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WILDCATS ON THE MEND
HUBBARD
One team snapped a four-game losing streak while the other continued its early season slide.
That was the synopsis of Tuesday night’s All-American Conference White Tier tussle between Struthers and Hubbard — a game won by Struthers, 47-42.
With 15 points, senior Justin Myers was the only player in double figures for Struthers, which won its season opener against Edgewood before losing to Jefferson, Niles, Lakeview and Lisbon.
Whether 47 points was an acceptable output for Struthers (2-4, 2-3) really wasn’t paramount for Coach Jim Franceschelli.
“After a 1-4 start, our main objective was to get a win no matter what we have to do,” Franceschelli said. “Every time we took a timeout, I stressed that we don’t need to score 60 or 70 points, but that we need to put in more [points] than them [Hubbard] and that’s our goal for the night.”
Brendan Candella had a game-high 17 points for Hubbard (0-5, 0-4), while teammate Adam Schroeder added 10 for the Eagles, who never led, but pulled within one point at 38-37 on Candella’s two free throws at 4:31.
After Myers’ 3-point goal from the right corner gave the visiting Wildcats a 41-37 lead at 3:40, “some bad basketball,” as Franceschelli called it, transpired for the next three minutes.
That’s when Schroeder pulled up for a jump shot from the foul line with 40 seconds left.
Clinging to the 41-39 lead, Dakota Senviskey put up two free throws with 36 seconds remaining to stretch Struthers’ lead to four.
The senior’s first free throw hit the front of the rim, then bounced a few times above the basket before returning downward through the net. The path of his second shot was smoother.
“I was excited when I saw that first one go in,” Senviskey said. “If I was needed to make free throws, then I make them. It was a good win for us and it was taking a step forward.”
Senviskey also had a good word for Myers and his momentous 3-pointer.
“That gave us momentum and helped us out on defense.”
Of his team’s second win and its implications as a sign of Struthers’ improvement. Senviskey said, “Just moving the ball around on offense and taking a stand on the defensive side will, hopefully, carry us into our next game.”
FCandella has been among the leading scorers in most of Hubbard’s five games so far.
“He does a nice job inside,” Coach Justin Townsend said. “He’s not the tallest guy, but he uses his body well and did a nice job of finishing tonight.”
Of Struthers’ 21 rebounds, A.J. Musolino had seven and Andrew Carbon four. Senviskey had three of his team’s eight assists. Both teams made 15 goals, but the Wildcats made five 3-pointers to Hubbard’s two.