Mooney holds off Harding rally

The Cardinals earned a share of the Steel Valley Conference title.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- The last time Mooney won a Steel Valley Conference title in boys basketball, David Zidian was just a baby-faced seventh grader, playing middle school basketball with many of his future teammates.
"A lot of us went to the same school," Zidian said. "We've been playing together since sixth grade. We all said that by the time we got up here, we wanted to win an SVC title."
Five years later, in his last home game of his last season of high school basketball, Zidian's wish came true.
The Cardinals withstood a late Warren Harding rally to hold on for a 59-54 victory on Friday at Mooney High School, clinching a share of the SVC title -- Mooney's first since 1998.
"This means a lot to us," Zidian said. "After we beat Ursuline [last Friday], we started looking forward to this game."
They sure played like it.
Good start
Mooney controlled the tempo for the first three quarters, holding Harding's athleticism in check while opening a 42-25 lead entering the final quarter.
"We dug a hole against a quality basketball team," said Warren Harding coach Steve Arnold. "You can't do that."
Then the Raiders heated up -- or, more accurately, speeded up -- using a pressing defense to force nine turnovers in the final period, outscoring the Cardinals, 29-17.
It wasn't enough.
"We were just totally out of synch all night," Arnold said. "I wish I could [explain it]. I'm mystified as to how we could play so well last week and play as poorly as we did tonight for three quarters.
"We didn't come out with any intensity or play with any fire."
Were you looking ahead to the tournament?
"No," Arnold said. "They outplayed us. We knew what was at stake. We've done a good job all year not looking ahead.
"We just didn't get it done."
Strong performance
Mooney, meanwhile, put together maybe its finest performance of the season, shooting 21 of 40 from the field (52.5 percent) while being outrebounded by just one (31-30) by the bigger Raiders.
"We made a few more mistakes than we'd like in the fourth quarter, but when you have a big lead, you have that luxury," said Mooney coach Nick Bellino. "We never let them have that big run to get back into it."
Senior Ron Stoops led the Cardinals (15-5, 3-1) with 15 points, four rebounds and four assists. Zidian added 13 points, four rebounds, three steals and three assists, and Patsy Daltorio had 11 points and eight rebounds.
"We're playing with a lot of confidence now," said Zidian, whose team will meet Springfield on Tuesday in the Division III tournament at Salem. "If you make a run in the tournament, who knows where you can go?"
Mario Manningham had 12 points and three steals for the Raiders (15-5, 3-1), who will play either Massillon Washington or Massillon Perry next Saturday in the Division I tournament at the Canton Civic Center. Josh Johnson added 10 points and six rebounds. Harding won the SVC outright the last two seasons.
scalzo@vindy.com