Wilson can't contain Irish

Visiting Ursuline defeated the Redmen, 59-53.
By GREG GULAS
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Wilson High basketball players knew they would have to be at the top of their game if they expected to beat cross-town rival Ursuline on Friday.
The Irish, on the other hand, knew well in advance that they would be facing a team with plenty of emotion -- a team that has been playing much better than what its record indicated and a unit that wanted to end a storied hoop era as a winner on its home court.
Ursuline's D'Aundray Brown, however, had different ideas.
Brown scored 29 points, including 12 in the final quarter, to help lift the Irish to a 59-53 victory over the Redmen in the final scholastic game at the Redmen Gymnasium.
Weren't overlooked
"Wilson has given everyone they've played a handful all season long. They're a quality program with a quality coach in Mark Cherol, so we knew that we would be getting their best overall effort tonight," Ursuline coach Keith Gunther said.
"Give them credit. They made some big shots, battled back to take the lead away from us in the fourth quarter and made us work all night at both ends of the court."
Gunther made sure his team didn't overlook Wilson because of its record.
"They played with plenty of emotion and if you are lax, looking at their record and seeing a team that is under .500 then you can lose the game if you do not stay focused," he said. "As for D'Aundray [Brown], well, he is the best player that I have seen in the entire area the last five or six years and he proved that tonight.
"I had to sit him down early in the game when he wouldn't take the ball to the bucket, but when he returned he made the big plays that we have come to expect of him and was a difference-maker at crunch time."
Johnson, Tubbs tops
William Johnson had a team-high 15 points with Keith Tubbs adding 14 for the Redmen. Both agreed the game was both special and emotional.
"Everyone left all that they had on the court tonight because we wanted this win really bad. The small consolation is that this will give us much some needed confidence as we head into tournament play," Tubbs said.
"We were very emotional and tried to pump each other up throughout the game, but we just couldn't finish it. We play our tournament game on Monday night and with two good days of practice, it could be the start of a new season for us," Johnson added.
A wild fourth quarter saw each team take away the lead and then give it right back. That is when Brown saved his best for last.
Two 3s from Justin Bryant sparked an 8-2 run as Wilson cut the Ursuline lead to 43-41 with 5:34 remaining.
A Brown 3 and lay-up then made it 49-47 in favor of the Irish, but Raylin Poindexter's triple gave the Redmen just their second lead of the game at 50-49 with 1:57 remaining.
Five points then by Brown and two key free throws by Nick McCartney in the final two minutes keyed a 9-3 run to help seal the Ursuline victory.
His responsibility
"Down the stretch, I just felt like I had to get it done," Bropwn said. "As a senior, it was my responsibility to get the rest of the team involved. Fortunately, we were able to put the game away in the final two minutes of play."
Ursuline (15-4, 4-1 SVC) was 19 of 46 from the field, canning 19 of 26 free throw attempts while the Redmen (8-11, 2-3 SVC) managed just 18 of 61 fielders and made just 11 of their 21 tosses from the charity stripe.
"For me, it was a pretty tough night. I looked around the gymnasium and it rekindled many fond memories from my days as a student, player, teacher and now as a coach," said Cherol, who graduated from Wilson in 1973. "It will hurt when this school comes down but on the reverse side of the coin, it means a fresh, new start for our students and I am sure that will be a most welcome change."