43
Mooney defeats Boardman
YOUNGSTOWN
Whether it was because of Valentine’s Day night or just the general mood, affectionate couples young and old locked arms or rested heads on a partner’s shoulder.
Even on the court, where Mooney (5-12) and Boardman (3-15) played intensely and with the usual no-love-lost mindset, the game was a mostly clean boys basketball battle Tuesday night.
“When they opened it up to a five-point lead, we fouled down the stretch, so I don’t think the score is reflective of how close the contest was, but it’s Boardman-Mooney, so you know it’s going to be hotly contested,” Boardman coach Dan McKeown said following his team’s 42-31 defeat at Mooney’s gym.
As the winning coach in a 73-point game, Mooney’s Chris Kohl was pleased.
“The way we’ve been struggling, a W’s a W,” Kohl said. “We’ll take it because we’re trying to get ready for tournament time. Anytime you can beat a Boardman is a plus for us.”
Against a busy Boardman defense the first quarter, Mooney trailed 9-3 after eight minutes and eventually caught up to pull within 15-13 at the half.
“Luckily enough, we hung with them in the first half,” Kohl said. “We were struggling to score and we fortunate to come out in the second half and play a little bit better than the first half. I was real happy with that.”
The Cardinals were just 1 of 9 from the field in the first 16 minutes, but Boardman was just as anemic.
“It’s been the problem that’s plagued us all season and that’s certain situations that make it seem like there’s a lid on that hoop,” McKeown said of his Spartans.
“We’ve had trouble scoring all year long. We had shots tonight that were halfway down and then came out,” McKeown said. “I guess that’s the way the ball bounces. Unfortunately, this year they just haven’t been dropping. We had good looks and executed sets and got wide-open looks, but it’s a matter of knocking them down.”
Ryan Farragher had 15 points and Doug Caputo 11 for Mooney.
Dayne Hammond was Boardman’s only double-digit player with 10 and Hammond didn’t even play the first quarter.
Caputo’s had seven straight points and several key defensive rebounds during an early third-quarter spurt that stretched Mooney’s lead to 33-27.
“Luckily, we got the ball inside,” Kohl said. “I think that was a big plus for us: getting the ball to Doug [Caputo] and Ryan [Farragher] had some nice drives to the basket. So when we get those two guys going together, that’s a real nice combination.”
The 6-foot-6 Caputo had 10 of Mooney’s 26 rebounds, as well as two blocks, while Farragher had five rebounds and five assists.
Sophomores Joe Cunningham and Dan Martin, who may have been overlooked, did some damage at crucial moments, too.
“Obviously when you play Mooney, you look at Farragher and Caputo as their primary players, then you try to form a game plan around them,” McKeown said. “So, defensively, we hope we’ll shut down some of their role players, but that’s a credit to those kids [Cunningham and Martin].
“They probably prepared hard this week and stepped up when presented with the opportunity. That’s just being a good basketball player.”
Those players, plus George Brandenstein with a 2-pointer late in the game, may not have been considered threats.
“Danny Martin was seeing his first varsity action,” Kohl said. “We told him, ‘Get in the game and if you have an open shot, hit the 3.’ That’s what he did. Those were his first varsity points.
“And Joey Cunningham is another who has been coming along. He’s been starting a couple games and he’s becoming a real good basketball player. We’re not afraid to play the young guys. That’s what you need, is people to step up.”