Green ends Boardman’s 17-game win streak

March 8, 2019 at 12:09a.m.

Spartans unable to hold

slim halftime advantage

CANTON

Boardman has raised expectations for its boys basketball team in the last four years.

There was a time when making a district semifinal would elicit a “we’re just happy to be here” vibe, but the Spartans are disappointed to see the season end with a 61-47 loss to Green in the Canton Civic Center on Thursday night.

“When I first got here, we were just trying to have a winning season — let alone make it to a district championship,” Boardman senior Cam Kreps said. “I’m more than confident [in this team]. The culture has changed. We made two district semifinals in three years and while we took a step back last year, I know that’s not going to happen again.”

Thursday’s loss marked the end of a 17-game winning streak, one that included decisive wins against the likes of Poland, Canfield and Warren Harding.

“It was a hell of a ride. We did some great things — things we haven’t done before,” Spartans guard Che Trevena said. “We just didn’t want it to end.”

The Spartans (20-4) kept things close in the first half with a 28-27 lead at halftime, but they couldn’t keep up the pace.

Green’s Donovan O’Neil and Derrick Anderson went traded two baskets with each other before the Bulldogs mounted an 11-0 run. The scoring binge was broken inside the final two minutes of the third quarter when Green’s Kaleb Martin was assessed a technical foul, sending Anderson to the line where made one of two foul shots. When the buzzer sounded at the end of the third quarter, Green was on a 13-3 run.

“That little spurt before halftime was a turning point, we were up by five and then they get it down to one. Those moments add up where we had a chance to separate ourselves to withstand a run,” Boardman coach Pat Birch said. “I thought we really outplayed them, but we were only up by one and it got to us a little bit.”

Anderson led the Spartans with 16 points and Trevena had 11 before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Kaleb Martin led Green with 25 points — with 14 of them coming at the free-throw line — and Garrison Keeslar and Donovan O’Neil had 13 and 11 points, respectively.

Trevena will continue his athletic career on the football field for John Carroll, earning a collegiate offer after playing just one season at wide receiver.

“I recently just found my love for football and I ended up being really good at it,” Trevena said. “I was really surprised when the offers started coming after the first half of the season. I think I’m going to have a bright future in football.”

The future of Boardman’s program looks bright as well. Kreps, Trevena, Nick Torres and Shay Eicher graduate, but there’s still plenty for Birch to work with.

“Ethan Andersen is [6 feet, 6 inches] and is going to be a force. Derrick Anderson already is the best player in the area,” Kreps said. “I love him because he puts in so much work and we all love each other.”

Kreps has elected not to pursue athletics in college as he’ll study finance at either Ohio State, Arizona or Clemson.

“I’ll be checking up on these guys and what they’re doing,” Kreps said. “If I could come back and play high school sports all my life, I’d do it.

“That’s what makes this so hard and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”