Euclid, Ohio- Villa Angela-St. Joseph and Euclid went to battle in a back and forth thriller, showing why their rivalry is one of the most anticipated rivalries in the area. Last season Euclid came out on top winning 60-58. This time, it was the Vikings who pulled away in a one score contest.
Head Coach for VASJ, Ashen Ward spoke on his thoughts of the game.
“We knew the team Euclid is, a very good team, very well coached. With this being a rivalry game sometimes you just got to throw that stuff out the window, you just gotta come out and compete. I think that’s what we did,” said Ward.
Both teams came out trading buckets early. VASJ was scorching hot from three making five in the quarter. Sean Shenker knocked down his second three to cut the lead to 18-16 with three minutes left in the first.
Euclid found a lot of success in the paint and in the rebounding battle. Thai Duncan scored a putback layup with two minutes to go to extend the lead to 24-17. He finished with 11 in the quarter. Euclid went into the second leading 30-26.
Both teams slowed down in the second while struggling to take care of the ball. Near the midpoint of the quarter Euclid got going.
Fresh out of a timeout Duncan made a pull up three. Jalin Acoff followed it up with an and one layup to force another timeout.
VASJ started to get going from three, Jeremiah Martin hit one to cut the lead to 41-36 around the two minute mark. The half closed with Euclid leading 43-38.
Duncan maintained his momentum in the third. Euclid went on a 9-0 run near the five minute mark. He scored six points during the run. They lead 54-43.
Julian Council gave Joes some life and helped them fight back. He scored eight points in the quarter. He hit back to back threes that cut the lead to 58-53. They went into the fourth trailing 58-57.
“It all starts in practice, he (Ward) told me that I have the greenlight. I can already shoot so he told me to keep shooting, if I miss, shoot the next one,” said Council.
In the fourth the Vikings took their first lead in a while with a layup from OJ Spikes. Both teams went bucket for bucket from that time on.
Duncan knocked down multiple free throws down the stretch to give Euclid a 66-65 lead with about three minutes to go. Kye Owens extended the lead with a jump hook at the rim. Council answered with a basket of his own, Owens came right back with a three. Euclid led 71-67 with less than two minutes to go.
Jaevon Hairston made a step through layup. The next possession Martin slashed to the rim for a contested finish. The game was tied at 71 with 44 seconds to go.
Acoff had one foul shot and missed to give Joes the ball back. Martin attempted a jump shot at the buzzer and drew a foul. After missing the first free throw, he made the second to improve VASJ to 4-2.
The Vikings will return to action Dec. 22 versus Lutheran West at 4:15 p.m.
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