Chaney avenges early loss to Fitch

The Cowboys had four players in double figures, led by Dominique Brown’s 14.

By CHUCK HOUSTEAU

Vindicator Correspondent

AUSTINTOWN — Chaney coach Josh Marsh knew his basketball team was better than it played in a 71-63 loss to Austintown Fitch the first time the two teams matched up in early December at the Covelli Centre.

The Cowboys proved it Monday night in the nightcap of the Holiday Basketball Classic at Austintown Fitch by defeating the Falcons 75-58.

Chaney (3-3) had four players score in double figures led by senior Dominique Brown’s 14 points. Kenny Strong added 13 points and 10 rebounds while Tyrell Howell knocked in 12 points. Charles Jennings also tallied 10 points.

“Coming into this game I told my guys that I thought we were a better team than Fitch,” Marsh said. “I’m not taking anything away from Fitch, they have great players and a great coach but I thought athletically we could attack the basket and we did that from the start.”

The Cowboys raced out to a 13-2 lead and were never threatened throughout the game.

Chaney got back-to-back baskets by Howell and Strong to start the game and hit six of its first eight shots. Fitch on the other and struggled shooting from the floor in the first eight minutes.

“It was key that we got off to a fast start because we haven’t been closing games all that well,” said Brown. “This was an important game for us because we wanted to see how much we were improving.

“We learned from the first game that we were a much stronger team than they were at going to the basket and we wanted to make sure we did that,” added Brown. “We also knew we had to shut down their shooters because that is [Fitch’s] game.

“It was good because we had so many guys contribute tonight.”

Fitch made just one field goal in 17 attempts in the first quarter as Chaney ran out to a 15-4 lead. Overall, the Falcons made only 22 of 70 field goals (31.4 percent) and were just 2 of 27 from beyond the 3-point arc.

“They outplayed us in every aspect of the game,” said Fitch coach Jason Baker. “It appeared as if the game was more important to them. I don’t have any explanation for what just happened.

“Defensively we are just really bad right now.”

The Falcons (1-6) allowed Chaney to dominate in the paint and get a lot of layups and second chance points.

“Our guys knocked down some shots,” said Marsh. “In the first game we were playing more vertical, going side-to-side. Tonight we were attacking the basket and getting a lot of layups or getting to the foul line.”

Marsh watched as his team opened up a lead of 36-22 at halftime as Fitch’s shooting woes continued.

Will Mahone led the Falcons in scoring with 15 points but the sophomore guard was only 3 of 13 from the field.

DeAndre Richardson finished with 10 points on 5 of 15 shots and Jonas Ballard added 9 points.

Fitch played most of the contest without one of its strong inside players, Terry Terrigno, who has been battling a shoulder injury.

Marsh has been pleased with the progress of the Cowboys, who are playing with eight seniors.

“We are learning how to play as a team,” Marsh said. “We are getting better at handling adversity and we showed a lot of poise at times tonight when they tried to pressure us.

“We still have to handle things better but you can see how things are progressing.”

The Cowboys had nine players break into the scoring column and Chaney outrebounded the Falcons 39-27.