District at Dixie Heights - Senior center Dan Penick scored six of his game-high 21 points in the fourth quarter and Ludlow earned a 9th Region tournament berth by qualifying for Thursday's 7 p.m. district final.

Ludlow pulled out to a six-point first-quarter lead as senior guard Chase King scored eight of his 13 first-half points. King hit four 3-pointers in the game and finished with 18 points.

Lloyd drew within one point of the lead at halftime as senior Erick Spaw hit all three of his 3-pointers in the second quarter for the Juggernauts. Spaw finished with 11 points.

The teams played even in the third quarter, but Ludlow shot 7-for-10 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter while Lloyd made just two shots from the line in the final quarter.

Ludlow will play defending district champion and tournament host Dixie Heights in Thursday's final.

LLOYD 6 20 8 8 -42
LUDLOW 12 15 8 13 -48


LLOYD (42): Johnson 2 0 4, Grayson 6 3 15, Savage 3 0 6, Spaw 4 0 11, J. Craddock 2 2 6. Totals 17 5 42.

LUDLOW (48): King 7 0 18, Poe 1 4 6, Rouse 0 1 1, Hardin 1 0 2, Penick 8 5 21. Totals 17 10 48.

3-pointers: Lloyd -Spaw 3. Ludlow - King 4. Records: Lloyd 6-19, Ludlow 13-12.
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[Raider Country]

Hill tops all-star voting

By Terry Boehmker
Post staff reporter

A late-season scoring spree made Holmes junior guard Austin Hill the top vote-getter on the Division I boys' basketball all-star team selected by local coaches.

Hill scored 163 points in his team's last eight games and finished among the leading scorers in Northern Kentucky with a 16.5 average.

Beechwood senior guard Michael Romes, who won the regular-season scoring title with a 25.8 average, was the top vote-getter in Division III.

Senior guard Jeff Vories of Highlands headed the list in Division II. He has a 19.4 scoring average.

Local coaches will vote for Player of the Year and Coach of the Year in each of the three divisions after the district and regional playoffs are completed. The winners will be announced March 22 during a post-season awards banquet.

BOYS' CONFERENCE ALL-STAR TEAMS

(Listed according to voting points in each division)

Division I - Austin Hill (Holmes) 92, Todd Jacobs (Covington Catholic) 78, Kyle Howard (Scott) 77, Mike Hester (Simon Kenton) 75, Brett White (Campbell County) 60, Tim Tierney (Covington Catholic) 55, Sam Lawson (Dixie Heights) 48, Duran Jefferson (Holmes) 34, Robby Lykes (Ryle) 27, Chris Bray (Boone County) 26, Travis Huffman (Conner) 25, Arrez Henderson (Holmes) 25.

Division II - Jeff Vories (Highlands) 60, Zach Kiernan (Newport Central Catholic) 46, Troy Cooper (Brossart) 45, Brandon Lenhof (St. Henry) 34, Jimmy Ryan (Holy Cross) 30, Trent Grayson (Lloyd) 29, Kevin Bueter (Newport Central Catholic) 27, James Glenn (Newport) 27, Nick Steenken (Holy Cross) 20, Ben Guidugli (Highlands) 18.

Division III - Michael Romes (Beechwood) 79, Dan Penick (Ludlow) 75, Jeremy Wight (Bellevue) 70, Justin Pelle (Silver Grove) 68, Corey Pelle (Silver Grove) 62, Chase King (Ludlow) 46, Michael Schuh (Villa Madonna) 46, Tyler Baker (Calvary Christian) 41, Rick Saint-Blancard (Heritage) 34, Chris Kilgore (Bellevue) 26, Justin Hardin (Ludlow) 24, Chas Moore (Beechwood) 23.

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[Raider Country]

Dixie Heights nabs title
34th District championship game
BY SHANNON RUSSELL | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Five minutes into the 34th District championship against Ludlow, Dixie Heights coach Ken Chevalier walked the length of his bench.

He looked at two of his top players, seniors Sam Lawson and Josh Keener. Both were sitting with two fouls.

"As long as we have the lead, I'm going to sit you guys out," Chevalier said, anticipating Ludlow's six main players would wear down as his top players rested.

He was right. Lawson scored 15 of his team-high 17 points in the second half and junior T.J Richardson added nine points as Dixie Heights outlasted Ludlow 61-45 Thursday and won a sixth straight district title.

Players hoisted a championship trophy near half-court afterward - vindication perhaps for a losing record (12-16) and a season-long string of losses to the state's top teams. Dixie, ranked 10th in the Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches' poll, has won five straight games.

"This means a lot," Lawson said. "We're building up our (district titles) and people are starting to know us again."

Dixie Heights and Ludlow advance to the Ninth Region tournament and will learn their opponents Saturday. Chevalier said the championship team usually faces a runner-up from another region, but "for the first time in a long time" a loaded field means no guarantee of a break.

The Panthers are just happy to be there. After moving this year from the 35th District, they'll be making their first regional appearance in nine seasons.

Frustration undermined many of Ludlow's offensive attempts in its quest for a district title, and for only the second time this season, 6-foot-9 senior Dan Penick struggled to score. The center was held to two first-half points and finished with five, 11 shy of his 16-point average.

"They made it hard for us to get the ball to him, and that's our offense," Ludlow coach Cory Highfield said.

Dixie didn't have the size to compete with Penick, but Chevalier had several scrappy players eager to defend. Three players traded off on Penick and at least two were constantly swarming him. Senior Justin Cole bore the brunt of it.

Penick, who has verbally committed to Wright State, still found a way to rebound, and finished with 15 boards.

Although the game belonged to Dixie from the second quarter on, the Colonels provided a preview in the first quarter by mounting a 10-0 run and leading by nine points.

Penick notched his first points on a stickback to start the second quarter and triggered a 9-0 Panthers run. A pair of Chris Poe free throws knotted the score at 18, but back-to-back turnovers disrupted Ludlow's momentum.

Dixie sophomore Eflin Tyler hit two jumpers, the Colonels rallied for eight straight points, and all-around play by Nick Groneman helped Dixie pull away for good.

Ludlow (13-13) - King 4 2 13, Logan 2 0 4, Poe 6 4 16, Gier 1 0 2, Hardin 1 1 3, Penick 2 0 5, Mullins 0 2 2. Totals: 16 9 45.

Dixie Heights (12-16) - Groneman 2 0 5, Muzzillo 1 0 2, Keener 2 0 5, Richardson 4 1 9, Cole 4 0 8, Lubrano 2 0 4, S.Lawson 8 0 17, Kendall 1 0 3, Tyler 4 0 8. Totals: 28 1 61.

Ludlow 9 12 13 11 -45
Dixie Heights 18 8 16 19 -61

3-pointers: L 4 (King 3, Penick), DH 4 (Groneman, Keener, S.Lawson, Kendall).

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[Raider Country]

All-Tournament Team: Michael Schuh, Villa Madonna; Trent Grayson, Lloyd; Dan Penick, Ludlow, Chase King, Ludlow, Nick Groneman, Dixie Heights, Sam Lawson, Dixie Heights, Jason Muzzillo, Dixie Heights.

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[Raider Country]

Ryan's free throws secure Indians' win

BY MATT MULCAHEY | ENQUIRER CONTRIBUTOR
ERLANGER - It took two overtimes, two basketballs and two free throws from Jimmy Ryan for Holy Cross to advance to the championship of the Ninth Region All "A" Classic.

The Indians last played for the title in 1999.

With Holy Cross trailing by a point in the closing seconds of double overtime, Ludlow fouled Ryan on a missed shot as time expired to send the sophomore sub to the line for his first varsity free throws of the season.


Ryan hit both, propelling the Indians past Ludlow 73-72.

"I just tried to get away from everybody (before walking to the line) to clear my mind and get the crowd out," Ryan said. "Once I hit the first one I knew I was going to sink that second one."

Ludlow's Mike Lewis was the first player to play hero Friday night, though.

Lewis' buzzer-beating 3-pointer forced the first overtime after the Panthers trailed most of the game.

Lewis had a chance to end the game in the first overtime, but his half-court heave at the buzzer careened off the top of the backboard, and the ball got stuck in the rafters.

The officials replaced it, but Lewis continued shooting well. The senior drained a 3-pointer with 23 seconds left in the second overtime to put Ludlow on top 72-71.

The Panthers failed to extend their lead by missing two free throws.

Then, Holy Cross senior Scott Bibbins drove the lane in the final seconds and kicked the ball to Ryan.

"I hate to see either team lose this game," Holy Cross coach Dan Trame said. "Ludlow mustered up so much heart, and so did we. (Games like this) come down to breaks at the end, and we got the final break."

Ryan finished with 11 points, including five of the Indians' six double-overtime points.

Bibbins led all scorers with 27 points, 10 in the first overtime, while senior Blair Trame added a career-high 17 points.

Chase King led Ludlow with 21 points and hit four of the Panthers' nine 3-pointers.

Dan Penick finished with 16 points, but the Indians held the 6-foot-9 center scoreless in both overtimes.

"I was a little disappointed in our ball movement late in the game," Ludlow coach Joe Beard said. "Sometimes getting a little too electric and too emotional takes you out of what you're trying to do and makes you lose a little focus, and I think we did that."

Holy Cross, ranked seventh in the Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches' poll, will play defending All A region champion Newport Central Catholic today at 7 p.m. at St. Henry High School.

The Thoroughbreds advanced with a 68-53 victory over St. Henry on the Crusaders' home floor.

Senior guard Mark Krebs led NewCath with 24 points.

HOLY CROSS (14-4) - Bibbins 13 0 27, Trame 7 3 17, Lantry 1 0 2, Ryan 3 2 11, Wesseling 2 5, Mando 2 3 8, Steenken 1 0 3. Totals 29 8 73.

LUDLOW (11-9) - King 6 5 21, Rouse 3 2 10, Helmer 3 3 9, Penick 6 4 16, Lewis 6 1 16. Totals 24 15 72.

Holy Cross 15 14 16 11 11 6 - 73
Ludlow 11 15 13 17 11 5 -72

3-pointers: Holy Cross 7 (Ryan 3, Wesseling, Mando, Steenken), Ludlow 9 (King 4, Rouse 2, Lewis 3).
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[Class of '83]

Today's DDN stated that Penick is still commited to WSU. I bet that changes when we fire Biancardi.

[Fastbreak]

HOOPS STARS - Three 9th Region high school basketball players are on the rosters for the Ohio-Kentucky All-Star Games scheduled for April 15 at Thomas More College.

The Kentucky girls' roster includes seniors Rachel Lantry of Holy Cross and Ashley Griffith of Boone County. The local senior on the Kentucky boys' roster is Dan Penick of Ludlow.

The girls' game will begin at 6 p.m. followed by the boys' game at approximately 8. Tickets will be sold at the door beginning at 5 p.m.

A slam-dunk contest and 3-point shooting contest will be held next Friday beginning at 7 p.m.

Nell Fookes of Boone County will coach the Kentucky girls' team. Seven of the players on her roster are Division I college recruits.

The Kentucky boys' coach is Mike Clark of Shelby County.

BOYS' ROSTERS

Kentucky - Walt Allen (South Laurel), Daniel Ard (Marshall County), Lawrence Brown (Millersberg), Vincent Crutcher (Pleasure Ridge Park), Aaron Dunaway (Henry Clay), Antonio Owens (Boyd County), Joshua Mack (University Heights), Dan Penick (Ludlow), A.J. Slaughter (Shelby County), Forrest Smallwood (Male), Brian Staed (Boyle County), Johnathan Uchendu (Millersberg), Cedrick Ware (Jeffersontown), Chris Williams (Woodford County), Tyler Wilkerson (Lafayette).

Ohio - Nick Aldridge (South Webster), Mike Bardo (Oak Hills), Javonte Clanton (Reynoldsburg), Nate Davis (Bellaire), Dennis Gagai (Ironton), Donald Garth (Buchtel), Adrian Graves (Hughes), John Guiler (Johnstown), Marcus Johnson (St. Vincent-St. Mary), Jimmy Langhurst (Willard), Chris McKnight (Lancaster), Steve Pogue (Oak Hills), P.J. Rase (Chesapeake), Cam Thoroughman (Clay), Brigham Waginger (South Webster).

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[Big D]

College choices:

Kentucky:
Daniel Ard---Murray State
Joshua Mack---Coastal Carolina
Dan Penick---Wright State
A.J. Slaughter---Western Kentucky
Forrest Smallwood----Butler
Johnathan Uchendu---Purdue

Ohio:
Nick Aldridge---Western Carolina
Mike Bardo---Akron
Nate Davis---Ball State
Adrian Graves---Xavier
John Guiler---Colgate
Marcus Johnson---Dayton
Chris McKnight---Akron
Steve Pogue---Miami
Cam Thoroughman---West Virginia

One time WSU recruits:
Dan Penick, Forrest Smallwood, Mike Bardo, Adrian Graves, John Guiler, Marcus Johnson, Chris McKnight