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Fearless Brown ignites Valley Christian comeback
McDonald’s Rasile nets 34, but Valley Christian rallies
By Tom Williams
YOUNGSTOWN
After constantly driving to the basket against McDonald’s taller, bigger and most likely stronger players, one couldn’t help but wonder what scares Valley Christian junior point guard Lohron Brown.
The 5-foot-5 Eagle laughed, then said, “I’m a little afraid of big dogs — that’s about it.
“I’m just living day-by-day and I know that God guides me, so I’m not afraid.”
In the second half of Friday’s come-from-way-behind 58-52 victory, Brown was the engine sparking the Eagles (17-5). He scored 14 of his 20 points as the Eagles wiped out a 14-point deficit.
“Lohron has had to step into, in this system, an incredible role,” Valley Christian coach Dolph Carroll said. “He’s got to run everything — offensive, defensive calls, everything.
“In the last three weeks, he’s matured, he understands, he has a great basketball mind,” Carroll said. “He’s gotten better and better.”
Zach Rasile, Ohio’s all-time leading 3-point scorer, added five more to his record in scoring 34 points for the Blue Devils (12-10) in the first regular-season meeting between McDonald and Valley Christian.
They’ve met several times in the postseason.
“I love playing those guys,” Carroll said. “We have great battles, always have.”
McDonald coach Jeff Rasile agreed. “It was a good game,” he said. “Both teams played hard, Valley Christian made the plays when they had to.”
Melvin Neail scored 18 and Jordan Trowers 10 for the Eagles.
Cam Tucker netted 10 for the Blue Devils.
The Blue Devils led 18-15 after the first quarter, then outscored the Eagles 13-7 in the second. Rasile scored all 13 points in that frame.
“He’s a great player,” Brown said of the McDonald junior. “It was very tough to stop him in the first half.”
Carroll compared Zach Rasile’s demeanor to that of his top player, Milan Square.
“Milan doesn’t get rattled and Zach is kind of the same way,” Carroll said. “He doesn’t let a lot bother him — he does a terrific job.”
Rasile’s fourth 3-pointer extended the Blue Devils’ lead to 38-24.
“They were really kind of killing our zone press,” Carroll said of the switch to man-to-man defense. “The kids responded.”
Brown started the comeback with a basket, a 3-pointer and a free throw. Baskets by Tyrone Lindsey, Jordan Trowers and Square sliced the deficit to 42-38 after three.
Early in the fourth quarter, Brown scored to snap a 44-44 tie. After Rasile hit a free throw, Brown drove to the basket for a 48-45 lead.
Rasile’s final 3-pointer tied the game one last time at 50. It also was the last basket of the game. In the final 2:50, the Eagles outscored the Blue Devils, 8-2, at the foul line.
Brown called the intense fourth quarter “a great environment — I’d love to do it again.”
That won’t happen this season as Valley Christian has moved up to Division III and has the sixth seed at the Salem district tournament. McDonald has the second seed at the Division IV Struthers district.