YOUNGSTOWN Ursuline tops Wilson, wins third straight

Isaiah Poindexter led the Irish with 17 points.
By BOB ROTH
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Ursuline High boys basketball team won its third consecutive game with a 64-58 victory over visiting Rayen on Friday.
After a win over Rayen last week and another over Chaney on Tuesday, the Irish's victory Friday was also the third straight against City Series schools.
"It was a good win for us as everybody I used contributed and we did a lot of good things on the floor, rebounding well and limiting our turnovers," Ursuline coach Steve Leslie said.
The game included a battle between the Poindexter cousins -- Ursuline's Isaiah, who led his team's scoring with 17 points, and Wilson's Randall, who had 16 points and 11 of 32 Redmen rebounds.
"There was a bit of a personal situation, but it was a team situation that won the game for us," Isaiah Poindexter said.
Ursuline had to hold on for the victory as the Redmen, led by junior point guard Chauncey Whitlow, went on an 18-6 run that had the Irish lead at 61-58 with 10 seconds left.
Putting it away
Two free throws from Isaiah Poindexter and one from Brandon Braxton down the stretch salvaged the contest for the Irish (3-4).
Whitlow, a junior point guard, was the game's high scorer with 23 points for Wilson (1-4). He scored 14 in the second half and 10 of those in the final period when he hit two of his four 3-pointers.
"It doesn't mean a thing if we don't win," Whitlow said.
The Irish expanded an 11-9 first-quarter lead to 28-20 at the half as Ursuline junior Daryll Clark scored seven of his 10 points in the second quarter.
A hard-fought third quarter had the Irish on top 43-34 into the final period, and a 12-6 advantage had them leading 55-40 inside the game's final four minutes.
"We do a lot of little things wrong to get in a hole and then we have to fight back from a deficit," Wilson coach Mark Cherol said.
"Our kids have no quit in them and overall we are improving as a team, but the right winning combination just isn't there yet."
Braxton had 12 of Ursuline's 42 rebounds along with 11 points, and Clark played well off the bench for the Irish.