Baldwin Wallace forges first-place tie with John Carroll

It is said death and taxes are the two sure things in life. Make that three things. Whenever the men’s basketball teams from Baldwin Wallace and John Carroll face each other, the competition will be fierce.

That was the case Jan. 17 when the Yellow Jackets pulled away in the closing minutes for an 88-79 victory over the Blue Streaks before a large, energized crowd at BW’s Ursprung Gymnasium.

“This was a great game with two really good teams playing at a high level,” BW coach Tom Heil said as his players and Yellow Jackets’ fans celebrated a satisfying win over the program’s natural rival.

With the victory. BW upped its records to 13-3 overall and 7-2 in the Ohio Athletic Conference.

JCU slipped to 13-3 overall and 7-2 in the OAC.

Midway through conference play, there is a threeway tie at the top between the Yellow Jackets, Blue Streaks and Marietta, also 13-3 overall and 7-2 in the OAC.

“This is the best the OAC has been in my three years as head coach here and the eight years I’ve been coaching in the league,” Heil said. “The teams at the top are very good and there really is no bottom. If you don’t come ready to play, you will lose.”

The crosstown showdown turned on a sequence that unfolded with just over two minutes remaining in the second half.

JCU had erased deficits as large as nine points and moved ahead, 77-76, on a layup by sophomore guard Jimmy Berger.

On the ensuing possession, BW forward Jake Fetheroff took a nifty feed from junior guard Jay Battle and crushed home a dunk to reclaim the lead for the Yellow Jackets at 78-77.

After completing the dunk. Fetheroff hung on the rim to avoid becoming entangled with Berger, who appeared to be beneath him.

JCU coach Pete Moran was whistled for a technical foul for demonstrating his unhappiness with Fetheroff’s actions after the dunk.

BW senior guard Cam Kuhn (Vermilion) sank two free throws after the technical to extend the lead to 8077. The Yellow Jackets scored the next six points to move ahead comfortably at 86-77.

“I thought the kid clearly hung on the rim and did a pull-up,” Moran said. “There was no profanity. It must have been my gesture. I take full responsibility. Our kids played their tails off. This one is on me.”

Heil, whose bench was at the same side of the floor as the basket where the play unfolded, defended Fetheroff’s hanging on the rim.

“The kid is a 3.9 student. He’s not going to make a dumb play there,” Heil said. “He’s allowed to do that under the circumstances. Obviously, it was a bang-bang decision by the officials.”

Kuhn and Fetheroff each finished with 17 points to pace BW. Fetheroff also grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds.

“They always give us a good game. This is a great rivalry,” Kuhn said. “We trusted each other to make the right plays tonight and we did.”

Battle, Mike Kamnski and Tyler Colombo each tallied 11 points for the Yellow Jackets, who shot 47.5 percent from the floor while limiting the Blue Streaks to 39.5 percent shooting.

“That team is so hard to defend with their style,” Heil said of the Blue Streaks. “I’m proud of the way we executed our game defensive plan and got stops in the second half.”

JCU senior guard Tony Vuyancihscored14ofhisgame-high 23 points in the second half.

“They did a great job defensively and came out with a lot more energy than us in the first half,” Vuyancih said.

Senior guard Matthew Csuhran added 15 points.

The teams meet again on Feb. 7 at JCU.