Defense-minded Fitch gets win

Chaney shot just 1 of 13 from the field in the second quarter in the 39-27
setback in Austintown.

By CHUCK HOUSTEAU

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

AUSTINTOWN — Early in the second quarter of the Austintown Fitch boys basketball game against Chaney, Falcons’ head coach Roger Day yelled to his team that they had already committed eight turnovers.

Day was upset because he wanted his team to control the tempo against a very quick and aggressive Chaney team.

The Falcons (1-2) settled down after that point, slowed the game to a comfortable pace and that led to a low-scoring 39-27 victory over the Cowboys.

“We definitely didn’t want to get into a running game with [Chaney],” said Day. “We knew we needed to control the tempo to come away with a victory.”

The win was especially pleasing for Day and the Falcons who were coming off of a tough last-minute loss to Howland last Friday.

“I was proud of the way the team bounced back,” Day said. “We blew a 10-point lead in that game and I wasn’t sure how the players would come out tonight.”

The Falcons responded well especially after the reminder about taking care of the ball in the second period.

Trailing 10-9 at that point, the Falcons’ defenders kept the Cowboys scoreless the remaining 5:03 of the second quarter and finished the period on an 9-0 run offensively to pull out to an 18-10 break at the half.

Chaney shot just 1 of 13 from the field in the second quarter and wasn’t much better the rest of the night finishing with just 25 percent field goal shooting.

“We just didn’t execute. It’s as simple as that,” said Chaney coach Bernard Bohla. “We’ve been struggling with execution the last couple of years and we have to get better.”

The Falcons were led by sophomore Jon Ballard who scored a game-high 15 points. Jon Williams added eight points and Mike Miles seven.

But it was defense that won the game for the Falcons.

“We’re a defensive team first and foremost,” Day said. “We’re not going to outscore many people so we kind of pride ourselves on the type of defense we are going to play.

“We did a nice job tonight all around.”

Falcon defenders forced Chaney into 20 turnovers and harassed Cowboy shooters all evening.

Chaney did get off to a nice start and trailed just 9-7 after the first period but then the Falcons’ defensive pressure took control.

“I can see that we are starting to do some little things better,” Bohla said. “The kids promised me that they are going to come out and practice even harder to get better.”

Fitch opened up a 23-12 lead in the third quarter but the Cowboys chipped away the rest of the period and cut Fitch’s lead to 31-25 midway through the final quarter.

The Falcons got four free throws and a rebound basket by Williams around a Chaney score by Alan Burns to push the lead to 37-27.

A couple of free throws by Williams with 40 seconds left closed out the scoring.

Chaney was led in scoring by James Burns and Dearis Howell who had eight points each. Howell also had seven rebounds for the Cowboys.