Ursuline boys return to regional

Dominique Cole had
25 points as the Irish
beat Campbell, 66-46.

By JOHN BASSETTI

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

SALEM — After Jamel Turner’s ejection, Nate Hodge got the treatment accorded one of the Democratic presidential primary candidates attending the other’s rally.

But it had nothing to do politically and everything to do physically in a typical wild and woolly Campbell-Ursuline boys basketball matchup.

For a third straight season, the two Division III teams met in the district championship game here.

Two years ago, Ursuline won; last season, Campbell advanced.

Friday night, not even Campbell’s top two scorers combined matched the 25 points put up by Dominique Cole in Ursuline’s 66-46 victory at Salem High’s gym.

Cole also had eight rebounds in the win that sent the Irish (14-9) into a regional semifinal at the Canton Fieldhouse.

Campbell (16-7) played neck-and-neck with Ursuline until the Irish pulled away by nine points, 28-19, at 1:54 of the second quarter.

That’s when Turner was called for a flagrant foul for pushing Hodge.

Jerah’me Williams made the second of two foul shots, followed by Dorian Jones’ 3-pointer and Joe Little’s basket to end the first half.

Following Antwan Dawson’s save by diving for a loose ball, Hodge started off the third quarter with another goal to pull the Red Devils within 30-28.

But Cole and LaVance Turnage turned on the heat and Ursuline never looked back.

“We played extremely well except for the ejection,” said coach Keith Gunther, whose Irish didn’t fold.

“Everybody’s telling me the kid kicked him, but it doesn’t matter because you can’t retaliate. It’s tough to lose Jamel, but you can see how our kids came together. We’re going to look at this film, then see what the state’s going to do,” Gunther said of an appeal.

By rule, Turner should miss two games.

Cole said Gunther stressed staying focused.

“Coach asked us to keep on playing defense and win it for Jamel,” he said, adding that Ursuline is jelling at the right time.

“This is what we need to make a run toward state,” the 6-2 forward said.

Williams had 13 points and Dorian Jones 10 to lead Campbell, which could have done a better job rebounding, coach Brian Danilov said.

“They hurt us down low,” Danilov said, especially of Cole. “We just didn’t play well.”

Ursuline out-rebounded the Red Devils, 33-15, with many coming on Campbell’s offensive glass.

“We didn’t get enough second-shot opportunities,” Danilov said. “At this time of the year, you need to shoot well and I don’t think we did that. Our shooting was poor tonight.”

The Red Devils were 17-of-43 from the field.

Gunther credited Turnage, who had only five points, with an excellent all-around effort.

“He got some steals, made some tough drives, got some nice passes. I think that’s how Cole really got a lot of his points — was LaVance penetrating and kicking [in, out or over] to Cole.”

Gunther also thought George Williams, with 10 points, played well down the stretch as did point guard Nick McCartney throughout.

McCartney played in his third straight district championship game.

“It feels good to be a senior and lead my team to a district championship. Nobody thought we would be here, but we came together at the right time and we’re peaking now,” said McCartney.

bassetti@vindy.com