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The West Geauga Wolverines visited the Hawken Hawks Friday night for a CVC interdivision game. While the teams only face off once per year, the matchup is always a highly anticipated one. This could almost be considered a home game for both teams, as both schools reside in Chesterland. With West G’s recent success in the matchup, Hawken was looking to take back the rights to Chesterland basketball.
The Wolverines came into the game riding a three game losing streak with a 1-3 overall record and a 0-1 record in the CVC Chagrin Division. Not only was the losing streak a factor, they also faced a tough week of practice, as many players were battling illness and minor injuries that held them out for a day or two.
Although low on players, the Wolverines remained focused through the week and had a solid game plan ready for their matchup with the Hawks.
Hawken (2-3, 1-0) dominated the first quarter as the Wolverines struggled to find many quality scoring opportunities and faced many careless turnovers that led to points for the opponent. Coach John Cardiero touched on the first half woes, saying the team “played tentative in some areas and is impatient at times.” Both teams took more than two minutes to get any points on the board, but the first points were all Hawken needed to get rolling. The Hawks finished the first quarter with a 17-9 lead.
It looked like another bad night for the Wolverines, but there was no quit in the boys in blue.
The story was different during the second quarter as the Wolverines started the frame on a 12-4 run, sparked by a pair of great assists by junior Andrew O’Donnell and the inside presence of Chris Zannetti. Zannetti, a junior center, scored 6 points in the quarter coupled with some great defensive plays. He stepped in the lane to take two charges that discouraged the Hawks from attacking the 6-foot-3-inch rim protector for the remainder of the half.
The Wolverines’ control of the second quarter took them into the half trailing by just one point, 26-25.
Last week at practice, Cardiero stressed the importance of shutting down Alex Doody, who expects to earn many accolades before season’s end.
Doody, a senior and two-year starter at Hawken, was averaging 22.6 points per game before his run in with the defensive-minded Wolverines.
At halftime, Doody was scoreless thanks to impressive defensive intensity by senior Tim Snyder. Junior Ben Hester honored Tim and others who defended Doody.
“Everyone who guarded him shut him down,” Hester said. “Especially Tim. He was up in his face the whole time.”
Doody was held to only 5 points. Doody was shooting at will trying to break the cold streak, but Snyder wouldn’t let him get an open look. His first bucket was not until midway through the third quarter. He finished 1 of 15 from the field.
The Wolverines came out of the locker room down one point and ready to continue the pace of the second quarter. Hester came out on fire, netting the first 7 points of the half for the Wolverines. But for every basket the Wolverines made, Hawken had an answer in the form of point guard Langston Burton. Burton stepped up and filled in with 26 points.
The second half started with both teams going bucket for bucket. The duo of Zannetti and Hester scored 13 of the team’s 15 points in the third. Hester finished with 11 points, second highest on the team.
West G grabbed its first lead of the game at the 1:07 mark of the third quarter on a rebound and put-back by Zannetti. He took his team into the final frame with a three-point lead, 40-37.
Zannetti finished with another double-double of 17 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. The notable junior has already recorded 3 double-doubles in the young season and is proving to be a very valuable member to this Wolverines team. He was promoted to the starting lineup two weeks ago and has not disappointed since. David Wolfhope, Synder, Lee Diedrich, and Hester round out the starting lineup for the Wolverines.
Fellow starter Wolfhope couldn’t say enough about Zannetti’s play after the game, “Chris has been a beast all year. I mean nobody can really stop him. It’s always good to have someone like that on the team.”
The players are really starting to rally around each other and work as a team. The players are all very good friends off the court, which is always something that translates very well onto the court.
The fourth quarter was intense from the start. Wolfhope attacked the rim and Zannetti was anchoring down the defense. Hawken’s Burton drove to the lane twice but was met by the outstretched arm of Zannetti sending back both attempts. Hester and Wolfhope also sent praise to their teammate after the game for his two big rejections.
The Wolverines had their first win in four games at the tip of their fingers. Up 50-47 with just under two minutes to go, Cardiero was yelling from the bench to “spread the floor.” A late turnover, one of the team’s 18 on the night, shifted possession to the Burton-led Hawks.
Burton was fouled and sank both free throws cutting the lead to one. A split pair of free throws by the Wolverines gave them a two point lead but gave Hawken the ball.
With :42 left on the clock and everyone’s attention on the clutch Doody, Burton stepped back and nailed a 3-pointer that electrified the gym. The Wolverines failed to get a quality shot off, and Hawken stole the win.
“Having a lead at the end there, I wanted to spread the floor. I told my guys to go layup only,” Cardiero said. “We tried to force a few things, but overall, I’m proud of the way these guys played.” The outcome was not what Cardiero had in mind, but his team played a hard fought game.
Four Wolverines finished in double figures. Although the game resulted in a loss, it serves as a solid building block for a team that seemed lost on offense and defense. If the team can keep up the fast pace and keep up the intensity on defense, the Wolverines could surprise some teams in the CVC Chagrin. The team starts up league play again after the New Year after a few non-conference foes visit the Wolvarena.
Dakota Medley, of Newbury, and Danny Matic, of Mayfield, lose their transfer ineligibility on January 13th and can play when the Wolverines take on Orange. Look for these two to help out the supporting cast of the Wolverines as the season continues.
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