Braxton, Poindexter lead Irish to first win

Brandon Braxton and Isaiah Poindexter sparkled to offset Jamal Higgs' 34 points, as Ursuline topped Rayen.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- In a close basketball game down the stretch, the tide of battle can turn on just the smallest of differences.
But in the Ursuline-Rayen boys high school game Friday night at the Tigers' gym, the tale of outcome was told by a combination of several factors as the Irish pulled away near the wire for a 64-59 victory -- their first of the season.
Brandon Braxton scored 20 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, while Isaiah Poindexter added 17 points and nine assists to spark Ursuline (1-4), which overcame Jamal Higgs' 34-point production for Rayen that included five 3-point goals.
Leon Brock added nine points and Jabray Graham nine rebounds to aid the Tigers.
Braxton scored seven of Ursuline's 13 points in the final period, while the Irish were able use the free-throw line in the waning seconds to hold off Rayen. Poindexter made two foul shots and Stefan Thompson one charity toss at crunch time to clinch the win.
The bottom lines
"We missed some crucial free throws and we had some crucial turnovers," said Rayen (1-3) coach Phil House, noting that failed opportunities cost them the game.
"We had three straight possessions that we turned the ball over, and they took advantage of that. Eventually they started to make their free throws and we didn't get a good look at the basket."
Coach Steve Leslie of Ursuline credited Braxton, Poindexter and the Irish defense, especially Walt Lacey and John Butler, for the victory.
"Braxton was big in there for us with 20 points and 15 rebounds. He's starting to get better," said Leslie.
"Poindexter had a solid floor game with nine assists. He got some people open shots. He got people involved."
Lacey, Butler help
Leslie said Lacey and Butler helped to contain Higgs later in the game, after he kept the Tigers in contention with his long-range shooting.
"Lacey and Butler gave us a [defensive] boost coming off the bench and gave us good minutes also guarding Higgs. We made it tough on Higgs a couple of plays defensively," said Leslie, calling Higgs "a great player."
Leslie said defense was the key near the wire.
"We played a little better than they did defensively in the fourth period," he said. "We made them take some tough shots in the fourth."
House said Higgs may have tired toward the end because of little scoring help.
"We needed someone to pick up the slack. We needed someone to help out on the floor to take some of the scoring load off Higgs. But we weren't making anything. We were looking toward [Higgs]," said House.
The way it went
Ursuline dominated early play behind Braxton and Poindexter to build a 34-24 lead just before halftime, before Rayen surged behind Higgs' long bombs to take a 38-34 command early in the third. Higgs had eight points in that stretch, including two 3-point goals.
But Ursuline regrouped behind Daryl Clark, Braxton, Poindexter, Brett Neely and Clay Petro for a 56-48 lead early in the fourth, before Higgs countered with seven of Rayen's next eight points that cut the deficit to 59-56. Higgs also had a 3-pointer to pull the Tigers within 63-59.
kovach@vindy.com