Minerva gets rivalry win over Carrollton
Minerva overcame a slow start by dominating the final three quarters, posting a 57-43 win over Carrollton.
Trailing 16-8 after the opening eight minutes of play, the Lions turned things around with a 16-4 second quarter for a 24-20 halftime advantage.
Minerva increased its lead to 39-32 at the end of the quarters of play, and put the game on ice with an 18-11 final stanza.
“It's never easy down here at Carrollton, especially when you fall behind 11-0 like we did, but our guys play so hard and I knew we would respond to their early punch,” stated head Coach Shawn Green.
“We are constantly undersized, but these guys are tough physically and mentally and have bought into their roles. We play hard all the time, are committed to defending, and when we make shots can be pretty dangerous.
“On top of all of that we have two wonderful leaders in Brayden and Connor. These guys get it and our other young men are bought into following their lead and being all bought into this program.”
The Warriors had no answer for Brayden Costea, who went off for 30 points, including a 13-of-16 performance at the free-throw line. He also had eight rebounds, seven steals and five assists.
Connor Shingleton added 10 points, four rebounds and four assists; Jayden Yerger finished with seven points, five rebounds and two assists; Dylan Phillips had four points and two assists; and Erik Murray pulled down six rebounds.
“Brayden was so special,” noted Coach Green. “How often do you see a player score a career high, but also lead his team in rebounds, steals and assists in that same game? I challenge you to find someone who has done this recently. He plays the right way and his mind for the game is unlike anyone I have been around in my 21 seasons.
“Jayden didn't look like a freshman tonight. He made two huge threes, but it was his passing and floor game that were great. He made great decisions and wasn’t afraid of the moment. He will keep getting better and better with experience.”
Steubenville - 46
Minerva - 44
Phateon Hill’s bucket with four seconds remaining in regulation proved to be the game winner.
“Coach Haney always does a great job with his Big Red teams and we love playing them, because it’s always a good game,” stated Coach Green. “To prove that point just look at the last three years. Three straight years of it going down to the last possession, with the total score being 172-172. So, circle next year’s game if you want to see a good game that comes down to the wire.”
Tied at 44-44, Hill drove the lane and put up a shot over the outstretched hands of a Minerva defender. The ball drew iron, before dropping through the net.
The Lions immediately called timeout with 3.4 second showing on the clock. Shingleton’s desperation 3-pointer looked good when it left his hands, but was just off as time expired.
“We had three decent looks in the last 45 seconds and unfortunately none of them went down,” noted Coach Green. “Phaeton Hill made a super difficult shot to give them the lead with 3.4 seconds left. We tried to trap him to get the ball out of his hands, but he was good enough to split our defenders and then make the final shot. Erik did a great job contesting it, but Hill got in on the rim and it fell in.”
The Big Red came out blazing, taking a 16-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Minerva regrouped in the second frame, outscoring the hosts 17-6 for a 25-23 halftime advantage. The game was tied 38-38 heading into the final frame.
Shingleton had 15 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals; Costea had 13 points, three rebounds and three assists; Phillips had six points and four rebounds, Brandon Davis had five points, six rebounds and three assists; and Murray had three points and six boards.
“Connor played another great game,” commented Coach Green. “He has found his groove on offense and continues to rebound, distribute and defend. We ask a lot of him, but he is such a winner that he is always up to the challenge.
“Dylan gave us a great lift by hitting those two 3-pointers. He always brings energy and toughness, and is starting to make shots, which is a huge bonus for our offense. It’s so nice to see him playing well after missing last season with a knee injury.”
This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: Minerva gets rivalry win over Carrollton
