Allen sparks Niles to 59-49 victory

Salem triumphed in the other Div. II sectional at Boardman.
By CHUCK HOUSTEAU
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
BOARDMAN -- Niles' Justin Allen wasn't ready for his senior season to end so he made sure it didn't.
The 6-foot-2 guard scored a career high 32 points and knocked in 10 out of 10 free throws in the fourth quarter, to lead the Red Dragons to a 59-49 victory over Wilson in the Division II sectional tournament at Boardman High School Monday night.
Niles (12-9) will face Liberty Wednesday at 6 p.m.
"I knew [Allen] was a good player," said Wilson coach Mark Cherol. "I just didn't know that he could take over a game like he did tonight.
"He took command of the game. He held the ball well, he attacked the rim and he hit some big jumpers."
Allen said he just wasn't ready to turn in his uniform.
"It was a close game at the beginning," Allen said. "I just didn't want it to be our last game so I told all the guys to play the rest of this game and every game like its your last.
"We know it's one loss and your done. We want to go as far as we did last year when we went to the [district] championship."
Allen had strong start
Allen scored 15 of his points in the first half of the game that ended with the two teams tied at 24-24.
Niles made their move at the start of the third quarter when Larry Sussman and Allen scored two baskets each to send the Red Dragons on an 8-0 run and a 32-24 lead.
Sussman scored 14 points and grabbed a game high 14 rebounds.
"It was the key to the win," said Niles coach Rick Kover of the third period spurt. "We talked about a different way to attack how [Wilson] was trapping us with dribble penetration.
"We got what we were looking for and were able to knock down shots."
Wilson only scored four points in the third period and that proved to be the difference in the game.
"It's frustrating because we are a better team than we showed," Cherol said. "We didn't play well at all at the start of the second half.
"We always tell the kids the start of the third quarter is when you have to seize control of the game," Cherol said. "Niles did that to us."
Free throws tell tale
The Red Dragons put the game away by knocking down 24-of-34 free throws.
Wilson (9-12) got as close as 54-47 on a Justin Bryant field goal with 1:05 left but the Redmen, in their last basketball game in school history, could get no closer.
Allen connected on 10 consecutive free throws thanks to a tip from the coaching staff prior to the game.
"They told me to take one step over and it worked," Allen said. "It felt good in practice and it look like it works."
Wilson was led in scoring by William Johnson with 16 points while LaMar McQueen added 13 and Keith Tubbs 12.
Salem 55, Southeast 42
BOARDMAN -- Phil Bennett scored 13 points while Sean McKee and Zack O'Brien added 12 apiece to lead Salem past Southeast.
O'Brien had four 3-point goals. Austen Hutton added nine points for the Quakers (2-19), who advanced to play Canfield Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
Will Rawdon had 15 points to lead Southeast, including three 3-point goals.