By Don McDermott – Sports Editor, The Daily Advocate
PITSBURG – Because it was able to execute the big plays, Tri-Village gets a chance to become the first team in 10 years to win back-to-back Jets Holiday Basketball Tournament titles tonight.
The relentless Patriots, 8-0, defeated persistent Versailles 83-72 in an opening-round game before 1,100 fans in the Franklin Monroe High School gym Friday night to advance to the championship game against Arcanum 4-5.
The Trojans, in the finale for the first time since 1986 ousted host Franklin Monroe 63-51 in the nightcap.
The last team to win consecutive championships was Marion Local; led by present-day New Bremen High School boys basketball coach Gary Jones, the Flyers defeated… of all teams…Tri-Village in 1980 and 1981.
That the Patriots advanced was a testimony to their ability to find gaps in the Tiger defenses in critical situations.
“Every time we made a run, Tri-Village was always able to come back and get a score…that’s a sign of a good team,” said Al Arnold, the Versailles coach. “They were able to drive the ball on us, and that was something we had talked about all week…something we had to stop…”
The biggest move came with 1:32 left in the game. Versailles, down by as many as 15 points in the second half, had rallied to within eight on Keenan Leichty’s putback of a Chris Groff shot with 1:53 to go.
But after Randy Ward missed a free throw, the Patriots’ senior forward scrambled for the loose ball, drove the baseline for a basket. Fouled on the play, Ward sank the free throw and Tri-Village was in command, 77-66 with 92 ticks left.
“That was a big play,” said Lee Falknor, the Tri-Village Coach. “Randy saw the hole and took the ball to the basket.” Ward finished with 10 points, one of five Patriots in double figures.
Shane Bietry and Nate Lindamood, who penetrated the Versailles defenses to shoot high-percentage jumpers from the key or baseline, had 19 points each. Dirk Lewis added 15 points and Scoob Cook 13.
“Bietry…we couldn’t stop him all night long,” said Arnold of the Patriots’ senior guard who had his problems shooting from beyond the foul line, but was able to drive into the pain for short-ranges shots.
Versailles had its standouts, too. Chris Groff, a 6-2 senior forward who is the only returning starter from the Tigers’ 14-8 team of a year ago, scored 23 points, hitting four of six 3-point shots.
Brian Gehret, who maneuvered in the low post and had to yield a seven-inch height advantage to the 6-6 Cook, scored 17 points. Keenan Leichty put in three of five 3-pointers and had 15 points before he fouled out late in the fourth quarter.
“This was the most physical game we’ve played in this season,” said Falknor. “Versailles is a physical bunch of guys who have shown a lot of improvement since I first saw them.
“At times, we handled Versailles’ aggressiveness well…at other times, I thought we were tentative,” said Falknor, whose team is now 2-0 against Versailles this season. The Patriots won 86-56 in a non-conference game on the Tigers’ court earlier this month.
“What helped us, we got some good play from the bench,” said Falknor. “Lee (Brandon) came in and made our press go in the second quarter. He’s working hard to do a good job, and the nice thing about his being our sixth man is, he can come in and fill in for anybody.”
Brandon scored seven points for the Patriots, who shot 50 percent (27 of 54) from the floor and were 24-31 from the foul line. Versailles, playing disciplined, half-court basketball, was 27-58 (46.5 percent) from the field, including seven of 11 from 3-point range.
“We didn’t want to get into a running game with Tri-Village,” said Arnold. “We played with discipline…that’s why we were able to turn this into a game.
Scoring
Tri-Village……13…..27……23…..20 – 83
Versailles….….13…..21……14…..24 – 72
Tri-Village
Bietry - 19
Lewis - 15
Ward - 10
Fisherback - 0
Brandon - 6
Lindamood - 19
Cook - 13
Baker - 0
Totals - 83
Versailles
Leichty - 15
Knore - 6
Groff - 23
Drees - 2
Gehret - 17
Mescher - 9
Totals - 72
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