Basketball=
Bearcats deal Irish first loss of season

Thursday, February 7, 2008

SCOTT GERFEN
Villager Contributor=

For those associated with the Dublin Scioto High School boys basketball team, the prospect of an undefeated regular season seemed alluri= ng in itself.

But last Tuesday's showdown between two of the top seeds in the Division I district tournament also generated plenty of buzz among the area coaching ranks who populated the crowd.

Fifth-seeded Brookhaven, at least on this night, gained the up= per hand in the second half by holding the second-seeded Irish to just two third-quarter points en route to a 57-49 victory to end the 18-game winning streak of the host Irish.

"We obviously had a letdown in the third quarter, and we'= re going to have to shore that up," said senior guard Ben Ashwill, who led Scioto with 19 points despite playing on a gimpy ankle he injured in the fi= rst quarter. "We just weren't hitting the shots we normally hit. We got so= me pretty good looks. We just didn't execute well in the third quarter." =

The Irish, who fell to 18-1 overall, will look to rebound Frid= ay at New Albany where it could wrap up a second-consecutive perfect run throu= gh the OCC-Capital Division.

Scioto improved to 9-0 in the league following last Saturday's 59-53 victory at Big Walnut where it trailed with four minutes remaining to play.

"I like having these games down the stretch," coach = Tony Bisutti said. "It's the way the tournament is going to be. We'll just = have to wait and see what happens the next time out."

Scioto could get a rematch with Brookhaven if both teams reach= a district final March 1 at the Fairgrounds Coliseum.

Tournament play opens for the Irish at 6:15 p.m. Feb. 16 at Centerburg against Central Crossing or Westland.

"(The coaches in) our whole bracket got two looks in one night, and I think they saw a very talented Brookhaven team," Bisutti said. "(Top-seeded) Northland might be the team in the City League, but Brookhaven is still pretty darn good and certainly capable of winning this district."

Standout Chris Johnson powered Brookhaven with 25 points, including 14 in the first half. His layup with about 1-minute, 30 seconds to play gave the Bearcats a 51-36 lead.

With Scioto playmakers Ashwill and Bradley McDougald on the be= nch at times in the first half, Brookhaven used an 11-0 run to take control in = the first half. But the Irish rallied with a 9-0 run of its own to close the fi= rst half with a 26-24 lead.

Brookhaven stuck with a zone defense after watching the Irish struggle from the field.

"You've got to sit back and laugh about it as much as it hurts," Bisutti said.

"We're pressing Brookhaven, and they're sitting in a 2-3 zone. I think if you deal me that hand, I'm going to take it. It was just a= sad quarter, and we were grab-bagging by the end."

Scioto cut the deficit to 38-32 early in the fourth quarter. <= o:p>

"It was a humbling experience for us, and I think it shows we've got a lot to learn," Ashwill said. "When you start the seas= on and win 18 games in a row you get on a pretty good roll, then you lose a ga= me like this it's tough. We just hope to learn from it."