Warren JFK’s Brown ices Mooney, 47-45
By Jon Moffett
YOUNGSTOWN — Nick Brown stood at the foul line, wiped some sweat away and focused on the hoop.
The 6-foot-7 senior from Warren JFK knew Friday’s Steel Valley Conference game was in his hands. And as he threw up his free throw, he knew he had just won the game.
“I shot real well from the free throw line the whole game,” Brown said. “I knew I was going to make one. Getting that first one was nice for us to be able to win the game.”
Brown and the Eagles (13-7, 3-2) defeated Mooney, 47-45.
Though Mooney’s gymnasium was deafening for most of the game, it was Warren JFK’s fan section that cheered when it counted most in their last SVC game. The Cardinals (8-12, 1-4) were left frustrated.
With 16.3 seconds left in the game, Warren JFK head coach Bruce Timko called a time out to give the Eagles the last shot.
“We knew we had three time outs, so we wanted to run some clock and if we had a good shot we were going to have a good shot,” Tinko said. “And there is nobody better to have the ball in their hands than Nick Brown.”
Brown heaved a shot with a little more than three seconds left, but the ball clanged off the rim. A whistle echoed throughout the gym and Mooney’s players threw their hands in the air or placed them behind their heads.
Brown, who had made nine of his 11 prior free throws in the game, was fouled by Mooney senior Ronnie Martino. Brown sank both shots, and was engulfed by Timko and the Eagles.
“I know Nick Brown is going to make those shots, because Nick Brown wants to be there” Timko said. “In my opinion, and I just told the team, Nick Brown is the best player in the tri-county area, I really believe that. He does a lot for our team and I knew he was going to come through. He’s a winner.”
Mooney coach Chris Kohl gave credit to Brown and the Eagles.
“He’s a great ballplayer,” Kohl said of Brown. “I don’t know where he’s looking to go, but he’s got the tools. He can shoot, he can handle the ball, and he’s got nice ups. He could play for me, I’d take him in a minute.”
Things didn’t begin so well for Warren JFK. Mooney led the Eagles 13-4 after the first quarter and 16-4 before surrendering another point.
But the Eagles kept up the pressure in the second quarter and were able to tie the game at 22 on a desperation shot by Brown to close out the half. Brown led all scorers with 22 points, including 11 from the foul line. Behind him were Boo Timko with eight points and Mike Fredericka with six. The Eagles also made 16 free throws on 21 trips to the line.
Kohl said he credits the Eagles for playing a good game, but his team must learn to finish.
“We just have a hard time realized that we’re winning the basketball game sometimes,” he said. “We fail to execute when we need to.”
He added that shooting the ball has frustrated his team all season, saying at times it feels as if the basket is the size of “the cup on a golf course.”
The Cardinals had a difficult getting to the line, shooting only seven free throws and making five. John Stoops led the team with 12 points and a perfect shooting percentage. He sank all six of the shots he attempted. Martino and junior Donald D’Alesio were behind him with nine points.
jmoffett@vindy.com