The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Titans regain regional berth
The Lorain Titans waited a year to get back to the district final.
After falling to Olmsted Falls in last season’s district championship, something the Titans had on their minds throughout the entire 2019-20 season, they were denied a chance to get to regionals. Not this time.
The top-seeded Lorain Titans (17-8) defeated the seventh-seeded Lakewood Rangers (17-9), 71-48, in a Division I Elyria District final March 7 at Elyria Catholic High School.
Lorain advances to the Toledo/ Akron Regional semifinal, where it will face St. Edward at 7 p.m. March 11 at Rhodes Arena at the University of Akron.
“It feels great because last year, when we lost, it felt like I was a senior on that team,” senior Aaron Whitehead said. “That’s how much I wanted to win that game, and we waited a whole year for this so it feels really good.”
The Titans started well, taking a 20-14 lead after one quarter. Lorain hit four 3-pointers in the opening quarter and two of them came via junior guard Seth Wilson. The West Virginia University commit poured in a game-high 22 points, including four 3-pointers, and six rebounds.
Lakewood fought back in the beginning of the second quarter, using a 9-2 run to take a 23-22 lead. Lorain senior Jordan Jackson, who tallied seven points and three rebounds in the contest, helped his team retake the lead after nailing four straight free throws. The Titans then used an 11-4 run to close out the half as they led 3327 at the break.
That’s the closest the game was be the rest of the way as Lorain took over in the third quarter.
The Titans connected on shots from beyond the arc on four straight possessions. Wilson nailed a pair of 3s, while Whitehead (10 points) and Jamir Billings (10 points) both hit one 3-pointer apiece. Senior Deonte Benejan (14 points) also hit a 3-pointer during Lorain’s 19-4 run to open the second half.
“The third quarter matters a lot during playoff time. It sets the tone for the game,” Whitehead said. “That’s what we were thinking.”
The run gave Lorain a 52-31 lead with 3:05 left in the third quarter. Lakewood had seen enough as Coach Alex Cammock called a timeout.
“We came out and said we have to step on their neck and play hard,” Wilson said. “We also said we weren’t going to let them back into the game, and that’s what we did.”
The Titans cruised the rest of the way and held a 58-41 advantage through three quarters. Lorain also outscored the Rangers, 137, in the fourth quarter, punching their ticket to Akron.
“It feels amazing,” Benejan said. “Last year we came up short and were feeling how Lakewood is feeling. So we know that feeling, too. It’s exciting to be back here and to get the win. It’s what we’ve been grinding for all year and (at) all the hard practices.
(It feels good) to get here and keep balling.”
Lorain coach John Rositano was pleased with his team’s defensive effort against Lakewood. Rositano wasn’t happy with his team’s defense in their sectional final win over Avon. However, it appears the Titans have turned a corner since then. They ramped up their defensive intensity in their district semifinal win over Avon Lake and again against the Rangers.
“I felt we got comfortable in that game (against Avon) and we just had to re-focus,” Rositano said. “(We said) this is tournament basketball and you have to play 32 minutes. Not 24 minutes, 32, and the last two games, I thought we did that. I’m proud of our guys. We didn’t have the record that you’d like for Lorain, but with our schedule, injuries and adversity ... sometimes it pays off in the end and it feels like it did tonight.”
Nate Mims led Lakewood with 12 points. The Rangers will be graduating seven seniors.
“They shot the heck out of it,” Cammock said. “It’s tough when you are playing a team that’s that athletic, that quick and can get to the hole like that. If they are making shots, I don’t know what the heck to do ... our effort was tremendous, it was unbelievable, so all the credit in the world to Lorain.”