You don't usually find a packed gym on Monday nights, especially between Christmas and New Years holidays. But you definitely could Dec. 30 at the West Geauga's Wolvarena as the Wolverines honored all their youth basketball teams, players and coaches — all the parents were there to see their kids on the big floor.
You don’t usually find a packed gym on Monday nights, especially between Christmas and New Years holidays. But you definitely could Dec. 30 at the West Geauga’s Wolvarena as the Wolverines honored all their youth basketball teams, players and coaches — all the parents were there to see their kids on the big floor.
Adding to the festivities were the neighboring rival Chardon Hilltoppers, who provided opposition for all the boys and girls teams, both JV and varsity, beginning at 3 p.m.
The intense competition all came down to the final seconds of the boys game as Chardon won a thrilling contest in nonconference action, 53-48 score. The game-winning shot was made from the left corner by Hilltopper substitute Bailey Mann.
Energy levels pushed to a crescendo pace only a couple of minutes into the game, and in a tight second half that featured five ties and eight lead changes, Mann broke the 48-48 tie with 23.7 seconds to play. He took a pass from Ty Roediger in the left corner, and his high, arching shot hit nothing but net for a 51-48 edge. It was enough, barely, but with 5.6 ticks left to play, top scorer Rocco Tarantino sealed the verdict with a pair of free throws for the final score.
The season is still in its early stages, so mistakes were also part of the contest for both teams. The biggest lead of the night was six points, on two occasions in the opening period, both in favor of the Wolverines, at 9-3 and 11-5.
As a cold front approached the area outside, indoor conditions were also chilling for both teams as well.
For Chardon, Tarantino had a hot hand early with 13 first-half points to keep his team in the game; West Geauga (6-3) held a slim 25-24 lead.
In the second half the Hilltoppers (4-1) got post player Stone Fawcett more involved in the offensive end, and he tallied 10 of his 12 points on the night after intermission.
The Wolverines battled for good shots, most of which were not dropping most of the night. Fawcett hit all three shots he took in the fourth period to keep things close, and finally Mann hit his only basket of the night when it counted most.
“I just don’t know how to describe it,” Chardon Head Coach Chad Murawski said. “This is how it goes every time we get together with West Geauga — it’s just a battle you have to see to believe. At the end of the day, all that matters is that we had a point more at the final buzzer.
“We did some things well at times. Others not so well, too. But this may be one of the most fun seasons for me as a coach this year. This is such a selfless group of kids who really care about each other in every way, they’re so much fun to coach, and that’s what it takes to beat a team like West Geauga — because Micah (Young) is a great coach who is leading his program the way it should be led.
“This is just such a great team here, it was such a super moment for Bailey to come in and hit a big shot, and that’s what it took against a good team with one of the best players in the area in Landon (Lear).”
Most coaches agree that defense wins most games, and that held true in this game as well. The active players altered many shots, and a key factor for Coach Young of the Wolverines was that between his top two returning scorers, Lear and Colin Whiting, the home nets were not kind.
“We had every time to take good shots in many opportunities tonight,” he said. “They weren’t dropping tonight, and Chardon was doing just the little things a little better than we did, it’s that simple.
“Coach Murawski always has them ready to play us, and it all boils down to them being a little bit more ready tonight than we were. It’s not often you can have your top guys in scoring to go 11 of nearly 40 shooting and expect to win.”
Chardon was not exactly torching the cords, either, but did hit on 22 of 58 shots for 37.9 percent from the floor. The Wolverines were actually a tad better, hitting on 38 percent of their 50 attempts at baskets.
One key factor was the free throw line. The Hilltoppers nailed only six of 15 from the line, and the Wolverines shot themselves in the foot just as often, hitting only three of eight.
Tarantino had a big night, leading the Hilltoppers with 20 points. Fawcett’s second-half surge was second on the team, as expected leading point-producer Luke Galfidi hit on only four of 15 shots, but he had a huge part of the win anyhow with 12 rebounds and four assists.
Lear did get some shots to drop, but not in his normal rapid-fire conditions. He finished with 18 points, seven boards and a trio of assists.
Finn Keenan was the Wolverines’ top shooter; he hit on six of seven shots for 16 points, four from beyond the arc.
In the girls game, which preceded the boys contest, the Wolverines fell behind by double digits early and dropped a 56-34 decision to the Hilltoppers. West Geauga had fallen behind in similar fashion two days earlier at Geneva, but an 18-1 run to close the game gave the Wolverines a thrilling 54-51 win there.
The Hilltoppers must have had scouts at that game, as their pressing defense cut off all passing lanes for West Geauga to prevent another big comeback. Cameron Gerlica led the scoring for the game with 17 points.
