East rallies for 70-67 win over Ursuline

By Pete Mollica

The Panthers are 4-0 in the Steel Valley Conference and play Harding next week for the last league championship.

YOUNGSTOWN — East High’s Kenny Carter and Ursuline’s Dominique Cole put on quite an exhibition here Friday night in their Steel Valley Conference battle at the Ursuline High gym.

But when Cole picked up his fifth personal foul with 1:52 left in the contest, Carter and the Panthers took over the show and pulled out a 70-67 victory over the Irish.

Ursuline (5-13, 0-4) held a one point lead 65-64 when Cole, who had a game-high 26 points, picked up his fifth personnel on an offensive charging call.

Carter then scored four of East’s next six points and the Panthers had regained the lead which they had held almost the entire contest.

Ursuline did have one last chance when they forced an East turnover with 1.6 seconds left, but the Irish called for a timeout which they didn’t have and the Panthers were awarded two technicals. Even though Carter missed both shots, the Panthers (10-7, 4-0) also got the ball and quickly ran out the clock.

“We played very well in the first half and then got a little complacent and we started taking shots too quickly and let them get right back in the game,” said East head coach Mark Cherol.

“We got into some foul trouble at the end and really had to depend on our bench to bail us out,” he added. “I know this, that if our bench hadn’t come through tonight we would never have won this game.”

The Panthers will play Warren Harding next week to determine the Steel Valley Conference championship. Both teams are unbeaten.

“We played them back in our season opener and lost at their place and we knew they were a good team,” Cherol said. “Now we play them at our place and I’m anxious to see how we match up this time.”

Ursuline High head coach Keith Gunther felt the difference in the game was his team’s youth and inexperience against the Panthers’ veteran lineup.

“We’ve always got at least two sophomores on the floor and when Dominique [Cole] fouled out that put three sophomores out there at a crucial time and we kind of panicked,” Gunther said.

“I was pleased with the way we battled back after they had us down by 12 or 13 points,” he said. “We getting better and our young kids are getting a lot of experience, but what we really need now is a couple of wins before we head into the tournament.”

While Cole led all scorers, Dakota Trosky added 15 points and DeVonte Jenkins had 13 for the Irish.

Carter finished with 24 points and Jarelle Burt added 18 for the Panthers.

Carter scored nine of the Panthers 18 points in the first quarter, while Tyrell Henry, who finished with 11 points, had nine of them in the second quarter as East pulled to a 40-33 lead at intermission.

But in the third quarter Cole ignited the Irish rally as he scored 11 of the team’s 24 points, but it was a 3-point shot by Jenkins in the final seconds that gave the Irish their first lead of the contest 57-55.

Ursuline held that lead, although it was never was more than five points, right up until Cole fouled out of the contest.

Dale Peterman hit two free throws with 1:18 remaining for a 67-64 lead, but Jenkins missed a pair with a minute left and then Carter took over. He pulled down an offensive rebound off a missed free throw and scored to bring the Panthers to within one 67-66 with 53 seconds left.

The Carter stole the ball off the Irish and found Burt all alone under the hoop with an easy basket and a 68-67 lead with 35 seconds. Another Ursuline turnover led to two free throws by Carter with 26.8 seconds left and then the Irish turned it over again with 15 seconds left.

Ursuline finally forced an East turnover with 1.6 seconds left and mistakenly called the timeout they didn’t have, which ended the game.

mollica@vindy.com