A young Hawks Team grew up on a cold Friday evening east of the Maumee River. Down most of the game, the Blue and White clawed back from eight down in the second half to stun the Cardinal Stritch Cardinals 53-52. Thad Woodard scored the winning free throw with 0.5 seconds left in a game marked by numerous foul calls on both sides. It was, however, the Hawks who capitalized on the situation, going 25-31 from the free throw line. A clutch win which moves MV to 1-0 in the TAAC and 2-1 overall on the young season.
Starting lineup: Marcus Knabbs, Jeremy Anderson, Solomon Collins, Rashad Woodley, Nick Towns
First quarter MV 10 - CS 7
Stritch tested the Hawks mettle early with a combination full court press and half court trap. MV achieved relative success early, and swung out to a 6-3 lead on a Lucas Isaza three pointer. Rashad Woodley clearly affected the game on both ends of the court with rebounding shot blocking. With time running out, Danny Hazimah scored to end the quarter ant put Maumee Valley ahead 10-7.
Second quarter - CS 15 - MV 12
The home team continued its pressing ways in the second quarter, but now kept star swing player Austin Adams back near the half court line to receive outlet passes. The Cardinal pressure was effective and an Adams basket gave CS their first lead, 12-11 at the 6:10 mark. But Maumee Valley hung tough. Coach Arthur continued his early season pattern of a deep bench rotation, 10 players seeing action in the first. The strategy panned out in a tightly called game with numerous fouls called. While no Hawk player had more than two fouls, Stritch's point guard was on the bench with three. At half time the two teams had battled to a 22-22 draw.
Third quarter - CS 16 - MV 11
The Cardinals' half court trapping pressure in the start of the third quarter, led to a quick five point run and a 27-22 lead. But in a game turning point, Marcus Knabbs decided he'd begin to aggressively work through the traps. Finding himself open, he successfully drove in for two points. Lucas was intentionally fouled and made one of two shots, then Solomon was fouled on this play
and converted one of two. The game was tied.
If you have sensed a pattern of numerous foul calls going MV's way, you'd be half right at this point. Thad Woodard picked up two quick fouls near the 5:00 mark, then after an MV steal, Marcus was called for charging. Both teams piled up fouls quickly.
CS' helter-skelter pace continued, now with accelerating success. Austin Adams scored eight straigt points off of rebounds and defense, including a cold steal off a normal in-bounds pass. The home team held what was to be it's largest lead of the evening, 35-27.
But the Hawks kept fighting back, converting their free throws. During the last two minutes of the third quarter, Lucas (4) and Rashad (2) were perfect from the line and cut the lead to one point. Adams continued to electrify the CS faithful, tipping in a missed shot at quarter end.
At the three quarter pole (courtesy of Martin Isaza)
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| A long and storied history for Cardinal Stritch below the scoreboard. |
Fourth Quarter - MV 20 - CS 14
For the third straight quarter, CS sprinted out ahead of their opponents with an early basket build off pressure. But now the CS pressure vs. MV deep rotation strategy tilted in favor of Coach Arthur. Both teams continued to foul, but MV's freer substitution spread these fouls over more players, Both teams reached the double bonus at the 6:56 mark, but the Cardinals floor leader, point guard Brooks Gasser, picked up his fourth foul of the evening.
Coach Dave Rieker had to come off the heat and play a 2-3 zone, which Keith McClure immediately exploited with a left-wing three pointer
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| No, not that kind of left-wing. Note that our man Che is portrayed in Cardinal Stritch colors. |
...cutting the Red and Black's lead to 43-40. MV seemed uplifted by this play
...and forced the above turnover. Nick Towns now got into the act:
...scoring two. The Hawks regained possession and Marcus hit one of two free throws to even the game at 43-all with 4:05 to go.
Cardinal Stritch would not go away, and the teams would go back and forth to the 1:08 mark with the score CS 49 - MV 48 . Which is where part 2 of the game story picks up.
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