3/3/10 Stow vs Ellet @ Copley Div. I Sectional (W, 71-44)
Sectional Win Over Ellet Puts Bulldogs In Championship vs. Kent Roosevelt
Stow overcame a stubborn Ellet effort in the first quarter to cruise to a 71-44 victory in a Copley Division I Sectional game Wednesday night and move into the Sectional Championship game on Saturday. Aaron Stefanov, usually a 3-point threat for the Bulldogs, became Mr Assist early on, and his target was Ryan Yurkschatt. Time after time in the first period it was Stefanov-to-Yurkschatt for a basket. But Ellet wouldn't back down. Yurkschatt had 11 of Stow's first 13 points, and Stefanov had 5 assists at that point. The other guards got into the action, including a pretty David Walker-to-Kyle Scelza-to-Mike Garrison combination for a basket and an 18-10 lead, and Stow never looked back. The first quarter score was 18-12, and Stefanov became a shooter to start the second. Stef hit a 3 for a 10 point Dawg lead, then Blake Williams found his range as well, hitting a 3 for a 30-19 lead. Elllet closed to 30-23, but then Scelza saw Garrison open, fed him a great pass and the Big Guy converted for another 10 point Stow lead. Williams hit another trey, then Scelza found Garrison open down low for a bucket as Stow closed out the half up 38-22. Yurkschatt had his 11 points but also had 5 rebounds at the break, with Stefanov having 5 assists and Scelza adding 4.
Ellet's 3-point shooting wasn't bad, and their shooter connected on an NBA+++ 3-pointer to cut Stow's lead to 12, and then got to within 10 with 3 minutes left in the third. Scelza was Mr. Hustle all night, and the next play showed it as he raced to get a rebound, passed back to Walker who liked where Scelza was and got it back to him for a "3-ball...Got it!" as Stow surged ahead 44-29. Davey found Stefanov open for another 3 to finish the third with Stow ahead 49-32. Scelza kept dishing the ball in the final period, finding a racing Yurkschatt who made a flipper from 6 feet and Stow led 52-32. Scelza continued his sizzling play, converting a rebound for a 3-pointer, then hitting yet another 3 to maintain a 20-plus Dawg advantage. Another combo play saw Williams hitting Scelza with a great outlet pass, then Kyle finding Schatt for the bucket as Stow led 60-37. Williams then went back-to-back 3s for a 66-39 Dawg lead and the benches began to empty.
Yurkschatt was huge, scoring 17 points and grabbing 9 rebounds, but he wasn't alone. Williams ended with 15 points, Scelza added 13 points, Garrison pitched in a dozen. Walker added 7 points, and Stefanov, slowed by illness this week, hit a pair of 3s for 6 points. David O'Neill had a free throw to round out the scoring. Garrison added 5 rebounds, Kevin Podnar and Scelza each grabbed 3, with Stefanov and O'Neill pulling down 2 a piece. Tyler Jones and Tyler Hawlkins had a rebound each. Scelza ended with 7 assists, Stefanov had 6 and Walker had a handful. Walker also had a piar of steals and a blocked shot. The Bulldogs move into a Sectional Championship game this Saturday at Copley versus the Rough Riders of Kent Roosevelt, who beat Hudson with a pair of free throws in the final seconds in last night's second game. Game time Saturday will be at 8:00 pm. Stow defeated Kent in the Championship game of the Davis Eye Center Holiday Classis last December 76-54.
This sha.com reporter will not be available for the next few games due to a need to experience 85 degree temperatures and a few umbrellas drinks beginning Saturday. I will resume my duties when I return and the Bulldogs are off to the Regionals! Good Luck Bulldogs...my heart will be here with all of you guys!
