Springfield trio takes down McDonald

January 23, 2019 at 12:05a.m.

By Dan Hiner

McDonald

It took a team effort for the Springfield boys basketball team to beat McDonald on Tuesday in McDonald. A trio to Tigers led Springfield to a 74-69 victory.

Springfield’s Shane Eynon scored a team-high 23 points, Drew Clark added 22 and Evan Ohlin finished with 20.

“We all know we can score. We all know any of us can score 20 any given night,” Eynon said. “It’s just who’s on that night. And tonight me, Drew and Evan all had around 20.”

Eynon is used to doing the dirty work. He is a tight end and linebacker on the football team. Eynon used his size and athleticism to create driving lanes in the fourth quarter.

The Tigers forward scored 14 points in the second half.

“It’s a fast-paced game and there’s a little rivalry between us and McDonald,” Eynon said. “Every time we play them it’s always a good game. Football, baseball, basketball, any of the sports and we knew it was going to be a good game coming in.”

Eynon provided balance in the Tigers’ offense. While Clark and Ohlin were stretching the court along the 3-point line, Eynon was working in the post.

“He does a really good job,” Springfield head coach Steve French said. “When teams play zone, he holds down that middle, gives a good target when he catches it and turns and squares and looks to attack.”

For French, the trio of scorers weren’t the only players who gave quality minutes.

“Clay Medvec played his heart out trying to defend [Zach] Rasile, who had a tremendous game,” French said. “Beau Brungard’s a freshman — comes in, played very well, didn’t turn it over, played solid on defense. A lot of guys played their role tonight.”

The Blue Devils (6-6, 4-5 Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference) jumped out to a 19-12 lead in the first quarter. But the Tigers (12-1, 11-1 MVAC) outscored McDonald 21-13 over the last 9:33 of the first half.

Clark — who finished with 12 rebounds, three steals and a block — hit a floater in the final second of the half to give the Tigers their first lead of the half. Springfield led 33-32.

Zach Rasile led all scorers with 44 points. He was 15 of 31 from the field and 12 of 18 from beyond the 3-point line. Jake Portolese scored 11 points and had 13 rebounds for the Blue Devils.

McDonald head coach Jeff Rasile said the team needs to learn how to close out games.

The Blue Devils have lost their last two. They were ahead in their loss to Waterloo on Friday and couldn’t close out Tuesday’s game.

“We didn’t do the little things well,” Jeff Rasile said. “For our team, for us to beat a Springfield or a Waterloo, we have to do the little things well.

“There were times we looked pretty good out there. In the first half against Waterloo, we were up eight to 10 points. Tonight, we had stretches where we looked pretty good. But rebounding, doing the little things on defense and then the silly turnovers — we just have to improve them.”

The Tigers have won back-to-back games after losing their first game of the year to Waterloo on Jan. 11.

French took over the Springfield job last season. After a 14-10 season last year, the Tigers are second in the MVAC behind Waterloo.

The Tigers were just on the outside looking in when the Associated Press state poll came out on Monday. They were 11th, but with have a shot to crack the top 10 in Division IV.

Clark, Ohlin and Eynon were key players for the Tigers in French’s first year. Now they have the team in good position to make a tournament run.

“There’s always some things that happen that you don’t see ... good and bad. But [the players] are listening, they’re working hard in practice, they’re executing well what we’re trying to do and they’re giving me everything they have. As a coach, that’s all you can ask for.”