43
Algahmee’s 3-pointer lifts Irish
By Tom Williams
YOUNGSTOWN
After squandering a 12-point lead in the second half, the Ursuline High School boys basketball team needed big plays.
Stepping up to make them were their tallest player (Anthony Howell) and the one at the other end of the height chart (Anise Algahmee).
After a furious fourth quarter where East outscored Ursuline 23-17 to force overtime, Algahmee hit a 3-pointer midway through the extra session to put the Irish ahead for keeps in Friday’s 76-74 victory in the Ursuline gym.
Did he think it was good as it left his hands?
“Oh yeah, we practice that all the time,” Algahmee said. “If they double Anthony or anybody on our team, [we’re] to move around, get open and be ready to shoot.”
Algahmee’s basket gave the Irish a 72-71 lead. Howell, who struggled at the free throw line in the first half, sank two more to go with the six he made in the second half.
“Anise, he’s so confident,” Howell said. “He might be the smallest on the court but he takes big shots and he can shoot it very well.”
Ursuline head coach Keith Gunther agreed.
“He’s not my tallest player,” said Gunther with a laugh, “but he’s our toughest player. He’s our leader, he’s our tough guy.
“He made two major steals in the fourth quarter and the overtime and we got two big buckets out of that.”
Howell led the Irish with 19 points and Algahmee scored 18. Also scoring in double figures were Vince Venzeio with 14 and Dakota Hobbs with 11.
The Panthers started both halves slowly, then kicked into gear.
“We’re learning to deal with adversity,” East coach Dennis Simmons. “We sort of shot ourselves in the foot early on.”
The Panthers made up for it late.
Trailing 50-44 going to the fourth quarter, Terrell Weaver and De’amonte Pagan took charge, pestering the Irish (9-4) into numerous turnovers. Pagan scored twice in a 7-0 run to start the fourth quarter as the Panthers took the lead.
“He’s kind been in a slump the last couple of games, so that was nice to see,” said Simmons of his senior. “They’re starting to feel better, they like playing hard for each other.”
From there, the game seesawed. In the final minute, Calvaughn Bryant hit two 3-pointers, the last with 12 seconds remaining, to force overtime.
“We just had to tough [it out] and it shows our character,” Algahmee said of the Panthers’ surge.
Bryant led the Panthers with 22 points. Pagan scored 15 points and Weaver 14.
The Panthers’ speed and daring contributed to the turnaround.
“We didn’t handle their pressure well,” Gunther said. “Our goal was to have 13 turnovers — I think we had 10 in the second quarter. We were turning it over a ton, that’s what got them back into the game.
“The way their defense turned it up a notch [produced confidence]. The one thing I liked about our team is that every time they would turn it up, we would hit a big shot or we would make some big free throws or make a big rebound.
“I never thought we panicked, but it was a great battle,” Gunther said.