Cleveland Heights Knocks Off Brecksville-Broadview For Copley District Crown

March 5, 2022

Copley, Ohio

 

OHSAA Boys Division 1 District Final

 

Cleveland Heights      12        14        19        12   =   57

Brecksville                   7         14        13        15   =   49

 

Slow starts to each half spelled doom for Brecksville-Broadview Heights in Saturday night’s district championship game at Copley. The Cleveland Heights Tigers took full advantage of the Bees’ lack of shooting precision and emerged with a satisfying 57-49 victory.

 

Heights junior guard Rayvelle Duncan had 13 of his team-high 17 points in the first half and did a masterful job directing the Tigers’ offense as they maintained a lead throughout the entire contest. Sophomore forward Hosea Steele heated up in the second half, getting 10 of his 12 points after the intermission.

 

Brecksville’s 6’-8” junior Chase Garito had 6 of his 10 points in the second quarter as the Bees picked up the scoring pace. Sophomore guard Luke Skaljac was Brecksville’s leading scorer in the game with 17 points.

 

When Steele split a pair of free throws near the end of the third quarter, Heights had their largest lead of the game at 45-34. Brecksville came out firing in the final period, getting big 3-pointers from seniors Tyler Ganley and Eli Skaljac. But each time, the Tigers had an answer: get the ball down low to Steele.

 

With 3:54 to play, a putback by Garito got the Bees to within four points at 47-43, but that was as close as the game would get. The Tigers outscored Brecksville 10-6 down the stretch to pull out the win.

 

Heights will take on St. Ignatius in a regional semifinal game next week at Kent State University.

 

Cleveland Heights

Duncan           7 – 0/0 – 17

Steele              5 – 2/4 – 12

Lawson            4 – 0/0 – 10

Hill                  2 – 2/2 – 7

Hardy              2 – 1/3 – 6

Pollard            1 – 0/0 – 2

Williams          1 – 0/0 – 2

Coyne              0 – 1/2 – 1

 

Field Goals:  22/55, 40%         3-Point Shots:  7/22, 32%       Free Throws:  6/11, 55%

Rebounds:  41             Turnovers:  8               Fouled Out:  none

Brecksville-Broadview Hts.

Skaljac, L.        6 – 2/2 – 17

Garito             4 – 2/2 – 10

Ganley            3 – 1/2 – 9

Skaljac, E.        3 – 0/0 – 9

Rose                2 – 0/0 – 4

 

Field Goals:  18/47, 38%         3-Point Shots:  8/20, 40%       Free Throws:  5/6, 83%

Rebounds:  27             Turnovers:  6               Fouled Out:  Rose

By: Don DiFrancesco               @MayorNEOPrep