Malvern pulled away for a 103-67 Division IV regional semifinal win.

Malvern pulled
away for a 103-67 Division IV regional semifinal win.

By JOE SCALZO

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

CANTON — Columbiana High boys basketball coach Eric Whitmer walked into the locker room at halftime Tuesday staring at a 13-point deficit.

And he was feeling pretty good about his team’s chances.

“I guess that’s pretty nutty,” he said. “We might be the only team that would feel good about that.”

But Whitmer’s team wasn’t in the regional for nothing. The Clippers had battled back from bigger deficits this season and Whitmer knew if they could get off to a hot start in the third quarter, good things could happen.

Instead, bad things happened.

Columbiana shot just 3-of-20 in the quarter, was outscored by 23 points and eventually lost to Malvern, 103-67, in a Division IV regional semifinal at the Canton Fieldhouse.

“We ran into a buzzsaw,” Whitmer said. “The first three or four minutes of the third quarter didn’t go our way and it got away from us. I think we got a little bit tired and a little bit mentally defeated.

“Once things start to go their way, it’s like an avalanche.

Columbiana actually played pretty well in the first half. Problem was, Hornets senior Trevor Halter played better, scoring 19 points in the first 12 minutes.

Halter, one of three 1,000-point scorers in Malvern’s starting lineup, finished with a game-high 32 points and 11 rebounds.

“We knew he could shoot,” said Whitmer, “but he hasn’t shot that well. That was the best first half of a regional game I’ve seen in a long time.”

Zak Kapron added 31 points, 10 rebounds and four assists for the second-ranked Hornets (24-0), who will meet in Friday’s regional final.

“It’s going to be a heckuva regional final,” Whitmer said.

Junior guard Tyler Tucci had 21 points and 11 assists. The three 1,000-point scorers are the big reason Malvern is unbeaten, but several other Hornets stepped up after starting point guard Adam Wackerly broke his wrist early in the first quarter.

“We’re not just a three-headed monster,” said Hornets coach Dennis Tucci. “We’ve got five guys and the kids on the bench do their job.”

Junior Kevin Blinsky, the only non-senior in Columbiana’s starting lineup, had 18 points and eight rebounds to lead the Clippers (21-2), while senior Andrew Tirpak had 16 points, senior Joe Blinsky had 10 points and four rebounds and senior Ryan Williams had seven points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals.

“We couldn’t keep up with them,” said Williams. “We’ve been down by 17 or 18 points [at halftime] this season and come back and won and we thought we could do it again. It didn’t work out.

“[But] we revitalized the basketball program at the school. It was a great experience for these younger guys and hopefully it will help them in their future careers.”

The players’ disappointment didn’t overshadow Columbiana’s terrific season, Whitmer said.

The Clippers won the Inter Tri-County League Tier One title, set a school record for wins and won their first district title in more than a decade.

“In my mind, these seniors will be up on the wall at Columbiana for decades for what they accomplished,” Whitmer said. “The first undefeated season in the league in 50-some years, the first district title in 13 or 14 years. I can’t say enough about them.

“They’re disappointed because they wanted to put on a better show, but ultimately they’ve been a blessing to me, the school and the community.”

scalzo@vindy.com