Devils pull out overtime victory

Jermaine Richardson paced Campbell to a 54-51 win over Poland.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
POLAND -- With his team trailing 51-50 with less than 20 seconds remaining in overtime, Campbell Memorial High senior Jermaine Richardson drove into the lane against Poland and saw something he hadn't seen all night.
Open space.
Poland's 6-foot-8 senior center, Lou Coppola, had fouled out in the closing seconds of regulation, allowing Richardson more room to maneuver in the paint. With 11.5 seconds left, he drove in, made the shot, drew the foul, hit the free throw and finished off a terrific night.
In doing so, he also finished off the Bulldogs, who had outscored Campbell 21-11 in the fourth quarter to force overtime before falling 54-51 in a Metro Athletic Conference game.
"It was crazy," said Richardson, who finished with a game-high 24 points to go along with seven rebounds, three steals and two assists. "In overtime, my point guard told me to step up and I did what I could. I couldn't do it without my teammates."
Hot hand in first half
Richardson played his best in the first half, scoring 15 points (Poland had just 12 points over that stretch), including 11 straight at one point as the Red Devils went into the locker room with a 23-12 advantage.
"Jermaine's a really nice player," said Poland coach Ken Grisdale. "He really carried them in the first half."
The Bulldogs (3-1, 0-1) came alive in the second half, feeding the ball inside to Coppola, who scored 10 of his 14 points in the final two quarters. But the biggest spark came from junior guard Ben Umbel, who had seven points in the fourth quarter and whose dribble penetration puzzled Campbell all game.
"I think in the first half we were really bothered by their height," said Grisdale. "In the second half, we relaxed offensively and started making some shots."
Grisdale then shook his head and added, "But you've gotta make your free throws."
Bulldogs miss opportunities
Poland had a few chances to ice the game in the final minute of the fourth quarter, but made just two of its final six attempts from the line, allowing Campbell to rally from a 44-40 deficit in the last 30 seconds. Richardson even had a chance to win the game at the buzzer, but his half-court 3-point attempt hit the backboard, then bounced of the front of the rim.
"I was real happy how we didn't quit," said Campbell coach Brian Danilov. "Poland made a huge comeback and we knew they were going to make a comeback.
"I'm just happy to get out of Poland with a 'W.' "
Bryant Burt added 10 points and five rebounds for Campbell (4-1, 1-0), who outrebounded the Bulldogs 45-21. The Red Devils, whose only loss came against Warren Harding at the buzzer, were playing their first league game in more than a decade. (The Red Devils weren't able to schedule all the MAC teams on last year's schedule.) It added a little extra spice to what would have already been a good matchup.
"It makes the game better when you're in a league," said Richardson. "I always wanted to win a championship and this gives us a chance."
Added Danilov, "It gives us something else to point toward."
Leading the Bulldogs
Umbel finished with 14 points and six steals, while Charlie Carchedi had seven points, six steals and five assists. Poland's defense forced 24 turnovers, including nine in the fourth quarter.
"Campbell is the best team I've seen this year so far," Grisdale said. "They and East Liverpool make the MAC better basketball-wise.
"It's going to be very tough for anyone to make it through unscathed."
scalzo@vindy.com