March 9, 2006

sports

YSHS senior Brad Benning-Clark flew through a crowd of Ansonia Tigers during the Bulldogs’ win in the Division IV Sectional tournament last Friday. The fourth-quarter shot gave the ’Dogs, who had to come from behind, their largest lead of the game.

Rally propels ‘Dogs to District finals

By Robert Mihalek

Down by 9 in the second quarter, the YSHS Bulldogs rallied to score 11 straight points at the end of the period and the beginning of the third to propel them to a 58–51 win over the Ansonia Tigers in the Division IV Sectional tournament last Friday night, March 3.

The boys basketball team overcame a sloppy first quarter with an aggressive offensive outburst, out-shooting and outrunning the Tigers (9–13) to stay alive in the tourney.

The ’Dogs, now 19–4 and unranked in the state, will play Russia in the Dayton 2 District finals on Friday, March 10, at the University of Dayton Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.

Russia, ranked No. 4 in the state in the final Associated Press poll, beat Jackson Center, 42–26, on Friday.

If the Bulldogs beat Russia, they would play the winner of the Cedarville-Lockland game in the Regional semifinals on Tuesday, March 14, at Miami University in Oxford. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. The Regional championship game is at Miami on Friday, March 17, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Cedarville and Lockland also play on March 10 at UD.

After getting off to an inauspicious start last Friday, in which they trailed 14-7 at the end of the first quarter and by as many as 9 in the second quarter, the Bulldogs rallied to outscore the Tigers, 51-37, in the game’s final three quarters.

The Bulldogs were particularly impressive in the second half, shooting a blistering 74 percent from the floor (14 of 19) while holding the Tigers to 36 percent shooting (9 for 25) and carefully handling the ball and committing just 2 turnovers. The Bulldogs converted 5 Tiger turnovers into 9 points in the last two quarters.

Compare that to the first half of the game, when the ’Dogs were 10 of 29 from the floor, for 35 percent, and the Tigers converted 9 of 24, for 38 percent, 4 of which were 3-point shots. YSHS also committed 7 turnovers in the first two quarters.

Coach Brad Newsome said that the Bulldogs came into the game in a funk, playing poorly in the previous seven quarters leading to the sectional contest against the Tigers. That funk continued in the first eight minutes of Friday’s game.

However, over the final three quarters, Newsome said, the Bulldogs “played our style of basketball,” getting up and down the court, playing “hard-nosed defense” and rebounding well.

He also said the players’ energy and effort were higher in the final 24 minutes of the game, and the Bulldogs were better focused on key technical aspects of the game such as getting rebounds and throwing good outlet passes.

The Bulldogs were noticeably more aggressive in the last three quarters, pushing the ball up the court more often and playing tighter defense around the perimeter, challenging many of the Tigers’ 21 shots from behind the 3-point arc. The Tigers hit 7 of those attempts.

The ’Dogs also scored 24 points in the paint (the Tigers had 10), most of which came on drives to the basket or on second-chance shots.

Senior guard Brad Benning-Clark ignited the Bulldogs’ comeback, scoring 14 of his team-high 18 points in the second half.

He made a number of crucial and impressive plays, the most important of which was a flying layup through a crowd of defenders that drew a foul, electrified the YSHS fans and his teammates, and gave the ’Dogs their largest lead of the game, 54–45, with 2:41 left in the fourth. After he was fouled, Benning-Clark screamed and pumped his fists.

However, the Bulldogs did not have the game in hand. Benning-Clark missed the free throw, and the Tigers answered with 2 clutch 3-pointers to close the score to 54–51.

After the Bulldogs called timeout with 1:29 left, Benning-Clark hit four free throws, on two separate trips down the court, to increase the Bulldogs’ lead to 58–51 with less than a minute left.

The Tigers missed 2 shots from behind the 3-point line during the final minute, including a shot with 31 seconds left, and after grabbing the rebound, the Bulldogs ran out the clock.

The Bulldogs’ comeback started late in the second quarter, when, down by 9 with four minutes left in the period, they scored the last 6 points of the half to close the Tigers’ lead to 24–21.

Senior guard Anthony Carter started the scoring streak when he deftly stole the ball from one of the Tiger guards at midcourt and raced to the basket for an easy layup.

Benning-Clark then scored on one of the most athletic plays of the night, catching a pass while in the air and, without hitting the ground, made the shot. Junior forward Ryan Silvert hit a shot from around the foul line to close the first-half scoring.

The Bulldogs’ scoring run continued in the third quarter, when they scored the first 5 points of the half, including a 3-pointer by Carter that gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the game, 26–24, with 7 minutes left in the period.

After the teams traded a couple of baskets, Benning-Clark showed his athleticism again when he drove down the right baseline and made a beautiful behind-the-back pass to Joe Lawhorn, who was standing under the basket, for a score to put the Bulldogs up 30–28.

Lawhorn, a senior, gave the Bulldogs a huge lift in the third quarter by coming off the bench to score 7 points in place of senior center Nick Eastman, who got into foul trouble. Lawhorn was the only nonstarter for either team to score.

Newsome praised the role played by Lawhorn, as well as other Bulldogs who came off the bench, including junior -Jerrico Stubblefield, freshman Joey Bailey and senior Johnny Pamplin. Players who don’t start need to be ready to play and, when called on, contribute as those four did, Newsome said.

Silvert scored 12 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. Eastman led the Bulldogs with 10 rebounds to go along with 4 points. Carter scored 9 points, and senior guard Issa Walker had 8.

Ansonia forward Eric Beisner led all scorers with 26 points, 15 of which came on 3-point shots.

Presale tickets at YSHS

Tickets for the Bulldogs’ game against Russia on Friday, March 10, are available at Yellow Springs High School until 4 p.m. the day of the game. All tickets are $5 and can be purchased in advance or at the door.

Bulldogs honored

Three players from Yellow Springs High School were named to All-Southwest District teams.

Senior Brad-Benning-Clark was named to the second team, and senior Issa Walker received honorable mention among Division IV boys.

Senior Megan Burrick received honorable mention among Division IV girls.

Contact: rmihalek@ysnews.com

Winter sports awards

The Yellow Springs High School winter sports awards ceremony will be held Tuesday, March 14, 7 p.m., in the high school gym.

The event will honor the girls and boys basketball teams, the girls and boys swim teams, and the cheerleading squad.