The Herald, Sharon, Pa: Winter sports '97-'98

Published Saturday, March 14, 1998

PIAA PLAYOFFS
Eagles 71, Hornets 64
OT heaven
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Kennedy uses 2 overtimes to down Juniata
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GOLDEN EAGLES REBOUND AFTER BLOWING BIG LEAD
By Ed Farrell
Herald Sports Writer

INDIANA _ Remember March 13, 1998? You were there, at Indiana University of Pa., weren't you?

Years _ no, decades _ from now, that's the question Kennedy Christian High School boys basketball fans will ask themselves, as they will forever relish the Golden Eagles' 71-64 double-overtime victory over Juniata Valley.

``We've never, ever, ever come back after being down like that, since I've been here. We have a lot of character. It was unbelievable! It was one of the most unbelievable games I've ever been in,'' admitted veteran mentor Joe Votino.

The Golden Eagles rode the emotional roller-coaster that is the PIAA playoffs, before ultimately etching another chapter in the school's storied cage annals. After allowing a 20-point lead to dissipate into 6-point OT deficit, Kennedy stood on the precipice of one of those ignominious moments that can haunt a program for years.

Instead, by virtue of the victory, Kennedy Christian (28-2) will meet Bishop Carroll _ a 49-46 victor over Keystone _ Tuesday night in the Class A Western Regional championship game at a site and time to be announced.

``You know what?'' Votino rhetorically asked, admitting, ``We were doubting ourselves. We were. They were outhustling us, they were getting rebounds, we weren't blocking out. And then all of a sudden, we got a little confidence, and we starting blocking out, we started outhustling them, and that was the difference in the game at the end.''

The 40-minute contest featured a season's worth of pivotal points. Ultimately, Kennedy overcame a 60-54 deficit with 50.6 seconds remaining in the first OT on Justin Green's traditional 3-point play, a missed Andy Simpson trey with approximately 14 seconds left, and John Reimold's corner triple with 3.6 ticks which necessitated the second extra session.

Then the Golden Eagles scored the first seven points, while fatigue and nerves jolted Juniata Valley's heroic comeback bid as the Green Hornets committed a trio of turnovers and misfired on 8 of 9 shots.

``You never know what's going on inside kids' heads,'' Votino admitted. ``We definitely were doubting ourselves _ we had our heads down _ and I don't know why. I mean, we've played 30 games, we've beaten some great teams, and they're a great team.

``But to have confidence problems now is not the time,'' Votino, eyebrows arching, emphasized.

But there was no doubting Reimold's jumper injected adrenalin into a team that, like a prize-fighter poised on the ropes and ready to be counted out, battles back with a tenacity found only in the deep recesses of the heart.

``I know John Reimold's shot was big,'' Votino acknowledged. ``But the ball's gotta get to him, and Carlos Oatis drew the defense, kicked it to John, and he hit the 3. It was a designated play and it put us into double- overtime and it was over.''

``We just went after 'em with everything we had,'' began Juniata Valley head coach Mike Fields. ``We didn't use our bench so much, and we were pretty tired out there. ``It was deflating,'' Fields, referring to Reimold's jumper, admitted, ``because we said we don't want anybody in the paint; we're gonna stand out on the 3-point line and be with someone out there. I mean, there's just no reason to go inside, and someone got lost and that ... that ... well, it was a great shot, but we opened it up.

``They definitely had the momentum back,'' Fields said of Kennedy. ``And, in the second overtime, I think the pressure and the fatigue and everything began to show, because we made some mistakes. We just got careless with the ball, and people who normally shoot, passed up shots, and there were turnovers. The second overtime, our execution was poor.''

In the second OT, a pair of Lamar Jefferson and Damon Clayton layups, and Carlos Oatis' conversion of the front end of a 1-and-1 bonus free- throw opportunity, allowed Kennedy to forged into a 67-60 bulge with only 1:20 remaining.

``I said, `We're winning this second overtime. This game is our's. We have battled, unbelievably, back. This overtime is our's,' and that's what we talked about,'' Votino related, recalling his thought-process following Reimold's rainbow.

The two regulation halves stood in stark contrast.

Led by Ryan McElhinny's 5-for-8 long-range marksmanship _ including a trio of treys during the second stanza _ Kennedy assumed a shocking 37-17 margin at intermission. Complementing McElhinny was the 8-point, 10-rebound performance of Green. Conversely, Juniata Valley struggled through a collective 8-for-30 shooting performance, and Simpson _ averaging 25.9 points per game entering the game _ missed his only four floor shots.

McElhinny's driving layup and subsequent freebie afforded Kennedy a seemingly insurmountable 37-17 bulge 72 seconds into the second half, when Juniata Valley's vaunted perimeter game finally surfaced in full fury.

With Simpson tallying a trio of treys and Andy Fouse and Tom Anders each adding a trifecta, the Hornets drew within 46-36 by the third-quarter turn.

In the final frame, a Theron Glenny triple, two Fouse treys and a half-dozen Simpson points, coupled with four Kennedy turnovers, enabled Juniata Valley to draw within 54-53 with 1:37 remaining in regulation. A Fouse freebie with 61 seconds left ultimately knotted the count at 54 at the end of the fourth frame, though both teams traded numerous opportunities. After Clayton rebounded a Glenny miss with about 19 seconds left, Green had a short baseline jumper blocked and Simpson rebounded with 1.1 ticks to play. Although Simpson caught the ensuing inbounds pass at midcourt, he was unable to launch a potential game-winner before time expired.

In the first OT, Simpson's trey, a Ron Anders bucket and a Bill Lightner free throw gave the Hornets a 60-54 bulge before Green's 3-point play _ about 20 seconds before he was disqualified for his fifth personal foul on a charging call _ and Reimold's jumper necessiated another 4- minute period.

``I think they paid their dues, absolutely,'' Votino said of his seniors. ``We've been in these games, we've had some heart-breaking losses. It really is their turn. They've paid their dues, just like in life.

``When you've got a chance to go to Hershey, I'm very excited,'' the excitable Votino admitted. ``And we don't get this far to lose.''

Notes:Kennedy, winners of 22 straight, connected on 22 of 47 (46.8) floor shots, including all four in the second OT, compared with Juniata Valley's 22-for-70 (31.4) effort ... Green grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds, leading Kennedy to a 39-36 margin. Simpson and Ron Anders, with 8 and 7 respectively, led Juniata Valley (27-3) ... Kennedy committed 21 turnovers, 10 in the second half, compared with a dozen for the Hornets.

PIAA Class A Quarterfinals


KENNEDY CHRISTIAN _ C. Oatis 2-3-4-9; Jefferson 4-1-2-9; Clayton 2-2-3-6; Green 4-5-5-13; McElhinny 7-1-1-19; M. Oatis 1-2-2-4; Reimold 3-5-7-12;  Hurl 0-0-0-0. 3-pt. goals: McElhinny 4, C. Oatis 1, Reimold 1. Totals: 23-19-24-71.
JUNIATA VALLEY _ R. Anders 4-0-0-8; Fouse 5-3-5-17; T. Anders 2-0-1-5; Simpson 6-2-5-18; Lightner 3-3-5-11; Glenny 2-1-2-7; Wisor 0-0-0-0. 3-pt. goals: Fouse 4, Simpson 4, Glenny 2, T. Anders 1. Totals: 22-9-17-64.
KENNEDY..........17  34  46  54  60  71
JUNIATA VALLEY...10  17  36  54  60  64

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Updated March 16, 1998
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