Auroraadvocate.com - Boys end with win, look forward to tourney play

by Brent Hovey

Correspondent

Aurora -- It was the final game of the regular season and senior night for the boys basketball team.

And AHS got what it needed -- a win in the final home game for the six seniors and a confidence-building win entering postseason play.

Never trailing, AHS defeated rival Streetsboro 68-65.

Coach Brian Force was worried at the start, because he was honoring his seniors and starting a lineup that hadn't played much together.

Twins Steve and Matt Deptola, got to start, and saw the most minutes of their careers. Jeff Grubbs started, along with Ty Watson and Mitch Knapp. Alex Kovalik, who usually starts, came off the bench.

"They didn't miss a beat," said Force. "Streetsboro tired to trap up in the half court and pressure us, but we moved the ball well and got out to an early lead.

"I was able to keep the boys [the starters] in there longer than I expected because of the way they were playing."

The group helped AHS jump to an 18-9 lead in the first quarter before the Rockets cut it to 18-12 after the first eight minutes.

"It's always fun as a coach to put seniors in and have them play well," said Force. "They've put the time and effort in, and deserved to play."

The seniors combined for 39 points. Knapp led the way with 14, followed by Grubbs with 10, Watson 9, Kovalik 4 and Steve Deptola 2.

Joe Mims and Trayvon Nash came off the bench for the first time this year and scored 13 and 11 points, respectively.

Streetsboro cut the lead to 32-30 by halftime thanks to a buzzer-beating half-court bank shot.

The second half went back-and-forth, but AHS never let the Rockets gain the lead. Aurora didn't make costly turnovers, something which had been its Achilles' heal in most of the losses this year.

"It was a good tournament-style game," Force said. "Streetsboro is athletic and well-coached. But we made our free throws [7 of 9] and limited turnovers [12], especially down the stretch.

"In playoff basketball you have to maximize your possessions and we more or less did that. It gives us some confidence heading into the tournament."

The sectional tourney started March 1, but Aurora won't play until March 6 at 7:30 at Stow. The foe will be the winner of March 2's Walsh Jesuit-Orange game.

Force said the team was to have dinner and travel together to watch the Walsh-Orange game.

When asked the typical question -- "who would you rather face?" -- Force didn't give the typical answer.

"I think we match up well with both teams, but if you were to ask our guys, I think they'd say they'd rather play Orange," he said.

AHS has played the Lions twice this year, winning by 20 at home and losing by 10 on the road.

The loss came at a critical time for the Greenmen, as they were in the thick of the CVC title race and the setback really took them out of contention.

"Our kids are familiar with Orange so I think that's why they'd want to play them," Force said. "But they handed us a tough loss, and I think our kids would like to try and get back at them."

Force said it doesn't matter who they end up playing because it's playoff basketball and success or failure will be based on what they do, not who they play.

"Our kids are to get that sectional championship," Force said. "If we do, it would be a good way to build for next year, and something the seniors will remember."