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Boardman uses 15-1 run to nip Harding
By MIKE McLAIN
BOARDMAN
Rarely does a basketball win on the second day of December create the post-game scene of a mid-March regional final.
Then again, not many people outside of the Boardman Spartans thought they had a chance to defeat the Warren G. Harding Raiders, who have been one of the state’s elite Division I teams in recent seasons.
When senior John Ryan made one of two free throws with 5.7 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, reality began to sink in. Moments later the Spartans had a 52-51 win in an All American Conference game, prompting a celebration of enthusiastic students that stormed the court here Friday.
“Obviously this is a really big win for our program,” said Spartans coach Pat Birch, now in his sixth season at the helm. “Since I’ve been here it’s the biggest win we’ve had. What really matters is what we do next. It’s a good moment right now, but we have to play a game Tuesday, and we have to focus on that game and be ready to take another step.”
Victory in the season opener for both teams seemed a distant thought for the Spartans when the Raiders assumed a 50-37 lead in the fourth quarter. Derek Culver, a 6-foot-10 senior and a West Virginia University recruit, had a couple of dunks to spark a run that began with Harding leading, 33-30, after the third period.
Obviously not rattled, the Spartans scored 15 of the final 16 points. Boardman ran off nine straight to cut the Harding lead to 50-46. Culver made one free throw, but a fielder by Austin Barone and a three-point shot by Sebastian Heinonen tied the score at 51.
The Raiders called a timeout after advancing the ball into the forecourt. Following the break Lynn Bowden tossed a pass to Mike Hughes in the backcourt that landed in the grasp of Ryan.
Ryan was fouled on a drive to the basket with 5.7 seconds remaining. He made the first free throw but was called for a lane violation after missing the second.
Culver took the inbounds pass, but as he crossed the halfcourt line he dribbled the ball off a leg and out of bounds. The Spartans ran off the final time.
“I work for those moments,” Ryan said of his game-winning free throw. “We run after every time we miss free throws in practice, so it makes us be better. Those free throws — every one we hit at the end — is a credit to that.”
Boardman made 16 of 21 free throws, including 8 of 10 in the fourth quarter. Ryan was 4 of 6 in the period.
The Raiders weren’t able to score until the 3:10 mark of the first period on a fielder by Tiryn Frank. The Spartans took a 10-2 lead and led 10-9 after the quarter.
Harding regained the lead at halftime, 23-17, and, after trailing 28-24 in the third quarter, regrouped to take a three-point lead into the final period.
The Raiders clearly missed the outside shooting touch of guard Gabe Simpson, who graduated after last season. Culver struggled to find good looks inside against the coverage of Travis Koontz, who fouled out in the fourth period. Culver had just six points through three quarters and finished with a team-high 15.
“I don’t know if it’s a case of first-game jitters, but this is Boardman’s first game, too,” Raiders coach Andy Vlajkovich said. “We couldn’t get any rhythm offensively. I can’t put the blame on one person other than myself. I just don’t have us playing in a flow yet. I don’t know if it’s going to take some time. The Boardman kids hung tough and came down from 13.”
Heinonen led the Spartans with 12 points. Holden Lipke and Mike Melewski both had 11 and Ryan finished with 10.
Culver had 10 of Harding’s 33 rebounds. He was the lone Raider to score in double figures.