By Don McDermott – Sports Editor, The Daily Advocate
PITSBURG – Shane Bietry, the Most Valuable Player of the Jets Holiday Basketball Tournament, had a wish. “I wish the whole team could have been named most valuable,” Bietry, champion Tri-Village’s 5-foot-11 senior guard, said Saturday, after being named MVP by a panel of coaches.
The vote came after the undefeated Patriots had overwhelmed Arcanum 97-49 in the championship game, played before 1,100 fans in the Franklin Monroe gym.
“We’re a team,” said Bietry, “Dirk (Lewis) and Scoob (Cook) are on the all-tournament team and they could have been named MVP just as easily as I was.
“But it feels good to be included in the class of past MVP’s in this tournament,” said Bietry. In 1989 Joe Ayette, now pursuing a Division I baseball career at Youngstown State University, was the MVP after Tri-Village had beaten Versailles 65-57 for the title.
“I think we have a good team…a very good team,” said Bietry, standing in the middle of the Franklin Monroe gym, where minutes earlier, the Patriots had completed a record-setting performance against Arcanum and extended their unbeaten streak this season to nine games.
“Tonight, we decided to play defense better than we have in some other games,” said Bietry. “We really got after Arcanum. They were aggressive early (and led twice in the first period), but we just decided to get after them. Scoob’s rebounding and outlet passes got us really going in the third period.” Their next 15 possessions, the Patriots scored, hitting 14 of 16 shots, including 3-for-3 from 3-point range. In that quarter, the Patriots’ run-and-score attack scored on 13 consecutive possessions (14 of 16 shots) to roll up 33 points. That explosion rocketed Tri-Village’s lead to 78-37.
Bietry had 12 points, six assists, and four steals in the title game. Lewis had five assists and 19 points, while Cook had 18 points.
“Tonight, the difference was Tri-Village played defense,” said Neil Hans, the Arcanum coach. “They stepped up about three notches…they came after us and didn’t let us do anything.
“I thought the way they played defense last night (Friday, in an 83-72 victory against Versailles), we could be in the game,” said Hans. “But their defensive pressure knocked us out of our patterns.”
The Trojans committed 27 turnovers, including seven, which helped fuel the Patriots fast-gun attack in the third period.
Arcanum led 7-4 in the first 2:52, but the Patriots put in nine of their last 10 shots in the period and in charge 25-16 after the first eight minutes.
It was 45-27 at halftime, but the Patriots did show one weakness. They were only eight of 14 from the foul line, missing two one-and-one bonuses, as well as committing six turnovers of their 15 turnovers.
The third-period assault began after the Patriots had thrown the ball away twice and scored just two points in the first 2:38. But on Cook rebounds and outlet passes to Bietry or Lewis triggered the break. Lee Brandon, T-V’s sixth man, was 6-for-6 from the field for 13 points, all scored in a span of 4:40.
The fourth quarter was marred by two incidents where tempers flared among the players and angry shouts came from the crowd. After the second incident, with about six minutes left, an intentional foul was assessed the Patriots. Officials huddled with both Lee Falknor, the Tri-Villages coach, and Hans after the second incident; there were no further incidents.
For Falknor, the victory had special significance, other than extending his team’s winning streak. “We’re the first Tri-Village team to win this tournament two years in a row,” said Falknor. “Tonight, we were ready to play. I’ve been on their case a little to play better defense. Our man-to-man tonight…well, I’m pleased with the effort.
“What we wanted was high intensity, not high emotion…for the kids to play hard and do things fundamentally sound,” said Falknor.
Tri-Village is on the road to West Alexandria Twin Valley South Friday and will be at home Saturday against National Trail as the Cross County Conference campaign resumes
Beside Bietry, Cook and Lewis, the All-Tournament team included Chris Groff of Versailles, Kerry Vanatta of Franklin Monroe, and Ryan Hood of Arcanum.
Scoring
Tri-Village……25…..20……33…..19 – 97
Arcanum….….16…..11……10…..12 – 49
Tri-Village
Bietry - 12
Lewis - 19
Ward - 13
Fisherback - 5
Brandon - 19
Lindamood - 7
Cook - 18
Baker - 4
Totals - 97
Arcanum
Gray - 6
Whittaker - 5
Hood - 16
Hollinger - 10
Massengale - 6
Foster - 6
Totals - 49
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