CLEVELAND, Ohio – A year ago, Markell Johnson’s 47-point electrified the crowd inside East Professional Center to deliver a third straight Senate League boys basketball title to East Tech.
Isaiah Washington nearly provided that much — 41 points — in helping deliver a fourth title.
The 5-foot-11 guard transferred last year from Rhodes. He helped the Rams reach the playoffs, only to fall against Glenville in the Senate semifinals. This time around, he helped East Tech beat the Tarblooders, 71-66, in Friday’s title game.
“It was personal,” Washington said. “I had to get the win.”
He is one of four players to transfer last year from Rhodes; sophomore Brison Waller and junior Donovan Forte are now at Garfield Heights, while Nijon Kirkman left for John Hay.
Washington left as Rhodes leading scorer. He came to East Tech with another standout, 6-2 guard Tyshaun Howard doing the same this season.
Howard said Friday after celebrating another Senate League title that he did not mind handing the role of lead scorer to Washington.
“He’s a bad man,” Howard said repeatedly with a smile.
East Tech coach Brett Moore preferred to call Washington “a blessing.”
“I had no clue that this kid came to Tech,” Moore said. “When I saw him play, I said this kid has something special in him. It’s just a matter of getting him to come out of his shell. He’s real reserved.”
See the video above for how Washington let his game talk for him in the Senate League final.
BRUIN AN UPSET
- Kevin Peterson scored 22 points, Alex Ludwick had 20 and Padua held off Benedictine — the ninth-ranked team in the cleveland.com — for a 74-72 road win.
Padua (12-6) held slim leads throughout and clinched it at the free-throw line.
The victory avenged a 12-point loss earlier in the season. See Padua in action as it adjusted to a new coach in the preseason.
- That’s not all. Coventry handed Woodridge its first loss, 61-55, in the Portage Trail Conference Metro Division. Coventry, last year’s champion, pulled within a game of the Bulldogs and pulled away with a big fourth quarter. Micah Wallace led Coventry with 22 points.
- Orange (11-6, 10-2) is back in first place of the Chagrin Valley Conference’s Chagrin Division with Beachwood (13-5, 10-2). That’s noteworthy because the Lions avenged an earlier loss to the Bison, a perennial CVC power, and they did it shorthanded.
Orange is playing the rest of the season without injured leading scorer Jaylan Hewitt. In his absence, Jalen Warren scored 23 points and Jordan Thompson added 15 as the guards led Orange on the road.
- Brecksville won its 1,000th game in program history, sending home Nordonia with a 66-56 Suburban League triumph. Senior guard Matt Dimitrijevs led Brecksville with 20 points.
This picture sums up tonight. I couldn’t be more proud and happy for Greg and Stevie and the entire staff and player’s. Well done guys! pic.twitter.com/1RwcX5QgxL
— Dom DiPasqua (@beevillesports) February 4, 2017
CLICK HERE FOR FRIDAY’S SCOREBOARD
PLANTING SEEDS
A few statements Friday will leave an impact next weekend when Northeast Ohio coaches submit their votes for seeding in the district tournaments. They will convene Sunday to determine the brackets.
That leaves just a few more games to make a last impression, and a few matchups Saturday will provide that opportunity.
- No. 5 Garfield Heights (12-4) visits No. 14 Medina (15-3) in a non-conference tilt. A win for Garfield Heights should wrap up the No. 1 seed in Solon. A win for Medina gives it a case in Copley, where Archbishop Hoban could have the inside track. The Bees are coming off a 23-point win against No. 18 Brunswick.
- No. 13 Mentor (13-4) looks to bounce back from a two-point loss at Solon, while No. 17 Villa Angela-St. Joseph (11-5) hopes it doesn’t suffer a repeat of last Saturday’s matchup with a Division I program — it lost by 34 at St. Edward.
@CardinalCage loses by 2 to Solon on last second jumper by @SinCarry3 75-73. Great game. See you guys in the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/ymIO6vQtqI
— Vidas Tatarunas (@vtatarunas) February 4, 2017
- Speaking of bouncing back, Benedictine (12-4) will try and do that when it plays host to Gilmour (11-4).
- Orange (11-6) can build some momentum in Division II as it visits defending Division IV state champion Cornerstone Christian (12-4).
- Former Elyria teammates, now coaches, meet up at Elyria Catholic. Brett Larrick leads his 12th-ranked Pioneers (14-3) to face Phil Kuchta’s Panthers (11-4), who debuted in the Top 25 this week at No. 22. A win for Elyria Catholic can ascend it in the Division III Garfield Heights District seeding, a pool that includes VASJ and Gilmour.
- No. 8 Cleveland Heights (12-5) edged No. 1 St. Ignatius (10-4) in the season-opening Great Lakes Classic at Maple Heights. The top-ranked Wildcats have had most of the week off because of a snow day Tuesday that wiped out their matchup with Benedictine.
CLICK HERE FOR SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE
PERFORMANCES TO NOTE
Besides Washington’s big night for East Tech, here is who else stood out Friday:
- No. 4 Lorain is in control of the Lake Erie League. Naz Bohannon’s 31 points and 11 rebounds are why. Bohannon a 6-6 senior forward put up those gaudy numbers at Maple Heights, leading the Titans to a 78-69 win. Lorain now has a two-game lead on Cleveland Heights and the Mustangs.
- He’s back. Ohio-bound forward A.J. Gareri scored 21 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead No. 19 Ellet past Firestone, 77-67.
- Donald Johnson reached 1,000 career points for Oberlin in an 80-55 Patriot Athletic Conference win at Brooklyn. Johnson scored 25 points and became Oberlin’s eighth player to reach the milestone in program history.
New Story: Johnson knots 1,000 points as the Phoenix roll https://t.co/p9BrwlqWX2 pic.twitter.com/TbMrpGH61Y
— Phoenix Athletics (@OBPhoenix) February 4, 2017
- Clearview will soon meet Oberlin to settle the PAC Stripes Division. On Friday, Jamel Billings scored 16 of his 22 points in the third quarter to spark the Clippers past Lutheran West, 81-70.
- A few days after gaining social media attention for his excitement over seeing LeBron James, No. 21 Central Catholic senior guard Tyler Golphin poured in 20 points during an 89-67 road win at Warren JFK. Golphin and the Ironmen beat Garfield Heights on Wednesday at The Q. They followed up taking down a Division I contender by beating JFK, once ranked in the state Division IV poll.
tfw you finish playing your H.S. game @TheQArena & then someone walks on to get pregame shots up … and it’s @KingJames.
