Strong start launches Spartans’ romp

By Greg Gulas

Boardman raced to 17-0 lead in a Federal League Tournament game against Fitch.

BOARDMAN — The Boardman High boys basketball team dedicated Friday’s game against Federal League foe Fitch to the memory of teammate Eric Soller’s father, Mark, a former Spartan hoopster and area dentist who passed away two years ago.

With emotions running high, J.T. Moore scored 13 points and made 10 rebounds for a double-double as the Spartans defeated the Falcons, 57-27 in second-round action of the Federal League tournament.

Boardman (8-10, 4-5) will play Uniontown Lake on Feb. 21 at the Canton Civic Center.

“We dedicated the game to the memory of Eric’s [Soller] father so we really wanted to win this game for him,” Moore said. “We knew that we had to play with plenty of intensity and that is exactly how we started out.

”We then let our game get away from us in the second period, but regained that energy and momentum in the second half,” Moore said. “With 12 players contributing offensively, this win really was an overall team effort.”

Spartans coach Jim Goske agreed with Moore about the emotion and intensity necessary for a win, yet wasn’t exactly convinced during pregame warm-ups that that concoction was ready to be uncorked.

“I was hoping that we would be ready,” Goske said. “I just didn’t have that convincing feeling, however, during our pregame warm-ups.

“We played perhaps our best quarter of the season to start the game, but followed that with what might have been our worst in the second quarter,” Goske said. “You have to give credit to Fitch for that turnaround in momentum because they were more aggressive, and that took us out of our sets.

“We keep hoping to play that complete, 32-minute game. We haven’t just yet but we’re real close,” Goske said.

Moore scored six of his game-high 13 points in the first quarter as the Spartans posted the first 17 points.

The Falcons reversed their scoring misfortunes and stifled Boardman’s offensive fortunes in the second period, holding the Spartans to a bucket as they outscored their arch-rivals, 9-2 to cut the Boardman lead to 19-12 at intermission.

John Williams scored five of his team’s nine points in the period.

“We kept battling and did some good things, especially in the second quarter,” Fitch coach Roger Day said. “When you find yourself in a 17-0 hole to start the game, however, that is a tough hole to dig out of and that just hurt us tonight.

“We wanted a slower pace tonight but missed some key shots, especially in the third quarter which allowed Boardman to extend their lead on us,” Day said.

Moore added seven points in the third quarter as the Spartans outscored the Falcons, 20-9 to forge a 39-21 advantage.

Dayne Hammond then hit eight of his 10 markers in the final period; the Spartans outscoring Fitch, 38-15 in the final two periods for their 30-point victory.

“J.T. [Moore] is the kind of kid who comes to the gym always ready to play,” Goske said. “He showed that tonight in more than one area of his game.

“We expect him to score and get rebounds, but tonight he did the little things that just do not show up in the box score,” Goske said. “To me, that was more impressive.

“He picked his teammates up in the huddle, hustled after loose balls and just showed leadership throughout the entire game. I’m just glad that we don’t have to defend him.”

Boardman was 22 of 40 from the field while the Falcons (2-15, 0-9) could connect on just 10 of 27 field goal attempts.

The Spartans held a 38-20 rebound advantage.