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Canton GlenOak High School (Canton, OH)

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1/18/06


H.S. boys basketball: Tigers entertain, win
Wednesday, January 18, 2006 [FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Chris Beaven Repository sports writer[/FONT]
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repository SCOTT HECKEL TIGERS’ SWAT TEAM GlenOak’s Errick McCollum (center) has his shot rejected by Massillon’s Mario Edwards (rear) during the Tigers’ 74-70 non-conference high school boys basketball victory Tuesday at GlenOak Career Center. Also defending for Massillon is Dirk Dickerhoof.
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PLAIN TWP. - Two of Stark County’s top boys basketball teams took center stage Tuesday night at GlenOak High School.

A packed gym with a raucous crowd greeted them, and the Massillon Tigers and GlenOak Golden Eagles did their best to put on a show.

Four entertaining quarters later — after a number of show-stopping performances — the Tigers owned the spotlight with a 74-70 win.

“We played great basketball in a great game,” Massillon head coach Matt Creamer said.
Sixty-six percent shooting over the final three quarters enabled the Tigers to raise their record to 9-1. The Eagles fell to 8-3 despite a career-high scoring effort from 7-foot-1 Kosta Koufos.

“It was two really good teams going at it,” GlenOak head coach Jack Greynolds Jr. said. “Their advantage was their quickness, and they’re more athletic. Our advantage was Koufos was bigger than anyone they have.

“We each played to our strengths. Massillon did some little things better than we did and got the ‘W.’ But I thought we gave great effort.”

The teams played relatively mistake-free basketball (18 total turnovers) despite the game’s fast pace. They traded baskets within seconds of each other on a number of occasions.

Creamer, though, said Massillon did a good job of keeping the tempo from getting too fast.

“We didn’t want to go up and down with them defensively,” he said.

“They’re too good of a team to do that with. They’ve got shooters, and Kosta is all-world. What’d he have? 60?”

Actually, it was 34 points for Koufos, topping his previous best of 33. He also grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked two shots.

“He’s a great player,” Creamer said. “But I’ll tell you what, we’ve got a lot of great players, too.”

Junior guard-forward Ricardo Wells led the Tigers with 21 points and five rebounds. Senior guard Mario Edwards scored 16 and delivered a tremendous dunk off a lob from Michael Porrini, who had a number of fine passes. Juniors Brian Gamble and Greg Fite each added 12 points. The 6-3 Fite also did his best to make Koufos work for his points despite giving up 8 inches in height.

“I can’t say enough good things about all of them,” Creamer said.
Massillon won by shooting 29-for-50 from the floor and committing just 11 turnovers.

“We know when we’re going against a great player like (Koufos), we need to polish everything, limit our turnovers and limit our mistakes,” Wells said.

GlenOak limited its mistakes quite well, too. The Eagles had just seven turnovers. But 12-for-33 shooting in the first half created a 37-33 halftime deficit they could never erase.

The Eagles led 17-16 after one quarter. Nine points by Koufos got them going. They also got good nights from Nate West (14 points, nine rebounds), Errick McCollum (12 points, six assists) and Mark Quinn (five rebounds, seven assists).

Wells hit two step-back 3-pointers within the first two minutes of the second quarter to get Massillon going.

“Basically I was just trying to find a rhythm at that point and time in the game, and it happened to come in the second quarter,” he said.

The 6-2 Edwards got the Tigers — and their crowd — going when he finished an amazing alley-oop dunk early in the third. He soared in from the left side to catch a pass from Porrini several feet to the left of the rim.

Edwards kept climbing after the catch, punching in a right-handed tomahawk dunk. He said he didn’t know if he’d get to the ball when he saw Porrini lob it up.

“Once I got up in the air, I knew I had it,” he said.

That thrill didn’t last long, though. Edwards picked up his fourth foul six seconds later. He sat out the final 6:50 of the third.

The Tigers led 39-35 when he left. Their lead was 57-51 when he returned at the start of the fourth.

“When I came out there were no seniors on the court,” Edwards said. “Our juniors stepped up and showed they can play in a big game and keep the lead.”

Koufos scored 10 points in the third and 11 in the fourth to keep the Eagles close. He shot 16-for-29 overall.

“You’ve got to give credit to all of our guys for doing a good job of getting the ball inside,” Greynolds said.

Some key free throws and buckets by Wells and Fite helped Massillon close out the win.

“They’d get just enough separation on us, and we’d fight back,” Greynolds said. “They’d get another spurt and we’d play from behind again. Eventually time ran out.” Reach Repository sports writer Chris Beaven at (330) 580-8345 or e-mail:

[email protected]
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1/20/06

Perry-GlenOak not all about stars

Friday, January 20, 2006

[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Chris Beaven REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER[/FONT]




Much of the focus tonight at a sold-out GlenOak High School will be placed on the two big guys.
That’s nothing new for GlenOak’s 7-foot-1 Kosta Koufos and Perry’s 6-11 Kenny Frease. Their play warrants plenty of attention.
But when their teams meet tonight at 7:30 in a key Federal League game, their coaches know this will be about more than their centers. It will be about two good teams trying to bounce back from a loss. And it will be a matchup of GlenOak’s dangerous offense against Perry’s fierce defense.
“GlenOak’s got a lot of weapons, and we’ve got to be prepared for all the different ones,” Perry head coach Rob Toth said.
The Golden Eagles (8-3) feature not only the high-scoring Koufos but also guard Errick McCollum and versatile forward Nate West.
Perry (8-2) counters with a defense that gives up 40 points a game. Frease anchors the Panthers inside, but Matt Kolic, Brent Wilson and Matt Ehmer are among their other tough defenders.
“They’re real scrappy,” GlenOak coach Jack Greynolds Jr. said. “They take a lot of charges. They get into you. It’s like Larry Wilson revisited.”
Wilson, Perry’s former coach, was known for teaching defense. Toth played and coached under Wilson.
In their last game, the Panthers limited Lakewood St. Edward to 37.8 percent shooting and forced 15 turnovers. However, their offensive shortcomings resulted in a 46-41 loss.
“We knew the Ed’s game would be a particularly good test,” Toth said. “They’re long, athletic, they’ve got a good bench, and they’re a top program year-in, year-out.”
Toth’s Panthers more than held their own against a team capable of a long tournament run. It just needs to shore up its offensive execution.
GlenOak is coming off Tuesday’s 74-70 loss to Massillon. The Eagles were in the game the entire way, getting 34 points from Koufos. But a tough first half and a two quick spurts by Massillon resulted in GlenOak’s third loss against a well-regarded team.
“We’ve shown we can play right there with top teams,” Greynolds said. “We have to take the next step and beat one of these teams.”
Koufos and Frease give both teams the potential to reach the next level.
Koufos, a junior being heavily recruited by many college heavyweights, averages 24 points a game. He is averaging 29.7 points and 14.7 rebounds over the last three games.
“He’s got a post man’s body, but he’s got perimeter skill,” Toth said. “ ... You don’t often see a guy his size with the ability to handle the ball and his shot outside. He’s got the whole package and streak of competitiveness.”
Frease, a sophomore, averages 16.6 points and 11.4 rebounds, and is drawing his share of college interest. He scored a career-high 29 two weeks ago.
“He’s improved a lot,” Greynolds said. “He’s a great college prospect, and he’s going to be a great high school player.”
Both coaches said their big men are not getting too wrapped up in the individual matchup.
“(Koufos) doesn’t talk about it,” Greynolds said. “He takes each game as it comes.”
Toth said Frease is aware the individual matchup takes a backseat to the game itself.
“It’s a good chance for him to ... see where he’s at as an individual,” Toth said, “but he knows it must be done within the concept of the team.”
Toth’s bigger concern is defending all of the Eagles. McCollum (15.2 points per game) and West (11.6) just as easily can beat Perry.
“Put them on another team and maybe they’re the stars,” Toth said. “ ... They’ve got a lot of weapons, and we’ve got to be prepared for all the different ones.” Reach Repository sports writer Chris Beaven at (330) 580-8345 or e-mail: [email protected]
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1/21/06

GlenOak guts one out

McCollum caps comeback against Perry with winning basket in final seconds, leads with 27 points

By David Lee Morgan Jr.

Beacon Journal sportswriter

PLAIN TOWNSHIP - It was nothing but guts.
That's the only way to describe the way GlenOak rallied from an eight-point deficit at home Friday night against Perry with 1:45 left in the game to win 51-50.
The game-winner came from 6-foot-2 senior guard Errick McCollum. He finished with a game-high 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, but the basket that meant the most was his soft jumper from the right baseline with 4.5 seconds left, giving the Golden Eagles a one-point lead.
``The kids really did their job,'' GlenOak coach Jackie Greynolds Jr. said. ``It was a great win and we were fortunate to put ourselves in a position to win at the end.''
After McCollum's basket, Perry took a timeout, and when play resumed, the Panthers (8-3, 5-1 in the Federal League) couldn't get off a decent shot.
``I've never seen fans run onto the court like that, except in a college game on TV,'' McCollum said. ``Somebody picked me up and started carrying me. It was amazing. This is the biggest win I've ever experienced.''
The Golden Eagles (9-3, 5-1) had so many factors against them.
Kosta Koufos, a 7-foot-1 junior center who is averaging 24.6 points and 13.5 rebounds (29 points and 15 rebounds in his past three games), was sitting on the bench with a broken foot. He injured it in practice Thursday and is expected to be out from four to six weeks.
``This is the most wonderful team I've been around,'' said Koufos, who already has scholarship offers from Ohio State and Louisville. Schools such as Maryland, North Carolina, Connecticut are also on the top of his recruiting list. In fact, assistant coaches from North Carolina and UConn attended the game, not knowing that Koufos was injured.
``These guys dedicated the game to me, and they are my heroes.''
Friday night's game was supposed to feature Koufos against Perry's talented 6-11 sophomore center Kenny Frease.
With Koufos out, Frease was nearly unstoppable inside, finishing with 23 points.
With GlenOak's big man out, the rest of the team had to step up. On the perimeter, Mark Quinn, Mark Moore and Jon Miller helped McCollum carry the load, and underneath, senior Nate West (nine points) and Brian Powell did what they could against Frease.
West was playing with a broken finger on his right (shooting) hand, and every time he took a shot, he grimaced with pain, which was noticeable when he shot from the free-throw line.
He didn't make any excuses and sank 9-of-10, including two with 41.8 seconds left that tied the score at 49-49.
``I broke it on our first possession against Massillon on Tuesday,'' West said.
``Even (Thursday) night, it was aggravating me when I was trying to sleep. But when I came to school the next day and found out that Kosta wasn't playing, I knew I had to suck it up.''
Perry coach Rob Toth said the game came down to determination.
``It was gut-check time and we didn't finish,'' Toth said. ``That's what's disappointing. But give McCollum credit. He made the shot when they needed it. He wanted it in his hands
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Perry's Kenny Frease tries to score in front of GlenOak's Nate West (#15) and #5 Mark Quinn (#5) at GlenOak High School Friday, Jan. 20, 2006 in North Canton, Ohio. (Akron Beacon Journal/Jocelyn Williams)


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GlenOak's seven-foot 1-inch tall Kosta Koufos talks with teammate Nate West during a timeout in his team's game against Perry High School at GlenOak High School Friday, Jan. 20, 2006 in North Canton, Ohio. (Akron Beacon Journal/Jocelyn Williams)


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Perry's Geoff Marsh tries to drive around GlenOak's Mark Quinn at GlenOak High School Friday, Jan. 20, 2006 in North Canton, Ohio. (Akron Beacon Journal/Jocelyn Williams)


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1/27/06

Basketball

GlenOak displays its fortitude

Loss of 7-foot-1 Koufos hurts but summer work helps Eagles stand tall

By David Lee Morgan Jr.

Beacon Journal sportswriter

PLAIN TOWNSHIP - The idea of high school basketball teams staying together to play in the offseason has been popular for some time.
The theory is that if a team wants to be successful in winter months, then summer workouts are important.
One byproduct of players staying together is team chemistry -- and that was apparent when GlenOak defeated Perry 51-50 last Friday.
The Golden Eagles did it without 7-foot-1 junior forward Kosta Koufos, who had broken his foot the day before the game.
Koufos, who is being recruited by college programs such as Ohio State, Maryland, Connecticut, Louisville, North Carolina and others, had been averaging 24.6 points and 13.5 rebounds.
Perry came into the game featuring its own outstanding post player in 6-11 sophomore Kenny Frease, who scored 23 points.
In Koufos' absence (he was on the bench with his crutches right next to him), GlenOak needed its starters -- Errick McCollum, Mark Quinn, Nate West, Mark Moore and Brian Powell -- to pull together.
The Golden Eagles also needed bench players such as Jon Miller, Zach Kager, Dan Wagner, Stephen Mueller and C.J. McCollum to step up.
Their effort pushed GlenOak's record to 9-3, 5-1 in the Federal League behind Canton McKinley (11-2, 6-0).
Some people might have thought that it wasn't possible without Koufos.
``Not to be cocky or anything, but when Kosta hurt his foot and we found out the day of the game that he wasn't going to play, we weren't nervous or anything,'' said senior guard Errick McCollum, who scored a career-high 27 points, including the game-winning shot with 4.5 seconds remaining.
``This summer, we went to a team camp at Ohio State,'' McCollum said. ``Kosta was at the Nike All-American camp so we played without him. We played some of the top teams in the state, and we played well. So ever since then, we had a lot of confidence because we showed we could play without Kosta if we had to.''
The summer team camps help build confidence, because on many occasions, teams have a chance to play quality competition.
For instance, a quality Division III school that plays in a conference and has limited open dates for nonconference games during the season can go to a summer team camp and play quality Division I or II schools.
Or a Division I team such as GlenOak would have the opportunity to play other top Division I schools from different parts of the state.
The Golden Eagles played eight games during the OSU camp. They won five in a row and reached the championship game against Dayton Dunbar.
``Even now, we'd like to have Kosta with us, but we can't moan and groan,'' Greynolds added. ``It just gives other guys the opportunity to step up.''
As for Koufos, he visited a doctor Wednesday afternoon with his mother for another assessment of his injury.
``We're going to take the conservative approach,'' said Koufos, who is most likely out for the season. ``I don't want to try to rush anything. It's not worth it. And I'm not letting it get me down.''
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1/29/06

Eagles stun Detroit power

Sunday, January 29, 2006

[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Mike Popovich REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER[/FONT]




PLAIN TWP. - Here is some advice for anyone who wants to write off injury-depleted GlenOak: Don’t even.
The Golden Eagles went toe-to-toe with one of the nation’s best boys high school basketball teams Saturday at the GlenOak Career Center — and won. Brian Powell’s two free throws in overtime gave GlenOak a 74-72 win over Detroit Country Day, which is rated No. 18 in the nation by SI.com.
Head coach Jack Greynolds’ Eagles are 2-0 without 7-foot-1 center Kosta Koufos, who broke a bone in his right foot and is lost for the season. They made believers out of themselves and others when they beat Perry the night they learned the extent of Koufos’ injury.
The win over Country Day proves something to those who still doubted the Eagles.
“I think it shows we’re a great team, a complete team who can hang with the best of them,” senior guard Errick McCollum said. “We have a lot of heart and refuse to lose.”
McCollum finished with a career-high 36 points, Mark Moore scored 20 points and Nate West added 10 as GlenOak improved to 10-3. Country Day fell to 6-2.
The 6-foot-1 McCollum’s previous high was 27 against Perry. He hit the game-winning jumper that night with 4.5 seconds left.
Against Country Day, McCollum hit all 12 of his free throws and finished 11-of-18 from the field. He also had a team-high six rebounds.
“Hey, I didn’t know that,” reacted McCollum when informed he finished with 36. “I know I was feeling it in the first quarter, then I thought I cooled down a little bit.
“But we got the win. That’s the main priority.”
Country Day head coach Kurt Keener said McCollum is a skilled player who plays within his abilities.
“It never seems like he’s sweating,” Keener said. “He played a real methodical game. When he had open shots, he knocked them down. When he got fouled, he knocked (the free throws) down. I give a great deal of credit to him.”
The Eagles were forced to rally in the final minutes of regulation after they led by as many as 15 points in the second half. McCollum and Moore hit tying jumpers to help send the game into overtime.
Powell’s free throws with 25.5 seconds left were the only points in the extra period. Country Day’s Alex Legion, a University of Michigan recruit, missed a baseline jumper in the final seconds. “The kids just kept fighting back,” Greynolds said. “Man, that’s just a testament to the kids. It was a gutsy team effort. The kids played awesome. I’m really proud of them.” Reach Repository sports writer Mike Popovich at (330) 580-8341 or e-mail: [email protected]
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Canton

2/4/06

Late shot lifts Hoover over GlenOak

Saturday, February 4, 2006

[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Jim Thomas Repository Sports Writer[/FONT]




NORTH CANTON - Down a point and time running out in your final home basketball game: It’s every high school basketball player’s dream to take the last shot and win it.
North Canton senior Joe Moriarty lived the dream in Friday night’s 39-38 victory over GlenOak.
“I actually looked at Barry (Shetzer) first, then saw my shot was there,” Moriarty said of his turnaround jumper in the lane with 21 seconds left. “I knew I had to get a lot of arch on it to get it over the shot blocker. And it dropped in.
“You couldn’t ask for a better ending.”
It was the Vikings’ only lead of the second half but victory wasn’t secured until the Eagles’ 3-pointer at the buzzer was off the mark.
GlenOak (10-4, 5-2) lost for the first time in three games since 7-foot-1 center Kosta Koufos was lost for the season with a broken bone in his foot.
It was fitting that Hoover’s defense preserved the win considering its triangle-and-two zone did in GlenOak. Errick McCollum and Mark Moore were stuck in the ‘two.’
McCollum, a 6-1 senior guard, was limited to 7 points, none in the second half after scoring 63 points in his last two games. Shetzer, who led Hoover with 12 points, wore him like latex on the perimeter. Moore had only 2 points, leaving GlenOak to try and win from the outside.
The Eagles, though, were a woeful 3-of-22 on 3-pointers and managed just 15 points in the game’s final 16 minutes as the outside shots didn’t fall.
“We definitely played great defense as a team,” Vikings head coach Randy Montgomery said after his team improved to 10-6 overall, 3-4 in the Federal League. “A couple guys did a good job on McCollum and Moore, especially N’Gai Evans and Matt Wakulchik. Our young guys stepped up.”
It’s not that GlenOak didn’t have its chances, Eagles coach Jack Greynolds pointed out.
“They used a triangle-and-two and that was a good strategy,” Greynolds said. “Other guys had open shots. They took them. We’re not a one- or two-man team. We have a team over here and we have confidence in everybody.
“We had great looks all game, I thought. Some nights they fall, some nights they don’t.”
Nate West got some shots to fall, enough that GlenOak was able to lead a majority of the game. The 6-4 senior poured in 14 of his game-high 21 points in the first half to help the Eagles take a 23-19 lead into the break.
Nothing changed until six minutes remained. Evans, held to 5 points to that point, matched that in three straight possessions at the outset of the final quarter to get Hoover within a point. He nailed a jumper, a drive down the lane and hit one of two foul shots to take over the game offensively.
“We weren’t shooting very well,” said Moriarty, who grabbed 10 rebounds and scored 6 points. “Then N’Gai scored on a drive and that got us going.”
The rest was up to Moriarty. “GlenOak was coming off a big win over Detroit Country Day,” he said. “We knew it would be big if we could get a win on our home court. Knowing this was probably my last game on this court, this was a big game, a big shot and a great way to end here.” Reach Repository sports writer Jim Thomas at (330) 580-8336 or e-mail: [email protected]
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Canton

2/5/06

McCollum leads GlenOak

Sunday, February 5, 2006



CLEVELAND HEIGHTS Errick McCollum scored 26 points as GlenOak topped Cleveland Heights, 80-68, in boys high school basketball action Saturday night.

Mark Quinn added 17 for GlenOak, and Nate West and Mark Moore added 15 apiece.

West also had nine rebounds and five assists for GlenOak. Travis Kelce led Cleveland Heights with 19 points.
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2/22/06

McCollum’s 3-pointer gives GlenOak victory
Wednesday, February 22, 2006


[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Chris Beaven Repository sports writer[/FONT]



LOUISVILLE - When Errick McCollum missed a go-ahead dunk early in Tuesday’s fourth quarter, he immediately saw the displeasure in his coach’s face.
“I just got the stare — the death stare,” the GlenOak High School senior said of the reaction of boys basketball head coach Jack Greynolds Jr.
That stare did not last long. Greynolds wore a smile by game’s end, and so did McCollum after his late 3-pointer gave GlenOak a 59-56 win at St. Thomas Aquinas.
“I had to make up for that (dunk),” McCollum said. “I had to get it back.”
McCollum got it back when he buried a 3-pointer from the right side with four seconds left. McCollum had 25 points, 10 rebounds and four steals.
“He has a lot of heart, and he’s a kid that plays with emotion,” Greynolds said. “He loves the game and he’s a basketball junkie. And it shows, he has that ‘It’ about him.”
GlenOak (14-5) needed all it could get from the 6-foot-1 McCollum and several others to rally.
The Golden Eagles, already playing without injured 7-foot-1 center Kosta Koufos, were further shorthanded Tuesday. Sixth-man Jon Miller was sick and standout forward Nate West battled foul trouble, fouling out with 3:02 left.
GlenOak looked to McCollum and fellow starting guards Mark Quinn (six assists) and Mark Moore (18 points), in addition to subs such as Dan Wagner and Stefan Mueller.
Mueller’s two free throws put GlenOak ahead 56-54 with 1:29 left. John DiBattista answered for Aquinas with a layup seven seconds later to tie the game.
The Eagles held for the last shot. Quinn penetrated the right side after a timeout, and passed to McCollum. Wagner had freed McCollum with a screen near the baseline.
“I made the shot, but Mark Quinn and Dan Wagner made the play happen,” McCollum said.
The Knights (6-13) missed a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer after a timeout.
“It doesn’t matter to me (how close it was),” Aquinas head coach Dave Waseity said. “We were ahead the whole game until the last four minutes. We had so many chances.”
Aquinas led by as much as 41-31 midway through the third. The Knights were getting good looks offensively, playing well defensively and hurting the Eagles on the offensive glass.
But once GlenOak rallied and crunch time arrived, Aquinas struggled. “We had so many mistakes down the stretch,” Waseity said.
Zach Dempsey’s 15 points led the Knights, who had 25 offensive rebounds. Evan Proach added 11 points, and Kendall Washington had 10 points and 12 rebounds.
The Eagles rallied behind a better defensive effort, which Greynolds said coincided with increased intensity. He has told them to play less passive.
“As a player, I believe it’s on us,” McCollum said. “We’ve got to step up and play better. ... We’ve got to do our jobs.” Reach Repository sports writer Chris Beaven at (330) 580-8345 or e-mail: [email protected]
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Canton

2/25/06

GlenOak, Perry gain victories

Saturday, February 25, 2006



LOUISVILLE - Four players scored in double figures as GlenOak gained a 78-68 non-conference win over Louisville in area high school boys basketball Friday night.

Errick McCollum led GlenOak with 24 points, Nate West added 19, Mark Quinn 12 and Mark Moore had 11. Dan Boudler had 21 points and 10 rebounds and Justin Linsted added 20 points and 12 rebounds for Louisville.
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2/28/06

Season continues to test the Golden Eagles

Tuesday, February 28, 2006


[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By CHRIS BEAVEN [/FONT]


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GlenOak High School senior Mark Moore scores a layup as he is fouled by Hoover’s Joe Moriarty on Monday during a boys Division I sectional semifinal at Canton Memorial Civic Center. The Golden Eagles won, 82-69.
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CANTON - Unexpected adversity continues to make things difficult on the GlenOak High School boys basketball team.
The Golden Eagles, though, keep finding ways to move on and win games.
On Monday night, with their head coach out sick, the already shorthanded Eagles kept their season alive. They beat Hoover, 82-69, in the second game of a Division I sectional doubleheader at Memorial Civic Center. Warren Harding routed Marietta, 81-47, in opener.
Fourth-seeded GlenOak (16-5) advances to a sectional final Friday against Fitch. Unseeded Harding (15-6) plays top-seeded McKinley on Wednesday.
GlenOak’s journey to the next round has not been easy.
The Eagles lost their best player, 7-foot-1 junior Kosta Koufos, to a broken foot after the 11th game. Then, over the weekend, head coach Jack Greynolds Jr. came down with the flu.
Assistant coach Dave Monter took over the team, and he had no problem motivating the Eagles, who lost at Hoover three weeks ago.
“We wanted it after the last time when they outcoached us, outplayed us and took it right to us,” Monter said.
Senior forward Nate West said that loss, and others to the Vikings in recent seasons, fueled the Eagles.
“We had never beaten them before, and this is my senior year,” West said. “I didn’t want this to be my last chance to play basketball in high school. We had to step up.”
The absence of Greynolds made the players realize they had to be accountable on their own for playing with passion.
“We didn’t have his intensity over there to get us going,” West said. “We had to do it ourselves. And we wanted to do it for him. We didn’t want the season to end with him home, sick in bed.”
West scored 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead a balanced attack.
Errick McCollum added 17 points and four rebounds. Mark Quinn had 14 points and five assists. Mark Moore had 13 points and five rebounds. Brian Powell and Jon Miller combined for 15 points. Powell grabbed six rebounds.
The Eagles looked nothing like the team that lost 39-38 at Hoover.
“We attacked them, which we didn’t do last time,” Monter said. “And we attacked with some purpose.”
Hoover primarily used a triangle-and-two defense in each game. The Vikings focused their attention on keeping McCollum and Moore from handling the ball in the first half, with two defenders shadowing them.
The 6-4 West took advantage, scoring 15 first-half points.
“I figured if I stepped up and made some plays that would get everyone going,” he said.
The Vikings shifted their attention to West in the second half. Moore responded with 11 points.
GlenOak also hurt Hoover with 18 second-chance points in the second half.
“We gave up too many second shots and missed too many free throws,” said Hoover head coach Randy Montgomery, whose team shot 7-for-16 at the line.
The Vikings (13-8) hung tough by hustling and hitting 12 3-pointers. Juniors Barry Shetzer and N’Gai Evans led them with 17 and 16 points, respectively. Shetzer hit five 3-pointers.
“I’m proud of the guys,” Montgomery said. “We didn’t have any starters from last year returning, and we were able to fight and scrap all year to get 13 wins.”
Eight of Hoover’s top nine players return next year.
“The groundwork’s been laid,” Montgomery said. “With the young kids coming back and the success we had, we can really catapult from this.” The senior-laden Eagles want their success now. “We’re 8-2 without Koufos,” Monter said. “Obviously, we’d be a lot better with him. But coach Greynolds has done a great job and these kids have stepped it up big time.”
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Canton

3/3/06

Massillon, GlenOak look to stay up

Friday, March 3, 2006


[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By CHRIS BEAVEN[/FONT]



CANTON - Emotional wins their last time out showed the Massillon and GlenOak high school boys basketball teams at their best.
Massillon rallied from 13 points down to beat previously unbeaten Mansfield at the buzzer. GlenOak played with plenty of intensity in beating Hoover by 13.
Tonight, the two teams hope to bring similar efforts in separate Division I sectional finals of a doubleheader at Memorial Civic Center.
Fourth-seeded GlenOak faces Fitch at 7 p.m. Second-seeded Massillon plays Green at 8:15.
Massillon will be the last team in the tournament to play. Coach Matt Creamer, though, was sure the Tigers (18-2) made the most of their time off.
“Camp Creamer began at 3 o’clock Monday,” he said. “I got after them hard.”
The coach doesn’t want his players to forget what got them the No. 9 ranking in the final state poll.
“We’re just trying to refine things,” Creamer said.
Mario Edwards and Michael Porrini form a dangerous backcourt for the Tigers. Guard-forwards Ricardo Wells, Greg Fite and Brian Gamble also are capable of taking over games. The bench, led by Tristan Murry and Andrew Dailey, has been solid.
Massillon’s flaw, at times, has been a lack of focus. The Tigers have gotten by in some games without playing anywhere near their best.
“We need to play our best (today),” Creamer said. “We’ve got to come out strong, get a lead and get going. The tournament is a quick season, and you’ve got to be ready to go.”
GlenOak (16-5) showed it was ready Monday night, beating Hoover, 82-69, in a first-round game. The Golden Eagles played with an intensity rarely seen from them this year.
“It was huge. It’s what we’ve been looking for a long time,” said GlenOak assistant coach Dave Monter, who ran the team as head coach Jack Greynolds Jr. was out with the flu.
Greynolds not being there was a big factor. “The kids did not want to end the season with Jackie home, sick in bed,” Monter said.
The Eagles also were eager to beat Hoover. They lost at Hoover last month, and their seniors had never beaten the Vikings. Also, Monter spent the last three seasons as a Vikings assistant before coming to GlenOak.
“That was the most emotional game we’ve played this season,” Monter said.
The Eagles have shown fight in overcoming the loss of 7-foot-1 center Kosta Koufos. Seniors Errick McCollum, Mark Moore and Nate West have stepped up. Junior point guard Mark Quinn has played well. Senior Brian Powell has stepped into the starting lineup and been solid. Senior Jon Miller is their spark off the bench. Greynolds should be back tonight, and the Eagles won’t have the extra motivation of beating Hoover. Instead, they will be a big favorite against Fitch (2-18). “To get back up will be hard,” Monter said. “But we’ve got to try to get close to that.”
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Canton

3/4/06

Golden Eagles, Tigers fight way to district

Saturday, March 4, 2006


[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By CHRIS BEAVEN[/FONT]



CANTON - Their message never changes.
Jack Greynolds Jr. and Matt Creamer deliver it to their boys basketball teams day after day. All they ask is their teams play hard and play right.
Based on Friday night’s Division I sectional finals, one team is getting the point while the other still has moments where the message is lost in translation.
Greynolds’ fourth-seeded GlenOak Golden Eagles looked solid throughout in a 65-39 romp over Austintown Fitch. Creamer’s second-seeded Massillon Tigers were equally dominant but far more careless in winning 80-55 over Green.
A crowd of 1,903 at Memorial Civic Center watched each team advance to next week’s district semifinals. GlenOak (17-5) plays top-seeded McKinley on Wednesday. Massillon (19-2) plays Thursday vs. the winner of tonight’s Perry-Lake game.
Creamer walked off the floor Friday night far from thrilled with his Tigers, even with one of them going for a triple-double.
“They have to understand if we do things fundamental and play the right way, they’re able to win ballgames,” he said. “When they get away from that, try to showboat, that gets you in trouble.”
Greynolds felt much better about his Eagles after the first game.
“The game plan may change from game to game, but every game the intensity and focus has got to remain the same,” he said. “And we did a pretty good job with that.”
GLENOAK BUILDS THROUGHOUT
Six straight points by senior guard Errick McCollum to open the game gave GlenOak a lead it never lost against Fitch (2-19). McCollum knows a struggling team becomes dangerous the longer it hangs around, “and we wanted to end all sense of hope early.”
The Eagles took control with a 10-0 run early in the second quarter, with three baskets coming in transition. Steals by McCollum, Mark Moore, Jon Miller and Nate West keyed the run.
GlenOak led 32-21 at halftime. McCollum had 14 of the points, on his way to 23.
“We’ve fed off of him most of the year,” Greynolds said. “He’s really the guy that gets us into things offensively and defensively.”
Moore, another senior guard, added 16 points and five steals. Nine points and six steals came from Miller off the bench.
“Those two played really well defensively,” Greynolds said. “They have quick hands, and when they anticipate and get in the passing lanes, they can be effective.”
Greynolds thought the Eagles became lackadaisical when he pulled off the full-court press. McCollum knows their intensity must remain consistent.
“It’s playoff time ... and every game can be my last,” he said. “I have a sense of urgency. I know what’s on the line, and all the other seniors know that, too.”
TIGERS USE BIG RUN
Massillon began its game behind 9-0 with 5:16 left in the quarter, as Green’s Dan Whitmer hit three shots on his way to 25 points. The Tigers missed their first four shots and turned it over once.
But 90 seconds later, Green’s lead no longer existed. Eight points by senior Mario Edwards and two forced turnovers helped give Massillon a 10-9 lead. The Tigers were on their way to 23-2 run to gave them control of the game.
“We wanted to tempo the game defensively to get some run outs,” Creamer said. “We wanted them to play fast.”
The Tigers cranked the pace up to hyper-speed, at times, forcing 28 turnovers. But they also took too many quick shots, especially from 3-point range in the first half. They continued to struggle at the foul line, going 5-for-15. And in the second half, they got carried away twice trying to make the big dunk instead of just adding to their lead.
Junior Brian Gamble said the Tigers lose their focus at times.
“We’ve got a problem of playing to the level of our competition,” Gamble said. “It’s something we have to work on now and for the future. We get a little lazy and we get out of pattern (on offense).”
Gamble played solid throughout. The 6-0 guard had 25 points and 11 rebounds. “He’s a guy that stays focused and gets after things,” Creamer said.
Junior guard Michael Porrini added his third triple-double (he also has a quadruple-double) this season. He had 19 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and six steals. Edwards finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Greg Fite had 10 points and seven rebounds.
“I still think our best ballgame is ahead of us,” Creamer said. “But I can’t convince them of that. They have to convince themselves.” Reach Repository sports writer Chris Beaven at (330) 580-8345 or e-mail [email protected].
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