MALE 77, COVINGTON CATHOLIC 69

Ninth ranked Male (6-1) delivered its most composed stretch of the night when it mattered most, dominating the final two minutes to pull away from No. 3 Covington Catholic (5-1) for a 77–69 victory Saturday afternoon at Fairdale High School in the Gardner Law King of the Bluegrass quarterfinals.

Locked in a tense, back-and-forth battle throughout the second half, Male turned a 67–66 edge into an eight-point win with a decisive closing run built on defense, rebounding, and poise. The Bulldogs scored on four of their final five possessions, repeatedly capitalizing on second-chance opportunities and Covington Catholic turnovers to seize full control in the closing moments.

Jordan Mitchell was the catalyst, earning Central Bank Player of the Game honors after posting 29 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Mitchell delivered in every facet down the stretch—knocking down timely jumpers, securing critical defensive rebounds, and setting up teammates as Male closed the game with a 10–3 surge over the final 1:17.

Covington Catholic leaned heavily on Athens McGillis, who produced a game-high 35 points and kept the Colonels within striking distance with a series of tough finishes and trips to the foul line. McGillis tied the game at 60 with 5:27 remaining and later gave Covington Catholic a brief lead at 67–64 with just over three minutes to play. However, the Colonels went cold late, managing only two free throws in the final 90 seconds as Male’s pressure defense took over.

The Bulldogs’ balance proved decisive. Trey Hillerich controlled the glass with 11 rebounds, while Jaymes Clark and Keefe Braziel provided steady interior scoring and defensive toughness. Male out-rebounded Covington Catholic 48–34 overall and converted crucial second-chance points during its closing push.

After trailing by as many as 11 earlier in the contest, Male’s composure never wavered. A late putback by Mitchell and a pair of transition finishes off Colonels turnovers sealed the outcome and sent the Bulldogs into the semifinals for the first time since 2021.

Male will play the winner of Frederick Douglass vs. North Laurel at 9:00pm on Sunday in the semifinals. Covington Catholic will play the loser of Frederick Douglass vs. North Laurel at 4:30pm Sunday in the 5th Place semifinals.

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