Lawrence’s shot lifts Fitch over Canfield

Photo

Fitch's #22 Dontrell Lawrence puts up an off balance shot during the second half.

By Jon Moffett

jmoffett@vindy.com

POLAND

Monday night’s win was like getting a sweater for Christmas for Fitch boys basketball Jason Baker.

It’s not what you really wanted, but it’s practical and it works, so you’ll take it. And Baker knew his 38-36 victory over Canfield wasn’t pretty. But hey, a win is a win.

“It’s been some time since this program has won games, period. So we’ll take them any way we can get them,” he said following his team’s game in the Poland Classic.

While Baker knew the game wasn’t pretty, he also knew it wasn’t easy.

It took a shot by senior Dontrell Lawrence with 3.3 seconds left to put the Falcons (2-4) on top for good. And even then, it almost wasn’t enough.

Canfield got the ball down the court in time to take a less-than-desperation shot at the buzzer. And just as their breaks had gone all night, the shot came up just short for the winless Cardinals.

“We practiced it all week,” coach Todd Muckleroy said of the last-second shot. “We just tried to get some runners out to maybe get a layup, maybe get a shot or kick it out if they’re doubling somebody. We got a decent shot, not a great shot. But with three seconds left you’re not going to get a perfect look.”

Canfield (0-5) gave the Falcons all they could handle the entire game. They trailed by just one point (22-21) at the half and had the game tied until Lawrence’s jumper.

Baker said there were some butterflies as he watched the shot go up.

But the last play would have been even more devastating had it not been for Lawrence’s fade-away floater seconds earlier. Baker said those are the type of plays he, and every coach, expects from its senior leaders.

“Seniors are supposed to step up and make big plays. And Dontrell did that for us tonight,” Baker said. “He did it several times, including that huge shot there at the end.”

Baker said offensive execution has been an issue for the Falcons all season. They scored only three points in the third quarter, and looked sloppy coming out of the half.

But Lawrence, along with junior Dan Chepke, brought the team back. Chepke led the game with 15 points, including 11 of the team’s 22 at the half. Lawrence finished with six, but it was the quality of his points that counted, not the quantity.

For the Cardinals, Muckleroy said its been a tough year so far. But he’s optimistic his team can turn things around soon.

“When you play games like this and the other close games we’ve had, it really challenges the players and coaching staff,” he said.