Versatility carries LaBrae over Berkshire in D-3

By DOUG CHAPIN

sports@vindy.com

HOWLAND

Versatility is an important factor for a basketball team, especially in tournament play when opponents’ styles can vary and teams must adapt quickly in order to be successful.

LaBrae High demonstrated its versatility Tuesday night in a Division III district semifinal at Howland High. The second-seeded Vikings (15-7) stopped the third seed, Burton Berkshire, 54-45, to advance to Saturday night’s championship game.

“I prefer whatever it takes to get a ‘W’,” LaBrae coach Chad Kiser said when asked whether he preferred a high-scoring or low-scoring game. “I think we can score and I think we can hold some teams. It depends on the opponent, but I think when you get this far into the tournament you have to play defense. If we can keep their score down, we’re better off.”

LaBrae will face top-seeded Newton Falls or Middlefield Cardinal in the title game. Those teams meet tonight in the other semifinal.

After the first half Tuesday it appeared the score would be in the 60s or 70s. Berkshire took a 15-11 first-quarter lead, then LaBrae shot 5-for-8 from 3-point range in the second quarter to take a 30-26 halftime lead.

In the third quarter, the Vikings clamped down defensively and took the air out of the ball on offense. Berkshire shot just 2-for-9 in the third period and the Vikings increased their lead to 40-30. The Badgers never got closer than 10 until the final score.

“We wanted to take fewer shots,” Kiser said about the Vikings‘ second-half strategy. “We knew we could get some open 3s, but we wanted to move the ball around rather than making one pass and then shooting.

“We wanted to make them move and chase us defensively. We wanted to spread them out and kind of wear them down, they didn’t play a lot of guys. For us to slow down their offense, we had to make them work on defense.”

Senior forward Mike Morris was outstanding for the Vikings, scoring 24 points on 10-for-15 shooting. Sophomore guard Matt Szorady scored 12 points and senior forward Todd Collins had 10. The Vikings shot 8-for-17 from 3-point range.

If LaBrae faces Newton Falls in the district title game, it will be a rematch of the Vikings’ 52-45 victory a year ago. LaBrae dropped a 51-39 decision to eventual state champion Cleveland Central Catholic in the regional tournament at Canton.

“I definitely think it’s been a positive,” Kiser said about winning the district title in 2009. “It’s not like they’ve been complacent, thinking we should get back because we were there last year. These guys know the work we put in last year, they know the hard work it takes and they are doing that.”