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Friday, March 27, 2009
‘Man of Steal’ sparks Thurgood Marshall
ROBINSON’S 4 STEALS
IN FOURTH QUARTER
TRIGGER MARSHALL’S
62-53 OVERTIME WIN
Thurgood Marshall coach John N. Ralph calls it the “run and jump” press.
It brought the Cougars back from the grave.
Marshall rallied from a 12-point, fourth-quarter deficit and chopped down Circleville Logan Elm, 62-53 in overtime, in a Division II semifinal of the 87th Boys State Basketball Tournament at the Schottenstein Center on Friday, March 27.
The Cougars (22-4) — who unleashed a 30-9 scoring burst after trailing 44-32 with just over six minutes remaining in regulation — face Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary (22-4) for the state championship at 5:15 p.m. Saturday, March 28.
Can the Cougars bring the championship trophy home to Dayton after Dunbar won back-to-back Division II state titles in 2006-07? After Friday’s stunning performance, they believe they can accomplish anything.
“These guys have the biggest hearts in the state of Ohio,” Ralph said.
Juwan Staten poured in a game-high 24 points and DeAngelo Gates delivered a “double-double” (10 points, 15 rebounds). But Shawn Robinson provided the spark and exclamation point.
Robinson was the Cougars’ “Man of Steal”
The 5-foot-9 junior triggered the breathtaking comeback with four fourth-quarter steals, then buried the game-tying 3-pointer with 10 seconds remaining in regulation.
Robinson corralled teammate James White’s 3-point miss, let fly with the biggest shot of his life just right of the key and watched it kiss all net.
Logan Elm’s Adam Blake charged downcourt and knifed into the lane, but his floater at 0:02 bounced off the rim. It was all Marshall in OT.
“When the ball came to me, I knew what I had to do with it,” Robinson said. “I had to shoot it.”
He shot down Logan Elm and shot the Cougars into the championship game.
‘Win one for Greg’
Marshall all but dedicated its 62-53 overtime victory over Circleville Logan Elm in the Division II state semifinal to injured star Greg Gainey.
The 6-foot-4 junior center exited at 4:16 of the first quarter and didn’t return. The left ankle he sprained in the regional final was too sore for him to continue. Forward Melvin Banks was inserted into the lineup and forward DeAngelo Gates took over at center.
“Greg’s a big part of our team,” junior point guard Juwan Staten said. “With Greg down, we knew everybody would have to play that much better for us to get a win. And we also had to do it for him because he helped get us here. So we owed it to him to step up.”
Quick-change artists
What was Marshall coach John N. Ralph thinking with his team down 12 (44-32) when Gates stepped to the foul line at 6:09 of the fourth quarter?
“I felt that things weren’t looking good,” Ralph said. “At the time, they (Logan Elm) were hitting shots. They were getting rebounds. They were making all the big plays and we weren’t. They were winning all the small battles and we weren’t.
“We made some changes and adjustments. They worked out. We were able to get at least a piece of the game we like to play in gear and that’s what made the change for us.”
Cougars unleashed
Marshall went to a full-court, trapping press. It forced Braves point guard Adam Blake to get rid of the ball and the Cougars jumped the passing lanes. Blake had seven assists and three turnovers, but senior guard Brandon Amann coughed up seven turnovers.
Shawn Robinson’s four fourth-quarter steals swung the momentum in Marshall’s favor.
“Shawn is a great defensive player,” teammate Juwan Staten said. “Once I saw him pick it up, I knew were were going to be good because when he picks it up on defense, it makes us all pick it up on defense.”
Too late now
Three-point shooting specialist Tim Congrove, who led the Braves with 18 points, blamed himself for the team’s late meltdown.
“We’ve got a great point guard in Adam,” Congrove said. “We trust him with the ball like no other. I was a little disappointed with me with not helping him bring the ball up the court a little bit and relieving some of that pressure. It was a little frustrating. We knew we could break it, but we just didn’t get it done.”
Why not foul?
With Logan Elm nursing a 47-45 lead, Braves center Logan Hauserman grabbed a rebound and got fouled with 32.7 seconds to go.
He made the first, but missed the second for a three-point spread. Why didn’t the Braves foul?
“There was too much time on the clock,” coach Doug Stiverson said.
Captain clutch
Staten sank just 6 of 16 floor shots and was 0-for-3 from behind the arc. But he hit all 12 of his free-throw attempts and scored 24 points.
“I’ve been struggling from the free throw line the whole season,” Staten said. “I just had to tell myself, it’s tournament time. It’s just really how bad you want it.”
Man of steal
Ralph gushed about Robinson’s production at both ends of the floor.
“Look at this man!” he shouted. “At the end of regulation, he knocks down a 3-point shot! (ESPN’s) Dick Vitale should’ve been on that game!
“Here’s my plug. I’m gonna throw it out there. Even though Shawn’s a little small guy, there are some college coaches who could use that man right there. Definitely use him.”
Lesson learned
Marshall’s victory proved a late 12-point comeback is possible.
“So when you’re down,” Gates said, “play your heart out and don’t give up.”
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Marshall advances to state final
Juwan Staten scored 22 points and Marshall overcame a 12-point second-half deficit to stun Circleville Logan Elm 62-53 in overtime in Friday’s boys high school Division II basketball state semifinals.
The Cougars (22-4) return to OSU’s Schottenstein Center at Columbus for Saturday’s D-II state final against the Akron St. Vincent-St. Marys/Columbus St. Francis DeSales winner at 5:15 p.m.
Marshall was without junior inside presence Greg Gainey for much of the game. The junior who averages 18 points limped through three early ineffective minutes, pulled himself and didn’t return.
But DeAngelo Gates filled in with 15 rebounds and 10 points to offset that loss. Staten hit 12 free throws and Shawn Robinson knocked down the biggest 3-pointer in school history with about :06 left to draw even at 47-all and force OT.
Christian Delemos put the Cougars up early in OT, then Logan Elm chased — and fouled — Staten and Robinson while trying to play catch-up. Instead, Marshall pulled away, completing a game-ending 30-11 run in the fourth quarter and OT.
The Cougars will be making their first appearance in a state final since the 1990 Colonel White squad won the D-II title.
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Marshall beats Logan Elm 62-53 in OT
If Marshall (21-4) hopes to knock off Circleville Logan Elm (24-1) in this morning’s Division II boys state hoop semifinal, it’ll have to be done without a healthy Greg Gainey.
The burly and productive inside force for the Cougars spent most of this week on crutches and rehabbing two sprained ankles. If warmups at OSU’s Schottenstein Center are an indication, he needs more rehab. He played about three ineffective minutes in the first half and didn’t score.
First Quarter
Marshall led 7-4, but Logan Elm countered with a 9-1 run. JaQuan Johnson’s free throw at the end of the quarter drew the Cougars within two, 13-11.
Second Quarter
Melvin Banks hit a bucket to draw even and Juwan Staten put Marshall up, 15-13. That’s an 8-0 run by Marshall.
16-all: Staten has been everything as billed. Midway through the second quarter he has 10 points on 4 of 8 shooting, 3 rebounds and 2 assists.
22-all at halftime: Staten canned a couple free throws in the final minute to pull the Cougars even at the break.
Staten lead Marshall with 12 points, Shawn Robinson has 6, Melvin Banks 3 and DeAngelo Gates 1. First-team All-Ohioan Brandon Amann leads Logan Elm with 10 points.
Neither team has found its long range: Marshall is just 2 of 12 in 3-pointers and Logan Elm just 2 of 9. Logan Elm’s mad bomber, Tim Congrove, has just 2 three-pointers. Should he get untracked, Marshall will be in trouble. Congrove has hit 228 career 3-pointers.
Of course, had Marshall gotten any kind of production out of Gainey, that could have offset Congrove. Instead, it’ll be up to Staten, Gates, Robinson and Banks to carry the Cougars in the second half.
Third Quarter
Gates drew Marshall within 30-29, but Logan Elm found its touch, bolting to a 38-29 lead, their greatest. Worse, Logan Elm is in the 1-and-1 with 1:39 left in the quarter. Logan Elm has just one foul against it.
42-32 Logan Elm at the end of the third Q: Logan Hauserman, a 6-8, 275-pound junior monster, has been unstoppable for Logan Elm. He scored most of his 11 points in the decisive quarter and banked a bucket in the finals seconds.
Fourth Quarter
Too much foul trouble for Marshall. Worse, Gainey still hasn’t played since leaving early in the first quarter.
Logan Elm 44-32.
Logan Elm 44-41: Marshall has unleashed relentless full-court pressure — and a great half-court trap — to get back in at 4:18. Staten pulled the Cougars within 5 on a transition bucket and James White converted a steal into an easy layup.
44-43 Logan Elm: Gates on the bucket, but he twists an ankle afterward. He’s been good for 8 points and 14 rebounds, including 7 offensive.
46-45 Logan Elm with 2:23 left: Staten hits 2 FTs. He has 18 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists. Marshall on a 13-4 run to get back in the game.
Marshall just 4 of 24 in 3-pointers.
1:20 left: Marshall’s Quinn for 1-and-1, trailing 46-45; misses front end; Logan Elm holding ball.
47-45 Logan Elm with :48 left.
Robinson missed 3-pointer; foul, Hauserman hits 1 of 2 FTs.
48-45 Logan Elm.
Robinson snares long rebound, lets fly all alone from wing and buries the draw-even bomb, 48-all with :06 left.
Logan Elm shot in lane a buzzer misses; OT.
OVERTIME
50-48, Marshall
52-48: Staten drives, dishes to Christian Delemos for easy bucket; 2:03 left.
52-49, Marshall.
54-49, Marshall on 2 Staten FT’s; he’s 8 of 8 from line.
54-50, Marshall.
56-51, Delemos bucket; Staten at the line.
58-51, Marshall; Staten 2 FT’s; 20 points for Staten; 15 rebounds for Gates.
58-53, Marshall, :53 left.
59-53, Marshall, Robinson FT; Gates steal; White to line.
60-53, Marshall, White FT.
:43 left: Staten 1-and-1.
62-53: Staten 2 more FT’s.
62-53 final: Unreal comeback by Marshall. They’ll be in their first state final since the 1990 Colonel White team won a D-II title.
Marshall, trailing by 12, went to a full-court press and unloaded a game-ending 30-11 fourth-quarter and OT run.
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Thurgood Marshall’s Greg Gainey hurting
Even though point guard Juwan Staten is playing brilliantly, the story of the game so far is the absence of Thurgood Marshall’s Greg Gainey.
The 6-foot-4 junior forward was in the starting lineup, but he didn’t last very long with the sprained left ankle he suffered in the regional final against Columbus Bishop Watterson.
Gainey hobbled down to the offensive end of the floor and waved to his bench for relief. Coach John N. Ralph finally substituted in Melvin Banks at 4:16 of the first quarter.
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