Red Riders fend off Indian Creek
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WINTERSVILLE -- Weir High scored the game's first 18 points, held off a couple of Indian Creek rallies and collected a 58-44 road victory Friday.
The Red Riders could do no wrong on either end of the floor during the opening quarter. They forced 11 Creek turnovers, turning several into easy buckets. Offensively, they received six points from Anthony Cross, five from Elijah Gillette and four from Sebastian Spencer. Both Gillette and Spencer knocked down triples. After one, Mike Granato's club led 20-4.
Indian Creek, which started three juniors and two freshmen, put together a scoring spree of its own to start the second. The Redskins pulled to within seven (26-19) on a put back by Isaiah Vandine. Weir's Tanner Mikula and Creek's Jacob Wright traded hoops and it was 28-21 at the break.
Weir put together an 11-2 scoring run to start the third but Creek kept coming. A Vandine triple closed the gap to eight (39-31) with three minutes to go. The visitors took a 45-35 lead into the final quarter.
Five points from Gillette and four from Spencer allowed Weir to pull away and collect its ninth win in 13 outings.
"We had a great start, coming out with that 18-0 run," Granato said. "But to be honest, once we got that big lead, we quit doing the things we did to get that lead. Whether it's human nature or whatever the case might be, we have to do a better job of putting the other away when we get a lead like that.
"After the start, Indian Creek didn't buckle, they didn't give up. They actually got a little tougher. When you have a young team like Joe (Dunlevy) does for them to battle back like they did, that's impressive. They cut the lead to seven two or three times. That's a credit to them."
Gillette put together an outstanding effort for Weir. He finished with a game-high 19 points and a team leading eight rebounds. Spencer and Mikula added 10 points apiece.
When discussing his team's effort in the second half, Granato said "that's the value of having a veteran club."
"We were able to find Elijah and Tanner a little. We did a much better job of moving our feet defensively. For us to be good, our defense has to become our offense. In the second and third quarters, that didn't happen. As the game went on, it did."
Gillette had 14 of his points after the break. Mikula, on the other hand, knocked down six of his tallies in the third.
Vandine was solid in defeat for the Redskins, who fell to 0-14. He scored 15 points and collected a game-leading 12 rebounds. Logan Shaffer added 10 and Logan Kuczykowski eight.
"My job is to critique how we play and try to correct the mistakes we made, particularly in the first quarter," Dunlevy said. "Our game at Weir (a 60-30 Red Rider victory) was so out of hand early and tonight it was out of control early but we got back into it. I'm so proud of the effort our guys gave.
"I've said it before and I'll say it again--if you watch us practice, we don't look like a winless team. It's coming. It would have been nice to get a W tonight, but the effort was certainly there. I've always proud of our guys. They give us everything they have in practice, everything they have when they have time on their own in the gym and they gave us everything tonight."
Weir collected 27 rebounds while Creek hauled down 23. The Redskins were guilty of 22 ball-handling miscues compared to 14 for the Red Riders.
UP NEXT
Weir: Hosts Edison Tuesday.
Indian Creek: Entertains Steubenville Tuesday.
GAME NOTE
Charlie Zagula had a huge night as Weir registered a 58-28 triumph in the junior varsity contest. Zagula finished with 25 points. Carson Yobaggy added 11.
Lucca Morelli scored nine for Indian Creek.
Weir High 58, Indian Creek 44
Weir 20-8-17-13 -- 58
Creek 4-17-14-9 -- 44
WEIR HIGH (9-4): Spencer 4 1-2 10; McUmar 3 0-0 6; Gillette 8 1-3 19; Nutter 2 1-3 5; Mikula 3 3-6 10; Cross 2 2-2 6; Kelly 1 0-0 2; Nosko 0 0-0 0; Scopel 0 0-0 0; Curtis 0 0-0 0; Jackson 0 0-0 0; Zagula 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 23 8-16 58.
INDIAN CREEK (0-14): Francis 0 0-0 0; M. Kuczykowski 0 0-0 0; L. Kuczykowski 2 3-6 8; Williams 0 0-0 0; Morelli 0 0-0 0; Vandeborne 0 0-0 0; Wright 2 2-2 6; Vandine 6 1-2 15; Shaffer 5 0-0 10; Bodo 0 0-0 0; Rothacker 2 1-2 5. TOTALS: 17 7-12 44.
3-POINTERS: Weir High 4 (Gillette 2; Spencer, Mikula); Indian Creek 3 (Vandine 2; L. Kuczykowski); REBOUNDS: Weir High 27 (Gillette 8); Indian Creek 23 (Vandine 12); TURNOVERS: Weir High 14; Indian Creek 22.