Carter, Bowers help push East past Chaney

East made 19-for-29 at the foul line to the Cowboys’
8-for-12.

By JOHN KOVACH

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

YOUNGSTOWN — The new East High School basketball team, a blend of players from Wilson and Rayen who are playing together for the first time, is slowly developing into an effective unit.

The Panthers, who got off to a rough start early in the season, took another step forward Tuesday by rallying past Chaney, 59-53, for their fourth straight victory in front of a full house at the Cowboys’ gym.

“We lost a few tough games to Akron Firestone, Harding and Poland. We took our lumps against some good teams. But we are growing as a team,” said East coach Mark Cherol, whose Panthers (7-5) overcame Chaney’s 44-40 lead behind the late scoring from Kenny Carter and Anthony Bowers to pull away from the Cowboys.

“This is the first year playing together for this group of guys. There are a lot of new players. But the chemistry between them is coming and we are starting to grow as a team.”

Carter scored 10 of his game-high 17 points and Bowers four of his 12 points in the final quarter to spark East’s uprising, after the Panthers had led most of the game before Chaney rallied near the end of the third quarter and early part of the fourth period from a 40-34 deficit to take a 44-40 advantage.

But at that point, Roncarlos Hilton hit a 3-point goal — his only points of the game — to pull East within 44-43, and Mark Thornton’s goal lifted the Panthers ahead for good, 45-44.

Thornton finished with 13 points while Jurrell Burt added eight.

Then Carter hit his first of three goals in the fourth quarter to push his team ahead, 47-44, before Bowers connected to make it 49-44.

“Carter came alive in the last quarter. He didn’t play very well at the beginning but he started playing better at a certain point,” said Cherol, who credited his team’s defense for rejuvenating his offense. “We turned up the [defensive] pressure and we got some turnovers and easy buckets. We got our fast break going and got some layups.”

East’s defense was a big factor in Chaney committing 24 turnovers to only 11 by East.

Chaney also was plagued by fouls as East made 19-for-29 at the foul line to the Cowboys’ 8-for-12.

After Bowers made it 49-44, Carter slammed in a dunk and another basket to lift East ahead to 53-46, then he made four straight foul shots starting with 25.3 seconds left for a 57-53 lead.

Chaney got strong scoring from Tyray Helms and Alan Burns down the stretch to make a game of it down to the final buzzer.

With East leading by 57-53 with less than six seconds left, Bowers intercepted a Chaney pass, was fouled, and made two free throws to seal the win.

Carter also had nine rebounds as both teams had 34 caroms.

Hilton and Trumane Jenkins led East’s defense with three steals each.

Chaney (2-8) was led by Burns with 11 points while Isiah Fason tacked on 10, Myke Parker nine and James Burns and Helms eight each.

Parker also had a game-high 12 rebounds while Helms had eight. Fason had two blocks while Helms and Dennis Howell had two steals apiece.

Cherol also likes the fact that more of his players are getting to the point where they can contribute to the team.

“We are getting some depth now and are playing eight or nine players,” he said.

kovach@vindy.com