Newman gets win over Kewanee after game is called early

STERLING — A big Three Rivers Conference East Division matchup between Newman Central Catholic and visiting Kewanee turned into a scary situation Thursday.

Kewanee sophomore Damaris Diaz was shaken up after getting tangled up with a Newman player and falling on her back late in the third quarter. After she was down for about 30 minutes being looked at, she was taken away on a stretcher.

The game was then called with 37 seconds left in the third quarter and the Comets were credited with a 54-29 win.

The Comets gathered together for a prayer and both teams surrounded Diaz as she left the court.

“You hate to see a game end that way, but there are things that are more important,” Newman coach Herb Martin said. “You want all your players to be safe.”

Martin said it was initially thought that she hit her head.

“I was told she kind of hit her shoulder and she has asthma. So when she hit her shoulder it kind of freaked her out and her asthma kicked in; that’s why she kind of passed out for a second,” Martin said. “But she’s all good. She was responsive, she was talking and everything. They’re just taking her to the hospital for precaution type things to get checked out and make sure everything’s all good, but she should be fine.”

Diaz’s health became the story of the game after the Comets were playing well. Kewanee won the matchup at home 49-42 on Jan. 6.

On Thursday, Newman built a 16-8 lead after one quarter and led 37-20 at halftime. Brooklyn Smith hit six 3-pointers and scored a game-high 20 points for the Comets.

Smith said the team was worried about Diaz after she was shaken up and the Newman player who she got tangled up with was also very upset it happened.

“We just kept praying for her and were making sure she was OK,” Smith said. “When we found out she was leaving we came and asked to have a prayer with them and we all circled up because we were really worried about her.”

On the court, Smith said the team was focused and had good communication to help build its lead.

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Newman’s Lucy Oetting works against Kewanee’s Anahi Guerrero-Lopez Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, at Newman High School. (Alex T. Paschal)

“I feel like we accomplished that well and that’s what led us to good defense, which gets us [into] the offense,” she said. “Talking on the court really helps us and defense was our main focus tonight.”

Newman (21-9, 6-3 TRAC East) took advantage of 15 Kewanee turnovers.

Gisselle Martin was second on the team with 15 points.

Diaz led the Boilermakers (17-10, 7-2) with 11 points and Bailey VanWinkle scored eight.

Smith said she found her momentum after her first four deep shots were off the mark.

“I’ve been trying to work on my confidence this season and I feel like it’s definitely gotten higher,” she said. “The crowd really came into it too. My coaches, my teammates, they really hyped me up and that’s what really helped me out.”

Martin said Smith had a good day of practice. It translated on Thursday night.

“She wanted to come out and show the fans that she’s still got it and she came out shooting well,” Martin said. “She did a very good job.”