Saturday, December 24, 2016
Gallery
By Greg Gulas
HOWLAND
Boardman and Howland’s basketball programs split Friday’s doubleheader.
The Spartans boys got back on the winning track with a 55-52 victory. Holden Lipke poured in 17 points while Che Trevena and Travis Koontz each added 11 in the boys game.
The Spartans (5-1, 2-1) withstood a 32-point effort from Howland’s Michael Massucci for their fifth victory.
The Tigers girls remained undefeated in All-American Conference Red Tier play with a 60-34 triumph. Sara Price scored nine of her team’s 11 points in the opening quarter, finishing with 14 to pace the Tigers (7-2, 4-0).
BOys
Boardman was coming off its lone loss — to Canfield on Tuesday. With Lipke and Trevena combining for three triples in the opening period, the Spartans opened a 12-10 lead.
“Howland is a really scrappy team and desperate for a win,” Lipke said. “We turned the ball over entirely too much today and we always seem to struggle here.
“It was an up-and-down game and no matter how ugly, a win is a win and we’ll take this one,” Lipke said.
Trevena scored five points in the second frame, keying a 19-point quarter as Boardman opened a 31-24 lead at the intermission.
The Spartans led 44-36 after three periods.
Massucci, who had 11 points in the first half, came alive in the second half as he scored 21 points overall and pulled the Tigers to within 48-45.
“We had a ton of chances to create some distance, but Massucci and the entire Tigers team just kept coming at us,” Spartans coach Pat Birch said. “We got comfortable with a 12-point lead and when we do things the right way, we’re a very capable team.
“When we get away from that we struggle.”
First-year Howland coach Dan Bubon feels as if his team is ready to break through.
“I love how we play defense,” Bubon said. “We battle, bang and get pushed around but in the end, we just didn’t put the ball in the hoop enough.
“Mike is the example I have been using with our players because he’s playing with all the confidence in the world right now and that goes a long way,” Bubon said.
GIRLS
Nine Howland players got into the scoring column, which pleased head coach John Diehl.
“They went on a chaser with Sara and I think it bothered her a bit,” he said. “I was really happy with our other players that scored as well.
“We’re a pretty good defensive team, allowing around 37 points a game so I was pleased with our performance in that area tonight,” Diehl said.
With the Tigers holding a 25-18 lead at the half, four points each from Leah Pollifrone and Alex Ochman helped the Tigers stretch their lead to 40-25.
“I think I let them get in my head a bit, but we’ve practiced hard in order to get ready for tonight’s game and we accomplished what we needed to and that was to get the win,” Price said.
Spartans coach Jeff Hammerton had nothing but praise for the Tigers.
“Give Howland a ton of credit because they make you work for everything. We’re not deep and this is no excuse, but we run out of steam in the end,” Hammerton said. “We expend a lot of energy defensively and it’s tough to score when you’re getting only one, sometimes two opportunities offensively.”
Lauren Gabriele was the only Spartans player in double figures, finishing with 10.