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Strong third quarter powers Canfield to sweep
By Greg Gulas
CANFIELD
The last time the Canfield and Howland boys basketball teams squared off, the Cardinals used a strong third-quarter performance en route to a 20-point road victory.
On Tuesday, the Cardinals rode another strong third-quarter effort for a series sweep. Brandon McFall scored a game-high 15 points to lead four Cardinals in double figures as Canfield defeated Howland, 59-47 in All-American Conference Red Tier action at the James W. Watkins Gymnasium.
“Coach [Todd Muckleroy] told us before the game not to just settle for threes, instead to drive the hole and look for some easier shots,” McFall said. “That strategy opened up the driving lanes for everyone.
“We lost a tough one to Austintown Fitch the other night and we weren’t happy with our effort,” McFall said. “Our goal tonight was to get back on the winning track.”
Other double digit scorers for the Cardinals (11-3, 5-2) were Mason Mangapora (14 points), Vince Ferrier (13 points) and Sam DiGiacomo (12 points) as Canfield won for the eighth time in nine outings.
Ferrier scored seven of the Cardinals’ first 10 points as Canfield raced to a 13-2 advantage.
Ferrier added his second triple of the game in the second frame, but Howland’s Kyle Fenton and Michael Massucci each hit 3-pointers and added five points apiece as the Tigers (7-7, 3-5) outscored Canfield, 17-11, to pull within 26-23 at the half.
It was the same three-point deficit that the Tigers faced in their first game on Dec. 4.
According to Ferrier, the energy with which they started the game but watched fade in the second period, returned in the third quarter.
“We needed to regain that energy from the first quarter, which we did to start the second half of play,” Ferrier said. “Coach Muckleroy said at halftime that we needed to get back on defense and if we did that, then our offense would come around as well.
“We had a good opening half, but needed to just come out stronger”
Stronger they did, outscoring the Tigers 20-11 in the quarter to forge a 46-34 margin.
McFall scored 10 points while DiGiacomo added six points in the third quarter.
“Canfield is and good team and I get tired of saying this, but you have to play four solid quarters against a good team,” Howland head coach Jason Lee said. “We simply cannot play the third quarter against them. We were able to tie the game at 28-28 early in the third quarter, but they made a run and we just didn’t execute.”
Mangapora scored seven of his 14 points in the final quarter to put the game away.
“It wasn’t any coaching adjustment on our part at halftime, we just needed to do what we do best in the second half and that is play defense,” Muckleroy said. “It’s all based on effort and our guys are learning that you can win comfortably with effort. They’re starting to believe in defensive effort.
“In addition to our offensive output, credit Sam because he does a great job of altering opponent shots,” Muckleroy said. “ He’s a big presence inside.”
Canfield knocked down eight triples, including three each from McFall and Ferrier. The Tigers nailed six buckets from beyond the arc with Fenton and Massucci making two each.