= Boys basketball: Scioto rebuilt, just as strong
Irish improve to 10-0 despite major changes from last season= 's team

= Sat= urday, January 5, 2008 2:51 AM
By Steve Blackledge
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

= 3D"<p>Ben

Kirk Irwin Dispatch
Ben Ashwill of Dub= lin Scioto gets
around Mount Vernon defender
Jaryd Rogers in the second quarter.

MOU= NT VERNON, Ohio -- Only those who attended Dublin Scioto's open gyms during the summer could have seen this coming.

At the halfway point of the season, Scioto= is 10-0 and carving up opponents with an average margin of victory of 28 point= s. All of this comes after graduating four starters and six seniors from a 20-2 team.

Despite a below-average effort by their standards, the Irish still flashed many of their better attributes last nig= ht while rolling to a 60-48 nonconference victory over Mount Vernon.

"This team has an entirely different makeup and personality than the one last year," Scioto coach Tony Bisu= tti said.

"With all the kids we lost, I didn't = know what to expect with this group, but after what I saw during the summer, the expectations rose immediately. These guys really like the game, and they've developed a chemistry that's incredible to see. They communicate as well as= any team I've had."

Those are bold and atypically glowing words from a coach who has won 299 games in his career, 201 in 12 seasons at Scio= to.

The Irish are a bit on the small side, but they crash the offensive boards hard and do a stellar job, through crisp ba= ll movement and dribble penetration, creating high-percentage shots. They've outscored their opponents 154-65 at the foul line.

Scioto did not commit a turnover in the fi= rst half last night and finished with just four.

"We're averaging 20 assists per game, which really speaks to our guys' ability to make the extra pass," Bisu= tti said. "I really like our unselfishness, but at the same time we have g= uys who aren't afraid to take it right to the basket if it's there."<= /o:p>

Brad McDougald is averaging 15.6 points, B= en Ashwill 15.0 and Blair Gorniak 13.8 to pace the Irish. Ashwill, a third-year starter, averages nearly eight assists.

"We take everything possession by possession and work hard on both ends of the floor just to win that possession," Ashwill said. "It sounds simple, but we've really bo= ught into that.."

Defense has been a hallmark of Bisutti's teams. Scioto gets in opponents' faces and has a knack of stepping in the passing lanes for steals.

"That's where it all starts for us, on the defensive end," Gorniak said. "Even as well as we're doing ri= ght now, there are a lot of things we can correct and improve on. We gave up too many easy baskets tonight and missed a lot of shots we usually make."<= o:p>

Gorniak went 8 of 9 from the field for 20 points and also had seven rebounds. Ashwill scored 14 points and Marco St. = John 11.

Russell Doup had 14 points and Joe Stuart = 11 for Mount Vernon (3-7), which trailed just 33-30 late in the third quarter.=

Favored to repeat as champion in the Ohio Capital Conference Capital Division, Scioto will be judged by its postseason success. Last season, the Irish were upset in a district semifinal.

"Each game, we seem to find a certain= ax to grind, and I like that about these guys," Bisutti said. "They'= re not the type of guys to get complacent."

sblackledg= e@dispatch.com