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

Published Sunday, March 22, 1998

PIAA PLAYOFFS
Tigers 62, Cardinals 52

County of champs
* * *
GJR joins KC as 1998 state titlist
* * *
TIGERS ROAR IN AA VICTORY OVER CENTRAL CATHOLIC

By Brad Isles
Herald Sports Writer

HERSHEY, Pa. _ A quick first step led to an explosive leap and then a thunderous slam by Gerome Ruff. What better way could there have been to cap a state title?

Ruff's jam with 25 seconds remaining solidified George Junior Republic's claim to its second PIAA Class AA basketball title in three years as the Tigers posted a 62-52 victory over a scrappy Reading Central Catholic squad Saturday afternoon at Hersheypark Arena.

The dunk also proved symbolic to what Mercer County schools have done to opponents in state playoff action in recent months. Just one night earlier, the Kennedy Christian boys basketball team won the Class A title. The two basketball teams follow the Reynolds wrestling team and the Sharpsville football team in winning state championships so far this school year.

It is believed to be the first time four county schools have won state titles in the same scholastic year.

It is also the first time in 44 years that two teams won PIAA basketball titles. In 1954, the West Middlesex boys won the Class C (small school) championship, while Farrell captured the Class A (big school) crown.

A title may be a title to some, but for George Junior coach Bob McConnell, this one is special compared to the one his team won in 1995-96, which also was over Reading Central Catholic (27-7).

``It's better to me because that year we were playoff experienced with our two guards,'' McConnell said. ``(Alvin) Anderson and (Mike) Bullins had been in the Western Final every year they were here. This team had basically no playoff experience. When you take a team that has no experience and fight the wars like we did in the playoffs with Shady Side and Aliquippa, and then to play Reading Central, which everyone knows how good their program is year in and year out ... that's three big wins in the state tournament.''

Jamal Benjamin, playing in his final game for the Tigers, scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the way for GJR, which won its school-record 31st game. Ruff added 18 points off the bench and swatted away a handful of shots.

The two keyed a nearly-perfect second quarter in which the Tigers improved a 9-6 lead after the first quarter to a 36-17 halftime margin. In the second frame, George Junior missed only three shots while shooting 79 percent (11 of 14) from the floor.

Ruff scored 14 points in the quarter, while Benjamin chipped in 10. The two combined to score GJR's first 22 points of the frame, while holding the Cardinals to 7 over the first 5 1/2 minutes. With time running out, Jarrod Graham, who added 15 points, hit a 3-pointer to give the Tigers the 19-point advantage at the half.

``We thought that if we jumped on them and got up on them that it would be hard for them to recover,'' McConnell said.

It wasn't. George Junior seemed to relax after the break and allowed Reading Central Catholic back into the game.

John Sharkey ignited a key Cardinal run with a hoop inside to open the quarter. Graham countered for the Tigers with a layup of his own, but Elmer Turpin connected on consecutive long-range 3-pointers to make it 38-25.

Graham followed with another layup but the Tigers committed turnovers on three consecutive possessions, enabling the Cardinals to cut the lead to 40-30 after Sharkey put back a Bruce DeLauder miss.

Ruff stopped Central's run with a put back of a Benjamin miss. But a Sharkey layup and a 3-pointer by DeLauder sandwiched another GJR turnover and the Cardinals were within seven points, 42-35, with 3:47 left in the third.

Sharkey hit inside after a pair of Benjamin foul shots to keep the Cardinals within seven. Then Turpin picked up a steal and drove to the basket, threw up an acrobatic shot that fell, but was negated after Harold Kelly stepped in and drew a charging call.

The play was crucial for the Tigers.

``We made a run at them,'' said Central coach Ken Esterly. ``Unfortunately for us they called that a charge. It was a big difference in the game for us. We could have cut it to four. Give the credit to George Junior. They responded after that.''

Central outscored George Junior 20-9 in the quarter and limited the Tigers to 3 of 12 shots (25 percent) from the floor. The Cardinals also forced six turnovers, but still trailed 45-37 heading into the fourth quarter.

``We were so high and up at halftime, then we sat down,'' McConnell said. ``We just didn't get the intensity level back up. It almost looked like we got lazy a little bit. I don't think our guys thought this team could beat us. I don't think they were fearing them too much. They came at us in the second half.''

The fourth quarter started ominously for the Cardinals as Sharkey, who led the team with 16 points, picked up his fourth foul just a minute into the frame. He sat for the next 3 1/2 minutes and the Tigers kept a comfortable lead during that time, holding a 51-43 advantage when he reentered.

George Junior made four of five foul shots down the stretch until Ruff's dunk iced the game and led the two coaches to empty their benches.

All season the Tigers had one, two or even three players step up their play when others weren't faring well. Saturday it happened to be Benjamin, Ruff and Graham. B.J. Grove, who had 20 points and 15 rebounds against Aliquippa in the semifinal, managed just 5 points and 7 boards against the Cardinals. Shane Keen and Kelly combined for just 6 points, but more than made up for it with their defensive play.

``It's different guys,'' McConnell said. ``Ruff played as good as he can play in the first half. Benjamin played as good as he can play in the first half. Graham played solid. But then you've got Grove who played probably one of his worst games this year. It's not a disgrace to him. You talk about a team that wins 30 games, you've got to have different people step up every night. That's what we've done all year long. We have six guys, a lot of weapons. We don't need six guys to step up and play every night.

``Any time you win 30, 31 games and a state title, you're doing things right. It's not just talent. There's a lot of other teams in the state that have talent that aren't here. Obviously we're doing things right other than just on the court at game time. We're in the weight room, we're on the court working on fundamentals. I think its just a tribute to all of our work.''

Notes: Like Benjamin, Keen and Graham were seniors playing in their final game for the Tigers. ... George Junior shot 51.1 percent from the field for the game, making 23 of 45 attempts. ... The Tigers committed 13 turnovers, while forcing Central into 11. ... The Cardinals shot 35.6 percent for the game, connecting on 21 of 59 attempts. ... George Junior outrebounded the Cardinals 37-33. ... Jared Mills scored 15 points for Central.

PIAA Class AA Championship
READING CENT. CATHOLIC (27-7)DeLauder 3-16 0-2 7, 
O'Donnell 1-5 0-0 3, DiGuglielmo 1-1 0-0 3, Christman 0-0 0-0 0, 
Miles 0-1 0-0 0, Ownes 0-0 0-0 0, Hayes 0-0 0-0 0, Turpin 2-8 0-0 6, 
Schlegel 0-0 0-0 0, Ugarte 0-0 0-0 0, Lundquist 0-1 0-0 0, 
Sharkey 8-16, 0-0 16, Brantley 0-1 0-0 0, Hassler 0-0 0-0 0, 
Washington 0-0 0-0 0, Mills 5-8, 5-8, 15. Totals 21-59 5-10 52.

GEORGE JR. REPUBLIC (31-1)Anderson 0-0 0-0 0, Bazemore 0-0 0-0 0, 
Benjamin 7-14, 4-4 18, Brown 0-0 0-0 0, Ford 0-0 0-0 0, 
Graham 5-9, 4-4 15, Grove 1-5, 3-4 5, Keene 2-4 0-1 4, 
Kelly 1-2 0-2 2, Marshall 0-0 0-0 0, Ruff 7-11 3-4 18, 
Pinson 0-0 0-0 0, Selby 0-0 0-0 0, Wiley 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-45 14-19 62.

READING CENT. CATHOLIC....6  17  37  52
GEORGE JR. REPUBLIC.......9  36  45  62

3-point goals: Reading Cent. Catholic 5-15 (Turpin 2-6, 
O'Donnell 1-5, DeLauder 1-1, DiGuglielmo 1-1, Hayes 0-1, Brantley 0-1), 
George Jr. Republic 2-2 (Ruff 1-1, Graham 1-1). 
Fouled out: None. Rebounds: Reading Cent. 
Catholic 33 (Miles 8), George Jr. Republic 37 (Benjamin 13). 
Total fouls: Reading Cent. Catholic 14, George Jr. Republic 18.

Back to TOP // Herald Back to Winter sports 97-98 // Herald Sports // Herald Home page

Updated March 22, 1998
Questions/comments: herald@pgh.net
For advertising and Web site design info: advertising@sharon-herald.com