Wednesday, January 10, 2001
Size helps CHCA to big win
Inside play key in stopping CCD
By Carey Hoffman
Enquirer contributor
CHCA's Joe Owens shoots a layup.
(Mike Simons photos)
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Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy guard Jay Morelock says there was a message in his team's 55-46 victory over Cincinnati Country Day Tuesday night.
“The biggest motivating factor for us was the city ranking,” Morelock said. “It's even up in our locker room, the (Enquirer) poll had us eighth and (CCD) sixth. And that was the coaches' voting. We wanted to prove to them we are the top (Division IV) team in Cincinnati.”
Tuesday's game was huge on several levels. Both teams were unbeaten and playing for the lead in the Miami Valley Conference. CHCA was trying to beat CCD for the first time in basketball. And, on Monday, the first state poll of the season came out and had CHCA ranked No.2 in Division IV and CCD No.5.
Even CHCA coach Eric Coulter had an angle, coaching for the first time in person in front of his mentor, Kettering Alter coaching legend Joe Petrocelli.
CCD'S Joel Ellison.
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CHCA took control early behind the crafty play of Morelock and the inside power trio of Jon Taylor, Luke Trenz and Sam Shaw. Taylor came off the bench to score seven points, keying a 7-0 CHCA run that gave the Eagles a 12-3 lead late in the first quarter.
CCD tried to speed up the game but was flustered by unexpected pressure by CHCA in the open court and the Eagles' superior size around the basket.
“When we turned the pressure up on them, we were able to turn them over more than expected,” Morelock said. “I think this is going to be our benchmark defensively for the rest of the season.”
Morelock had four steals to go with his game-high 21 points; all-purpose guard Joe Owens defended CCD star Noah Allen and put up nine points, 10 rebounds and three steals.
But CCD coach Howard Brownstein gave credit to CHCA's big men for taking control of the game.
“I've never seen anyone in this league like that,” Brownstein said. “You don't find Division IV teams with three 6-foot-6 kids who can play like that.”
Taylor was the only one who was a major factor offensively, finishing with 11 points and eight rebounds. Trenz, a 6-7 sophomore, scored only one point but blocked five shots, on the heels of blocking nine shots in CHCA's last game, against New Miami.
CHCA kept its lead in double figures for most of the game and wasn't threatened until a mild rush at game's end, when missed foul shots allowed CCD to pull within eight points of the lead, 54-46, in the final minute.
“We didn't do anything very well,” Brownstein said. “I thought we were just awful. I did not have them prepared.”
Coulter, on the other hand, used a lot of familiar schemes in putting on a quality showing in front of Petrocelli. He even talked with Petrocelli on the phone Monday night about how to attack CCD's pressure defense.
“This was the first time he ever saw us play, and we played well,” Coulter said. “Petro is more than a mentor to me — he's like a father. He really helped me as a man and as a person.”
CCD (46) — Carraway 1 0 2, Gardiner 0 1 1, Ellison 2 0 4, Wright 1 1 4, Allen 3 5 11, Cohen 0 2 2, Mitchell 1 2 4, Seward 4 10 18. Totals: 12 21-30 46.
CHCA (55) — J. Morelock 8 3 21, T. Morelock 1 0 2, Hunter 1 4 6, Owens 2 4 9, LoVellette 1 3 5, Trenz 0 1 1, Taylor 4 3 11. Totals: 17 18-30 55.
CCD ....... 6 12 8 18—46
CHCA ....... 14 17 8 16—55
3-point goals: CCD-Wright; CHCA-J. Morelock 2, Owens. Records: CCD 7-1 (3-1 MVC), CHCA 9-0 (6-0 MVC).
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