Boys’ hoop earns 2 big Davenport wins

The CHS boys’ basketball team took some giant strides toward league-wide recognition as the team earned back-to-back home wins last week over Milford 74-72 and Oliver Ames 78-68.

Senior captain Sam Larson (Mike Barucci photo)

The Bulldogs’ record is now 2-1 heading into this weekend’s holiday tournament at Blackstone-Millville Regional High School. Canton will play Avon in the first game Friday at 5:30 p.m. with the winner advancing to the tournament championship on Saturday at 7 p.m. The consolation game begins at 5:30 p.m.

The two wins last week were well worth remembering. Down 16-3 in the first quarter against Milford, Canton staged a gradual comeback featuring 11 three-point shots and a 19-for-23 showing at the free-throw line.

Against Oliver Ames, the Bulldogs were without starters Sam Larson and Paul Swart for most of the second half due to foul trouble, but they still prevailed behind the play of Rui DePina, Ato Botsio, Derrick Harris, and senior captain Tristin Morris, who is fast becoming a league all-star candidate.

Morris scored 23 points to lead the team and Botsio added 15 with several rebounds. DePina chipped in with 10 key points and ran the offense at point guard. Harris, improving every game, played good defense, grabbed some key rebounds, and had some important baskets in the game. Matt Kelley also came up big down the stretch, hitting a dagger three pointer that gave the Bulldogs a commanding nine-point lead with a minute to go.

“We have a slogan every year,” said head coach Ryan Gordy. “Last year it was ‘Climbing the Ladder.’ This year it is ‘Witness Change.’”

“We are changing the brand of basketball here at CHS,” he said. “We want to show people we play exciting basketball. We want people to get excited, make some noise. Come see us play. Right now in this locker room, the confidence in the players is sky high.”

Gordy was very pleased with the play of his bench, led by Botsio, who alternated between guard and forward and had his best performance to date. He also praised the “gutsy” performance of DePina, a first-year varsity player, and the hustle and athleticism of Harris.

“I said at the beginning of the season, we have a lot of depth, and it showed tonight,” he said. “We have a lot of players who can score in many ways.”

Canton fell behind early in the first quarter 15-8 but rebounded to take a 28-26 halftime lead despite missing nine free throws.

Larson and Swart both went to the bench partway through the third quarter after picking up their fourth fouls, but the Bulldogs held their own against OA’s starters and finished the third quarter trailing by two, 48-46.

Larson came back with five minutes left in the game and was called for his fifth foul on a controversial call with 2:19 remaining and Canton ahead 67-63. Drives by Morris and Botsio and Kelly’s three-point shot helped seal the victory for the Bulldogs.

As happy as Gordy was Friday night, he was equally disappointed with how the Bulldogs opened against Milford on Tuesday, as the Hawks raced out to a big first-quarter lead after hitting their first seven shots. Gordy called a timeout and demanded that the team start to play defense, and the players stepped up, taking a 35-34 lead into halftime.

The rest of the game seesawed back and forth, with Morris adding a key put-back off an offensive rebound and a free throw at the end of the game. Larson led the team in scoring with 26 points, followed by Morris with 25 and Kelley with 12.

“How we do this season really depends on how we defend and rebound,” said Gordy after the Milford win. “I am not worried about the scoring. It’s how consistent we are on defense.”

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Posted by Mike Berger on Dec 26 2013. Filed under High School, Sports. Both comments and pings are currently closed.