Dragons’ offense shut down in 2nd half
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By Michael Boytim
mboytim@altoonamirror.com
CRESSON -- Central's boys basketball team has outperformed expectations all season long, and the Scarlet Dragons did it again Tuesday night against top-seeded Johnstown in the District 5-6 Class 4A championship game at Mount Aloysius when they took the lead into the locker room at halftime.
Central used a swarming defense, some outside shots and a spectacular no-look, reverse layup that turned into a three-point play by junior Eli Muthler, but for everything that went right in the first 16 minutes -- they went the other way in the second half.
Johnstown held the Scarlet Dragons without a field goal in the third quarter and to just seven overall points in the second half, and the Trojans pulled away to win the championship, 44-29.
"We struggled to get many looks in the second half," Central coach Paul Frederick said. "When we got them, we weren't able to make them. They guard you the whole court. They put pressure on you the whole time. You can't really get a chance to catch your breath, and that's hard to play offense against."
The loss ended the high school basketball careers of eight Central seniors including starters Hunter Smith, Troy Butler, Nick Garver and Brady Albright. Mark Bettwy and Robert Long-Yarrison also saw significant minutes off the bench.
"I love all of those kids to death," Frederick said. "A lot of them had to wait three years to get their chance to play and they won 19 games and got back to a district title game and played their hearts out. I couldn't be prouder of them. I love them, and they have been great role models for what hard work will do. That group has come a long way, and I'm just sad we couldn't finish it off."
Central lost to Johnstown in the District 6 Class 4A championship for the second year in a row, but the Scarlet Dragons had a much different team last season led by Eli Lingenfelter. Despite losing plenty from that team, that didn't include Smith as he was recovering from a football injury, the Scarlet Dragons nearly matched their success this year.
"We lost four great starters last year," Smith said. "To come back and have a 19-win season like we did with four new starters is pretty remarkable. It was a great senior season, and it was a great ride."
Frederick said the work the seniors put in over the offseason and in the past seasons while waiting their turn led to all of the success.
"We lost four senior starters from a 22-win team," Frederick said. "The expectations weren't for us to win 19 games. We certainly weren't supposed to be up at halftime in the district championship against Johnstown. None of that was supposed to happen. But, because of the work these guys put in, summer after summer, they gave themselves a chance tonight and had a phenomenal senior season."
After losing its Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference semifinal playoff game to Johnstown, 49-23, expectations for Central to be competitive on Tuesday were guarded at best, but Garver's layup with 4:20 remaining in the first quarter put the Dragons ahead, 9-4.
"We threw a couple shots in, got the ball to the basket and scored around the rim a couple times," Frederick said. "We made some pretty fantastic plays to have a three-point lead, and we defended well throughout the game and especially in the first half."
Central went just 2-for-10 from beyond the 3-point line in the first half, but that was better than its performance in the LHAC semifinals when the Dragons didn't make any following making nine in their 50-45 loss to Johnstown in the regular season.
Unfortunately, Central played the final 16 minutes and made just one 3-pointer, something that is crucial against Johnstown's tough, packed-in defense.
"At halftime, we were so calm and relaxed," Johnstown coach Ryan Durham said. "The guys were just drinking water and saying 'we're good' and they came out and really defended."
Central missed two free throws down by six midway through the third quarter, and then Amire Robinson put the game away with back-to-back 3-pointers for Johnstown to end the quarter.
"We ran a couple sets to get him some looks," Durham said. "He took advantage and knocked them down. He's that type of player and is really talented."
Johnstown held the ball for the majority of the fourth quarter, and Central managed just a 3-pointer by Eli Muthler, who finished with a team-high 13 points, and a layup by Garver.
"To be able to hold the basketball for a minute, two minutes, it's not easy to do," Durham said. "Our guards are really poised and coachable kids that listen. When we get a lead, and it's time to soak the game away, they can do it."
The Trojans, who got a team-high 12 points from senior Jahmir Collins, return to the state playoffs where they were upset by Highlands in the first round last season.
"We pulled through and took the right shots," Johnstown senior Dion Dixon said. "We are lucky enough to get back-to-back district titles, and now the only goal is to get to the state (championship)."
Due to his injury and baseball commitments, Smith didn't get to spend much of the summer in the gym, but he credited his teammates for their marked improvement over that span to set up a solid campaign.
"These guys are a real tight-knit group, and they spent a lot of time in the gym together," Smith said. "I was kind of out for the summer, and they stuck with it all summer long and kept hearing about how much better everyone was getting and it showed this season."
CENTRAL (29): Smith 1 1-2 3, Muthler 3 5-5 13, Butler 2 0-0 5, Garver 2 0-0 4, Albright 0 0-0 0, Bettwy 1 0-0 2, Long-Yarrison 1 0-2 2, Byler 0 0-0 0. Totals -- 10 6-9 29.
JOHNSTOWN (44): Collins 4 4-6 12, Tisinger 2 5-5 9, Dixon 4 0-2 8, Am. Robinson 2 1-2 7, R. Braswell 3 0-0 6, Alberta 1 0-0 2, Armstrong 0 0-0 0. Totals -- 16 10-15 44.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Central 11 11 2 5 -- 29
Johnstown 8 11 15 10 -- 44
3-point goals: Central 3 (Muthler 2, Butler); Johnstown 2 (Robinson 2).
Records: Central (19-6); Johnstown (21-4).
Officials: Ryan Ehrie, Joe Hanna, Mike Andrews.