IRISH CLOSE STRONG TO DROP MR. VERNON

An 8-0 run to close the game that built on a strong defensive performance earned the Irish a 41-29 win over Mt. Vernon on Friday night.

Both teams use defense as a signature of their programs. Mt. Vernon came into the game allowing only 44.0 and Scioto 42.5 points a game. So the low score was not a surprise to Irish fans, although at times this one seemed more like a bake-off than a basketball game. Both teams ended up with more than 20 turnovers on the night.

Still, the Irish held Mt. Vernon to less than 30 percent shooting, outrebounded them 31-17 and had 16 steals. Scioto was able to get the ball inside against the Yellow Jackets, leading to a game high 18 points for 6-6 sophomore post Jamare Mills. He was 4-6 at the free throw line and six of his seven baskets came on assists. 6-3 senior post M arco St. John was the only other Irish player in double figures with 10 points, including a sterling 6-6 from the free throw line.

Mt. Vernon was led by senior guard Ben Severns with 15 points, but no other Yellow Jacket scored more than 4. Senior guard Cuy Sheffield, who came into the game averaging almost 16 points, was held scoreless.

In a script similar to the last game at Columbus Independence, Scioto got off to a quick start. They led 9-0 less than three minutes into the game after Deji Olatoye stole the ball and completed a three-point play on a contested dunk. Mt. Vernon didn’t score until a pair of Charlie Phillips free throws at 2:58, but closed to 11-5 on a Severns baseline trey just before the buzzer.

Neither team was able to take care of the ball very well in the second quarter and it showed in the scoring. The Yellow Jackets outscored the Irish 6-4 and trailed 15-11 at the half. The teams combined for 27 turnovers in the first half.

The Irish took an 18-13 early in the third quarter on an Eric Stamets trey on a feed from Bradley McDougald, but the Yellow Jackets’ Severns answered on the other end of the floor to make it 18-16.

Mt. Vernon never led, but was able to tie the Irish at 20 when Severns made two of three free throws at 5:02.

At that point the Irish went on a 7-0 spurt that gave them a lead they would never relinquish.

The Yellow Jackets made two more mini-runs in the game. The first was fueled by a pair of Severns free throws to end the third quarter and a trey early in the fourth to cut the lead to 27-25 with 7:02 to go.

Mills responded with a bucket on the next possession and McDougald scored a layup following a steal by Rainer Duzan that gave the Irish a 31-25 lead. St. John scored on a feed from Duzan and the Irish led 33-25 with 3:12 to go.

Mt. Vernon’s junior post Joe Scott scored the next four points on a layup and a pair of free throws that followed an Irish turnover. The Irish led 33-29 as the clock wound down toward two minutes.

The Irish passed the ball effectively on their next possession with Duzan finding an open Stamets who dumped it inside to Mills for an easy layup and 35-29 lead.

Following turnovers by each team, the Irish rebounded a Mt. Vernon air ball and as they spread the floor to run clock St. John was fouled. He made both ends of the 1+1 with 57.8 seconds to go to build the lead to 37-29 and, following another turnover; he canned two more free throws for a 39-29 lead.

Mills was fouled on the rebound of another Mt. Vernon miss and split a pair of free throws for the final margin.

In addition to Mills and St. John, other Irish players who scored were: McDougald, 4; Stamets, 4; Olatoye, 3; Duzan, 1; and Tyler Harrell, 1. Playing, but not scoring was Destin Thomas.

Mills was also the leading Irish rebounder with 6 boards. McDougald chipped in 5, while Stamets and Olatoye had 4 apiece.

McDougald led the way with 4 assists. Stamets had 5 steals and Duzan chipped in 4.

The victory extends the Irish winning streak to five games and they are 7-1 overall. They stand alone atop the OCC Cardinal Division at 4-0 and return to league play next week with a home game on January 6 against Olentangy Liberty and a visit to cross-town rival Dublin Jerome on January 9.

UNOFFICIAL BOX SCORE

Mt Vernon 5-6-11-7 29
Scioto 11-4-12-14 41

Mt Vernon: Severns, 4-4-15; Bein, 2-04; Scott, 1-2-4; Doup, 1-0-2; Glibert, 1-0-2; Phillips, 0-2-2.
3 point goals: Severns (3)
Totals: 9-8-29
Scioto: Mills, 7-4-18; St. John, 2-6-10; McDougald, 1-2-4; Stamets, 1-1-4; Olatoye, 1-1-3; Duzan, 0-1-1; Harrell, 0-1-1.

3 point goals: Stamets (1).
Totals: 12-16-41