Poland excited about rematch with Akron SV-SM

March 18, 2015 at 12:08a.m.

POLAND

Last March, the Poland and Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary high school basketball teams staged a thriller in the Division II regional final at the Canton Memorial Civic Center.

With 1:34 remaining, Poland trailed, 44-40. Then, nothing went right for the Bulldogs in a 54-42 loss.

Poland (23-2) and SV-SM (25-0) will meet again, this time in the regional semifinal at 6:15 p.m. Thursday at the same site.

“We definitely have a chip on our shoulders,” said Poland senior Dan Black, a 6-foot-4 forward. “We definitely want to play them. It will be a fun game. We’re going to try and bring our best.”

Point guard Nick Romeo said practicing this week while most of the Mahoning Valley’s basketball players have moved on to spring sports “is very exciting.

“Winning the district championship was awesome,” the 5-8 senior said. “Being with this group of guys for at least another week is just an awesome feeling.”

Poland’s other seniors are 6-5 forward Tate Duarte, 6-3 forward Kyle Dixon and 5-8 guard Nick Gajdos. They’re hoping they will be practicing on Friday for head coach Ken Grisdale.

When last year’s game ended, Grisdale vented against the OHSAA system that has closed enrollment public schools playing private schools who can load up on players from many districts and even other states.

Social media buzzed, with supporters of both sides weighing in with stinging barbs. Many respected what Grisdale said, but others cried sour grapes.

“He’s been such a good coach here for a long time,” Romeo said. “To win this game for him would be huge. He deserves it.”

Poland captured the Warren district title on Saturday with a 42-34 victory over Canfield. It was the ninth district title for Grisdale in 22 seasons. He’s taken three Poland teams to state.

“It’s a great feeling to get a second chance,” Gajdos said of the rematch. “You don’t always get that in life. We’re very excited — it’s something special.

“We don’t like them and I think they don’t like us.”

Dixon said the rematch will be different.

“They are a much better shooting team than last year,” said Dixon, adding that the Irish rely more on their guards. “They had taller guys last year so it’s a different game [preparation]. We’ve got make sure we keep their shooters in check.”

What Gajdos remembers is how the Bulldogs struggled with shooting in the final 90 seconds.

“We had a couple of offensive rebound shots that didn’t fall,” Gaydos said. “If [one of] those had fallen, it would have been a game-changer.”

Dixon agreed.

“We had our opportunities,” Dixon said. “We controlled the tempo pretty well [and] didn’t turn the ball over very much. Defensively, we rebounded pretty well.

“In that last [sequence], I think we were 1-for-13 from the 3-point line,” Dixon said. “All season, those were shots we were used to making. That’s what let us down.”

Duarte warns the Bulldogs face a major challenge.

“They are playing more as a team,” Duarte said. “That makes them better.

“But I think we match up with them.”

Black echoed his teammate.

“They may not be as tall, but they are just as good, maybe even better,” Black said.

Romeo said the Bulldogs have been anticipating the rematch.

“This is the kind of a game that you look forward to all year,” he said.