With some scoring help from juniors Jack Hastings and Miles Miller, the Berkshire Badgers were able to withstand a fourth-quarter push by the Independence Blue Devils to win their recent contest 46-42.
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With some scoring help from juniors Jack Hastings and Miles Miller, the Berkshire Badgers were able to withstand a fourth-quarter push by the Independence Blue Devils to win their recent contest 46-42.
Berkshire struggled offensively early as the Badgers adjusted to playing without two of their key seniors, point guard Joey Czekaj and forward Apollo Percic. With their slow start, they trailed the Blue Devils, 23-18, at halftime.
Miller and Hastings caused a problem for Independence through the second half. Miller hit two three-point shots and scored eight points in the third quarter to help the Badgers build momentum and take a 34-31 lead.
Miller said his team knew it needed a big third quarter.
“We knew we had to come out in the second half and dominate, because the first half wasn’t what we’d like,” Miller said. “We made a lot of adjustments throughout the second half, and we came out strong. It was good.”
Miller had not been sure how well he would play leading up to the game, as he had been feeling a bit under the weather. But Berkshire Head Coach Joe Montanaro thought that the junior performed well.
“Miles texted me this morning how sick he was,” Montanaro said. “He didn’t know if he could play. It was a really phenomenal job because he hit big shots. That’s what we expect of him. When you’re one of the players of the year in football, when you’re that type of athlete, you can play multiple sports and he did a really good job.”
As Miller pestered Independence from behind the three-point arc, Hastings was attacking his opponents’ defense with slashes to the basket. Hastings finished the game with 12 points, while Miller led the Badgers with 14.
Coach Montanaro credited his juniors for stepping up.
“That junior class with Mason Mendelora, Miles, Jack and Ethan Martin — we look towards those juniors,” Montanaro said. “They’ve had the most experience, except for Joey Czekaj, and all year long they’ve been really good.”
Making his first appearance in a varsity game for Berkshire, Martin made his presence known. The Badgers junior scored eight points and blocked four shots against the Blue Devils.
Coach Montanaro appreciates what Martin brings to the Badgers as their defensive anchor.
“What else would a coach ask for in the Chagrin Valley Conference than a 6-foot-5 kid that’s athletic?” Montanaro said. “He’s going to help us tremendously. He’s still just getting his feet wet, still just learning, so I expect really big things from him.”
The Blue Devils were led in scoring by junior forward Landon Jatsek, who finished the game with 18 points. But Jatsek’s efforts were not enough.
Berkshire’s victory over Independence early in the season felt important, as it proved the Badgers’ ability to close out an opponent. The team lost a close game Dec. 3 to Brooklyn, 48-47, then another close game Dec. 10 to Garfield, 56-53.
“We lost to Brooklyn by one, and then we lost to Garrettsville by two, so we’ve been there in those games,” Montanaro said. “I think they’re starting to get it when we talk in practice all the time about how games come down to one possession. Tonight when there was a minute left in the game, we took a bad shot, but then we came down the next time and we executed, so they’re learning, and that’s what it’s all about.”
With the win, Berkshire improves to 2-3 overall. Independence remains winless with a 0-5 record.
