Springfield's perfect year ends, 63-36

The Tigers just couldn't handle the speed and quickness of Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Jim Schuler raised his arm toward a sea of orange and black.
The senior leader for the Springfield High boys basketball team had just fouled out of the Tigers' game with Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary on Friday at Beeghly Center.
Schuler wanted a win. Instead, he got hugs from coach Jeff Brink and teammate Isaac Smolko, and gave thanks to the Tigers' fans.
St. Vincent-St. Mary snapped Springfield's 22-game winning streak and ended its perfect season with a 63-36 victory in the Division III district championship game, played in front of 6,500 fans.
For weeks, Brink and his players voiced their desire to face St. Vincent-St. Mary (22-1), the defending Div. III champion and USA Today's fifth-rated team.
Huge crowd: Friday, they got that chance in front of a deafening crowd said to be the largest ever at Beeghly Center.
"We wanted to make sure our kids came out with no fear," Brink said. "We were going to go out, play aggressive and not back down.
"The problem that a lot of teams have when they face [St. Vincent-St. Mary] is the fear element," he said. "Teams are basically afraid of them."
Springfield proved early it wasn't going to back down. Smolko, the Penn State football recruit, picked up two first-quarter fouls, which he levied hard against the Irish.
By halftime, however, the Tigers' key players -- Schuler, Smolko and senior Ben Haug -- had three fouls each. Although Brink kept the standouts in the game, they were forced to vary their style of play.
"It limited us defensively in what we were trying to do," Brink said. "We went away from the man-to-man [defense], just because of the foul trouble."
Unlike past Irish tournament opponents United and Lisbon, Springfield (22-1) was -- at times -- able to keep pace with St. Vincent-St. Mary.
"We felt good," Brink said. "We came out after the half [trailing 31-17] and thought we could win the game.
"We've been very strong in the third quarter. One of the things we sell our program on is the first four minutes of the third," Brink said.
Irish' runs: But the Irish's overall balance and pressure took its toll. They created a run in each quarter -- 9-0, 7-0, 12-3 and 12-1, respectively -- to fend off Springfield, which turned the ball over 20 times to the Irish's six.
"They like to run and get the ball out as quick as possible," Schuler said of the Irish's fast-paced attack. "It takes [energy] out of you when you're trying to break a press and then fall back on defense when they're flying down the court."
The closest Springfield got in the second half was 12 points (37-25), with four minutes remaining in the third quarter.
The Irish built their lead to 21 (49-28) toward the end of the third and didn't let up when the fourth began. That's when senior Aly Samabaly executed a four-point play for a 53-33 advantage.
"That third quarter was pivotal and at the start of the fourth they pretty much nailed it to us," Brink said.
One of the main factors in the game, Brink said, was St. Vincent-St. Mary's halfcourt defense.
"Their kids are very disciplined and very unselfish," he said of the Irish. "They took us out of a lot of our sets and limited our penetration."
St. Vincent-St. Mary coach Keith Dambrot said, "We didn't feel [Springfield] was a great ball-handling team. I told our guys that if [the Tigers] hold the ball, try to push them to the sideline and baseline."
Leads Tigers: Schuler ended his career at Springfield with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Haug, one of team's perimeter threats, had an off-night, shooting 2-of-12 from the field, including 1-of-10 from 3-point range. The Tigers shot 33 percent from the field.
St. Vincent-St. Mary was led by Samabaly with 18 points, while sophomore LeBron James had 10 of his 14 in the second half. Sophomore Romeo Travis added 10 points.
"Our program a few years ago was down," said Brink, the third-year coach. "I said that we were going to restore our program to the way it should be -- one of the powers in our area."