JFK comes up just short in opener

By DOUG CHAPIN

sports@vindy.com

WARREN

One of the positive aspects of tournament time in Ohio high school basketball is that a team that has struggled during the regular season can put that behind them and focus on a brand new start in the second season.

The Warren JFK Eagles lost their first 13 games, many of them close contests, but closed the regular season with a 4-3 run. Considering JFK played a schedule that included several larger schools, the Eagles thought they could have some success in the Division IV district at Harding High.

Things got off to a good start Wednesday night against fourth-seeded Mogadore as the Eagles led 11-5 after one quarter and 24-21 at halftime. But Mogadore (13-8) persevered in the second half of a contest that included 60 free throw attempts and defeated JFK, 54-49.

“We felt whoever won this game was going to end up in the district final,” JFK coach Brent Villella said. “We felt that strongly about Mogadore’s ability and we felt that strongly about our ability. It was disappointing knowing we had to play them in the first round, but we also knew we could eliminate one of the more solid teams in this tournament right away.

“We were 4-16 but we weren’t losing badly and we were playing teams that were much older, had more veteran players. We were playing teams that were in bigger divisions. That’s not to discredit any of the teams in the tournament, we have a ton of respect for all of them. But we had a lot of confidence in what we had done all season.”

Free throw shooting was a problem for both teams as they both shot 42 percent. Kennedy was 15-for-36 and the Wildcats were 10-for-24.

“We told our guys in practice all week that this game was going to come down to three things,” Villella said. “The three things were their 3-point shooting and could we defend it; could we limit their second and third chances at the 3 by rebounding well; and the biggest emphasis was free throws.

“We told them all week that you win tournament games at the free throw line and you lose tournament games at the free throw line.”

Kennedy last led at 26-25 with 6:09 remaining in the third quarter. Mogadore never led by more than nine and the Eagles climbed back within four points twice within the final 30 seconds but could get no closer.

Senior guard Kevin Wires scored 12 points, Carl Broadbent had 11, Pat Hull tallied eight and senior forward Deonte Stubbs added seven. Rob Seger grabbed nine rebounds for JFK.

“We’re very proud of our kids, they went through an enormous amount of adversity,” Villella said. “When you lose as many close games as they did all year, heartbreak after heartbreak, and they started the season 0-13. Our kids never packed it in, they finished out the regular season 4-3 and we really felt we were going to make a legit run at this.”