Akron SVSM deals Harding first loss

The school that made LeBron James famous prevailed in the hard-fought showdown of heavyweights.

Vindicator staff report

WARREN — For a game that was late starting, it was worth the wait.

Tuesday’s game between the state’s top-ranked Division I team and the No. 8 Div. II team materialized into a dandy for fans of both schools, right down to the final seconds when Desmar Jackson missed a close jumper as Warren Harding lost to Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, 65-63.

It set off a frenzy by the visitors who knocked off previously unbeaten Harding (11-1) and improved to 12-3 themselves.

Quite a reward, especially after the SVSM bus driver got lost en route.

“They made free throws and rebounded and we didn’t do it,” Harding coach Steve Arnold said of SVSM’s execution down the stretch.

“We were ready to play, we had some shots inside that didn’t fall and we didn’t get back on defense a few times and that killed us — and we worked on that. That’s sort of discouraging, because we worked on transition defense.”

Daylen Harrison had 20 points and Bruce Brophy 18 for the Irish, who trailed at halftime, 30-22, before outscoring Harding in the third quarter, 21-11.

Harrison also had 15 rebounds as his team out-rebounded Harding, 39-24.

SVSM owes much to Michael Hammonds, who was outstanding with six of his eight steals in the second half.

Harding led by 11 points late in the first half, then fell behind for the first time when Jakarr Sampson made two free throws at 2:04 of the third period to give the Irish a 39-38 edge.

Although Hammonds only had eight points, Irish coach Dru Joyce was quick to include him when crediting the outcome as a team win.

“Mike stepped up when he got a number of steals in the second half,” Joyce said of the 6-0 senior guard whose theft against Fred Williams at midcourt resulted in a layup that put the Irish ahead, 55-47.

“In the second half, we did some things that we knew would give them trouble guarding us in the post if we just spread it out and got our guys in there.”

That’s what SVSM did with Harrison early in the second half when the 6-6 senior scored 11 points.

Then Brophy finished.

“He followed everything up,” Joyce said. “Anything we missed, he it cleaned it up and put it back,” the coach said of his 6-7 senior who had 12 points in the fourth quarter and finished the game with eight rebounds.

Harding had no dearth of contributors as Fred Williams had 18 points, Jackson 17, Sheldon Brogdon 14 and Angel Gonzalez 10.

Brogdon made back-to-back baskets to cut SVSM’s lead to 61-59 with a minute remaining, but the 6-0 senior missed his free throw while attempting to complete a three-point play.

Two free throws by DaVonte Beard pushed St. V’s lead to 63-59, before Williams hit a basket to give Harding hope at 63-61 with 41.9 seconds remaining.

However, Jackson missed a close shot inside and Hammonds took control and made two more foul shots with 24.9 seconds to go.

Jackson’s layup pulled Harding within 65-63 and Hammonds missed the front end of a one-and-one, but Jackson’s final attempt at tying was off.

“When you played great teams, you expect the game to be close,” Joyce said. “Would we have loved to have a blowout? Yeah, but it just wasn’t going to happen. They’re too talented and got too many pieces to the puzzle. We’re just happy to come in here and get a victory against the No. 1 team in Division I.”