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Raiders pass early test
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Warren Harding’s Rashid Gaston (50) and Shaheed Davis go for a rebound during Tuesday’s game against Canton McKinley in Warren.
By Greg Gulas
WARREN
The Canton McKinley Bulldogs wanted an early-season test, hoping to find some much-needed answers with their Federal League season just around the corner.
They got what they wished for and then some, with the challenge coming in the form of the Warren Harding Raiders — one of the state’s top-ranked basketball programs and a team that was also looking for some answers this early in the campaign.
Rasaun Smith had a game-high 16 points and Delshawn Bell added 13 markers as the Raiders topped the Bulldogs, 48-43, for their second straight win.
“A win is a win and we’ll take it so we’re very happy about the outcome,” Raiders coach Steve Arnold. “A game like this so early in the season is an excellent measuring stick for our team.
“I cannot complain about our defense, despite the fact that we gave up some cheap buckets. During the last minute of play, when we needed our defense the most they rose to the occasion. We still have some kinks to work out and those are issues that we will definitely address.”
Four points at the outset by Bell helped Warren Harding (2-0) build a 12-5 advantage before settling for a 12-9 lead after the first eight minutes of play.
When Smith added seven of his 16 points in the second frame, the Raiders increased their lead over the Bulldogs (2-1) to 25-20 at the intermission.
“We practice hard and that transfers over to the game for us,” Bell said. “We had the early lead, let them fight back to take the lead but in the final minutes, we wanted the win badly and no one was going to take it from us.”
Bell, who had six first-half points, agreed that Canton McKinley was a real challenge.
“They are an excellent team; a very athletic team and we met their challenge tonight,” Bell said. “We still have a way to go as we did not execute like we are capable of and that was frustrating for everyone.”
A bucket by Smith and free throw by Rashid Gaston gave the Raiders a 28-20 lead with nearly two minutes gone in the third quarter. The Bulldogs came storming back, going on an 11-0 run with the help of nine points by Da’Vontai Rorie to take a 33-32 at the 1:34 mark of the period.
Harding scored four of the final six points in the frame to tie it at 35 tie with eight minutes remaining.
Two buckets by Smith for the Raiders and two hoops by Mike Mills for the Bulldogs found the two teams deadlocked at 43-43 with 4:18 left, but Harding closed out the game on a 5-0 run.
“Warren Harding was an excellent opponent for us because that is where we want to be,” said Bulldogs coach Keith Noftz. “We now know what it will take to get us there.”