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Murray, Maze score 20 apiece as Howland beats Fitch in OT
By Jim Flick
AUSTINTOWN
In a game of ups and downs that went into overtime, the Howland boys basketball team defeated Austintown Fitch 86-84 on Friday night.
Howland seemed assured of a victory in the regulation time, but Fitch senior Dan Chepke sank a 3-pointer at the buzzer that tied the game 73-73.
The Tigers (7-4) outscored the Falcons 13-11 in overtime. Howland junior John-Mark Weisman nailed a field goal that gave Howland the lead, 86-81, with about 10 seconds remaining.
Chepke shot another 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds remaining to pull Fitch (4-6, 3-4 AAC) close as the clock ticked down.
“For us to be able to persevere and hang in there and be tough and get a win down here is huge for the program,” said Howland coach Bill Bogan.
The “ups” for Howland included not only the final score, but outscoring Fitch in the first quarter and the overtime. The Tigers led 23-14 after the first quarter.
The “ups” for Fitch included outscoring Howland in three of the four regulation quarters. The Falcons scored 59 points combined in the second, third and fourth quarters, compared to 50 for the Tigers.
Two more “ups” for Howland was the shooting of juniors Arbie Murray and Chris Maze, who each scored 20 points to lead the Tigers. Murray’s scoring included two field goals in overtime.
Brendan Cope, a junior, tallied 16 points for Howland, including a pair of free throws in overtime. Senior Tanner Scott contributed 12 points for the Tigers.
Another “up” for Fitch was Chepke, who tallied 24 points for the Falcons and was the game’s leading scorer. He also grabbed 11 rebounds for Fitch.
Will Mahone, a senior, scored 17 points for Fitch, while sophomore Jesse Driver added 14 points, including two field goals in overtime.
Fitch senior Nick Williams scored 11 points.
Bogan said he was glad his team collected “an overtime league win, on the road.”
The victory, he added, “is a testament to the way these kids were brought up, from their parents to their previous coaches. I’m reaping the benefits of the groundwork that’s been laid before me.”
Fitch coach Brian Beany said the loss was “emotionally draining,” but his team is getting used to that because nine out of the Falcons’ last 10 games “have been decided by five points or less. We have pretty much run the gamut of emotions high and low this season.
“But I give my kids credit. After that tough first quarter, they could have folded up their tent and felt sorry for themselves, and they didn’t. They kept working hard, they clawed their way back and did what they had to do to send this thing into overtime,” Beany added.