HOWLAND Red-hot Leopards use good defense to subdue Tigers

Bradley Fletcher scored 10 first quarter points to pace Liberty in the victory.
By GREG GULAS
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
HOWLAND -- Bradley Fletcher had 18 points, Joel Marshall 15 and DeShawn Crenshaw added 10 as the Liberty High boys basketball team posted a 62-52, victory over host Howland on Friday.
"I was real happy with our defensive intensity tonight," Leopard head coach Burt Stellers said. "We haven't been that good on the defensive side of the ball the last two times out so this was an improvement for us."
Fletcher key early
Fletcher scored 10 of his game-high 18-points in the first quarter as the Leopards (5-0) took a 17-8 lead heading into the second quarter of action.
"Our game plan at the outset was to keep Bradley Fletcher off the boards but that fell by the wayside real quick," said Tiger coach Bernie Bohla. "The first half had me concerned because we had a lot of open looks and struggled with our passing. Our defense stepped it up a notch tonight but we still have a ways to go.
The Tigers' Cody Chappell, who had a double-double on the night (13 points and a game-high 12 rebounds), scored five points in the second quarter, but the Leopards outscored the Tigers, 12-10, for a 29-18 halftime lead.
"We preach the high hand on defense," Stellers said. "Our seniors have been playing together for four years and our juniors know what is expected of them. All did a good job for us defensively tonight."
Marshall picks up slack
Liberty's unsung hero was Marshall, who had 12 of his 15 points in the second half as the Leopards built their largest lead, 48-34, after Marshall's 3-pointer with 3:45 left in the third quarter.
"Joel really hasn't practiced with us in over a week and a half due to a serious eye infection," Stellers noted. "He was treated at the Cleveland Clinic, went to goggles and seems to be on the road to recovery.
"For him to come out and play like he did tonight was a real bonus for us."
Marshall's nine points in the final quarter helped Liberty to a 22-18 advantage in the frame.
Free throws the difference
The Leopards made 21 of 29 free throws overall -- Howland made just 4 of 8 -- to secure the victory.
"As the season progresses, our players need to have confidence in their shots, and they will," Bohla said. "We needed to do better in some areas since our loss to Canfield the last time out -- and we did that tonight."
Liberty hit 18 of 48 field goal attempts compared to 21 of 63 for the Tigers. Howland (2-2) outrebounded the Leopards, 45-32, with Chappell (12), Neil Claggett (10) and Jeff Proctor (10) all posting double figures on the night.
Crenshaw had nine rebounds and Fletcher added seven for Liberty.