Streb's strong game powers McDonald past W. Reserve

The post player scored 24 points
in a 64-34 triumph.

By PETE MOLLICA

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

YOUNGSTOWN — Six-foot-five-inch senior Adam Streb put on a clinic as he led the McDonald High basketball team to a 64-34 rout of Western Reserve in the first game of Tuesday’s Chevrolet Centre High School Basketball Series doubleheader.

Streb poured in 24 points, pulled down 12 rebounds and blocked five shots as the Blue Devils (13-3, 9-3 Inter Tri-County League Tier Two) led from start to finish.

“He’s [Streb] been our horse all year, but tonight it was a complete team effort that made the difference,” McDonald coach Jeff Rasile said. “This is such a great place to play and I really didn’t know how our kids were going to react to it, but after this I want to play here again.”

Western Reserve coach Steve Miller couldn’t figure out if it was the Chevrolet Centre that caused his team to play so poorly.

“I don’t know what it is about these big arenas and our team,” Miller said. “A few years ago, we played up at Beeghly Center and got embarrassed, and tonight was much of the same against a good McDonald team.

“Their pressure bothered us, but really this game was over in the first half,” Miller said.

In addition to Streb, who was named the game’s most valuable player, McDonald put two other players in double figures — Drew Banyon with 11 points and J.R. Harvey with 10.

Western Reserve didn’t have a player in double figures as Justin Ludt led the way with nine points.

“I think that our pressure defense really turned the game around tonight,” Rasile said. “That and the fact that we executed our game plan perfectly. The first half was about as good as we’ve played all year.”

The game was only deadlocked once at 2-2 before McDonald went on a 7-0 run highlighted by Lance Ronghi’s 3-point goal to take a 9-2 lead. Reserve closed the gap to 9-6 with 2:38 left in the opening quarter, but McDonald scored the final eight points to take a 17-6 first quarter lead.

Reserve closed to within seven points 20-13 early in second quarter, but then McDonald blew the game open with a 14-0 run led by eight points from Streb to take command of the contest 34-13. McDonald led 40-18 at intermission.

Although McDonald’s offensive assault slowed down in the third quarter, Western Reserve couldn’t take advantage. Reserve got to within 22 points 44-22, but McDonald finished the quarter strong and led 54-26 after three quarters.

The final quarter was more of a junior varsity matchup then anything else, but McDonald continued to stay in command. Their biggest lead was 33 points 64-31 before Nick Timko tossed in a 3-point goal in the final seconds to reach the final total.

“We only had one starter returning from last season and he averaged just two points a game and it took a lot of hard work by these kids over the summer to get us to where we are right now,” Rasile said.

McDonald hit on 24 of 56 shots from the field and was 14 of 17 from the charity stripe, while Reserve made just 11 of 44 shots from the field, but was perfect in eight attempts from the line. Reserve also had 17 turnovers, while McDonald made 14.

mollica@vindy.com