’Creek continues to prove its worth

Upstart Beavers knock off previously unbeaten Northmont, 65-54.

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By Jeff Ermann, Contributing Writer 11:16 PM Tuesday, December 20, 2011

BEAVERCREEK — Beavercreek junior Jalen Camper was racing up the floor in the waning seconds Tuesday night against Northmont when he spotted a streaking Airius Moore, who motioned toward the rim for a game-punctuating alley-oop. But as Camper began to lob it, he lost his grip and fumbled it.

It was one of the few things that went wrong for the Beavers, though, and like most every misstep this young season, they recovered quickly when Camper laid the ball in. Upstart Beavercreek remained undefeated in conference and knocked off previously unbeaten Northmont, 65-54 — a win that may have erased any notion that its hot start has been a fluke.

Suddenly Beavercreek (4-1 overall, 3-0 GWOC Central), with just one senior in its regular rotation and 13 total wins during the past three seasons, is the team to beat in GWOC Central.

“To be sitting at 3-0 after three games is an accomplishment,” said Beavers coach John Ahrns, “but one of the things we do after games is, we practice at 8 a.m. or 10 a.m. at the latest. So we’ll enjoy it for a night.”

Ahrns and his players have said such discipline and dedication were sometimes absent on the past few Beavercreek teams, and it showed in the results. This group is a hard-working, selfless bunch, he said, one that has sometimes surprised him by showing up at 7 a.m. for workouts.

“Everybody is working for everybody,” said Camper, who scored 17 points.

Northmont (4-1, 2-1) and Beavercreek traded the lead early before the Beavers took control with a second-quarter spurt that included a high-flying, two-handed dunk by senior point guard Ryan Sedler (15 points). Every time the Thunderbolts closed to within a basket or two, Beavercreek hit a big 3-pointer or got a crucial stop on defense.

Beavercreek used its matchup-zone defense to hold Northmont nearly 15 points below its season average and limit Northmont guard Devon Carter, whose 19.5 points per game were fifth-highest in the GWOC, to 13. Beavercreek junior Kyle Rader scored a game-high 18 points and the Beavers hit the winter break with a momentous win.

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