If you checked out the flier last Tuesday from Senior Night, you saw pictures of the boys' basketball seniors scowling at the camera, trying to look mean, and tough, showing off their "guns" with menacing stares. And if you've followed the Bulldogs this season there's been a few games that those scowls were evident, when a last second shot that could have won the game went in-and-out for the Dawgs. So it was such a nice thing to see a smile, one with teeth showing, on the face of Blake Williams, as his three-point attempt hit nothing but net with 2 seconds remaing to win the Bulldogs final regular season game 56-55 over Solon. And it set off a lot of other smiles on the players' faces, the coaches', and the fans'. A smiley night was had by all.
The Bulldogs won it by doing what their coaches told them they could do, after being down 19-11 after the first quarter. A "spirited" discussion on the bench at the first quarter break ensued, and the coaches were quite vocal about their view of the Dawgs' play to that point, as well as encouragement. Take care of the ball, run the plays, play defense and they could win this game, they were told. And they responded. The second quarter began with Ryan Yurkschatt muscling his way inside to pull the Dawgs within 3 at 19-16. It was a formula for success, as Stow was uncharacteristically cold from the 3-point arc early on. Yurkschatt muscled in for another basket, and then David Walker drove the floor end-to-end for a basket and Stow trailed 20-19. Meanwhile Yurkschatt continued to rule in the paint, taking valuable rebounds in the process. Yurkschatt tied the game at 21 off a sweet Mike Garrison pass, then Garrison found Yurkschatt underneath again for a lay-up. Aaron Stefanov gave the Bulldogs their first lead with his first of three 3-pointers on the night. Garrison was working the paint effectively as well, but Stow trailed Solon 28-26 at the half. Yurkschatt and Garrison each had 8 points, with Yurkschatt getting 4 rebounds. Meanwhile Walker quietly had tallied 7 assists at the break.
Solon jumped out to a 32-26 lead early in the third period, but Williams was heating up and hit for a trey as Stow trailed by a point. One of the best plays of the night happened when Kevin Podnar raced to the baseline to grab his own miss, twisted as he crossed the end line, found Walker open who calmly deposited the ball in Stefanov's hands for another 3 and a 34-34 tie. Stow fell behind again by 4, but Stefanov hit his thrid 3 to get his team back within a point. Solon held a 3-point advantage at the end of the third period. Solon went ahead by 5, but then Garrison and Yurkschatt began having their way underneath again. Yurkschatt got a big rebound and found Garrison in the paint for a soft hook, then Schatt got a big rebound again and made a nice reverse lay-in and Stow trailed by a point again. Williams hit a 3-pointer for a 46-46 tie off Walker's tenth assist of the night. The Yurkschatt-to-Garrison connection was still open, and the two combined for the next two buckets and Stow held a 50-48 lead. Then Yurkschatt stole an errant Comet pass and Rolling Thunder Ryan drove the floor for a lay-in and a 52-48 Stow lead with 2:20 remaining. Solon fought back to take a 53-52 lead, but Yurkschatt tied it with a free throw. The Comets worked the ball to the baseline and hit a low-trajectory stunner to take a 55-53 lead with 36 seconds remaining. The Bulldogs worked the ball looking for the opening, then took a timeout with 9 seconds remaining. The play was set up by the coaching staff to go for the three and the win unless the shot wasn't there, in which case a drive for two and a tie was in order. But Stow would have none of that, and executed the play to perfection. Walker got the ball on the right side, looked for Williams, who came open and Davey calmly found him, then Blake calmly delivered the smile-inducing winner.
Yurkschatt had a huge night (if you didn't figure that out from the above) Ryan ended with 17 points on the night, while grabbing 7 rebounds, and adding 3 assists, all to Garrison. Miike meanwhile posted 14 points along with Blake. Both had 3 rebounds as well. Stefanov had his three 3s for 9 points, whiile David Walker put up a basket, 3 rebounds, a steal, a blocked shot, and 11 assists. Stow finishes the rgular season at 13-7, and ended the NOC River Division play at 6-4, good enough for third place. Twinsburg took the title with an 8-2 record, while Brush finished second at 7-3. Solon bows out at 5-5, while Hudson finished 3-7, and Cuyahoga Falls ended up at 1-9.
The Bulldogs are playing well at the right time of the season. The Copley Division I Sectionals get underway Wednesday evening with Stow taking on Akron Ellet at 6:30 pm.
The JV team lost their final game of the season to Solon.
