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Lebron, Devils earn date with top seed
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Cardinal Mooney’s Kevin McGuire (5) scores over Crestwood’s Clay Walters (23) during a Division II tournament basketball game Wednesday at Boardman High School. The Cardinals held on to defeat the Red Devils, 61-55.
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Salem’s Anthony Shivers (44) tries to keep Struthers’ Adam Ryczaj (40) from scoring during their Division II tournament basketball game Wednesday at Boardman. The Wildcats defeated the Quakers, 65-46.
By Tom Williams
SALEM
Clutch scoring by seniors Claxton Lebron and Ty Underwood combined with dominant play underneath by Dwaylon Letlo and Devin Johson earned the Campbell Memorial High basketball team a date with top-seeded Akron Manchester.
Wednesday against third-seeded East Palestine in the Division III sectional final at Salem High, Underwood’s 20 points included 11 fourth-quarter free throws in a 65-52 victory.
Lebron’s 18 points included six in the final frame as the Red Devils (11-11) advanced to Tuesday’s district semifinal game against the Panthers (19-2).
Manchester advanced by beating Canton Central Catholic, 50-46, in Wednesday’s first game.
Letlo was everywhere for the Red Devils, pulling down 11 rebounds and blocking four others,
“He’s been doing real well for us rebounding and blocking shots,” Campbell coach Brian Danilov said. “He’s had a very good year for us.
“We knew it was going to take a good team effort to beat a quality team like East Palestine,” Danilov said. “Bing [coach Tom Bingham] does a great job and we knew it wasn’t going to be easy.
“Nothing’s easy at this time of the year,” he added.
Lester Hughes scored nine points for the Red Devils.
“Our big men did a real good job and our guards really penetrated well,” Lebron said. “Defensively, we played like a [traditional] Campbell team.”
Bingham was not surprised at how aggressive the Red Devils were.
“That’s what we expected from Campbell,” Bingham said. “Their record is very deceiving.”
The Bulldogs (16-5), champions of the Inter Tri-County League for the third straight season, did not go quietly despite falling behind 23-10 early in the second quarter.
Their best player, Brett Foreman, was forced to sit with three fouls for more than six minutes, yet the Bulldogs remained within striking distance.
Adam Robb, Corey Wright and Cody Stewart contributed key plays as the Bulldogs shaved the deficit to 27-20 at halftime.
Four times in the second half, the Bulldogs were within four points.
“I thought we showed a lot of heart and character,” Bingham said. “We just couldn’t get over the hump,
“We had our chances and some good looks, they just didn’t fall,” Bingham said. “I’m proud of them, they’ve had a great year winning a third straight title.”
Campbell has had an up-and-down season, including several changes to the starting lineup and overall roster.
“We’ve been through a lot of adversity so we’re used to it,” said Lebron of East Palestine’s comeback.
Underwood admitted that “our confidence was down a little bit” when the Bulldogs managed to hang around. But he added the team was able to prevail.
“We got together and said we had to play [harder],” Underwood said. “Our seniors have a goal — to go farther in the tournament.
“I think we’re playing well right now,” Underwood said of their second win in three nights. “Letlo and Johnson did a great job of grabbing rebounds.”
Foreman led the Bulldogs with 17 points while Robb scored 13 points and pulled down nine rebounds. Jake DiCello scored 12 points and made five steals while Luke Gorby had four assists and Wright seven rebounds.