The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
John Carroll advances to OAC tournament final
Hot start propels Blue Streaks past rival Yellow Jackets in semifinal
Coaches’ and players’ nerves can go out the window when a team starts a game on a 25-2 run in its favor.
For a parent, the nervousness never goes away. That’s been the case for former John Carroll men’s basketball coach Mike Moran watching son Pete in his first year at the helm of the program his father built for 25 years.
So far, so good, and then some. The JCU men’s basketball team is one win from an Ohio Athletic Conference double-double in Pete Moran’s first season.
The Blue Streaks already won the regular-season title, and with a win Feb. 24 at home, they will claim the OAC tournament title, and most important, an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament.
That’s all possible thanks to a blistering start Feb. 22 in an OAC semifinal against crosstown rival Baldwin Wallace. With Mike Moran watching from the stands, JCU raced to a 25-2 lead seven minutes into the game, and never looked back in a 93-72 victory.
“The only thing missing this year is me,” joked Mike Moran after his son’s team’s dominant victory. “What a great job they’re doing this year. It’s been so much fun to watch.”
JCU plays Ohio Northern, a 94-88 winner over Marietta in the other semifinal, in the OAC final Feb. 24 at 7:30 at the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center. The Blue Streaks and Polar Bears split this season.
The Blue Streaks were spot on at both ends in the first 30 minutes. They connected on 18 of 34 shots in the first half, including 6 of 11 from 3-point range. Just as impressive, and perhaps moreso, was JCU’s defensive effort. It allowed the Blue Streaks to build a 23-point lead seven minutes in. It was a complete turnaround from Feb. 20, when JCU trailed, 20-4, in the first half against Heidelberg in an OAC quarterfinal.
“I think our guys came out with a little bit more energy,” said Pete Moran. “We told the guys we can’t afford to put ourselves behind the eight-ball. We emphasized coming out early, attacking the rim. It always
helps when your shots early on.”
At the midway point of the first half, JCU was 11 of 17 from the field, and BW was 3 of 16. Yellow Jackets coach Tom Heil said his team was not ready for what the Blue Streaks brought at the start.
“They punched us in the mouth,” said Heil. “They were ready to play, and were rolling. We seemed to tighten up early, and we just couldn’t get a stop. We just couldn’t get good looks early on.”
JCU (23-5) rode the hot hands of leading scorer Matt Csuhran and Ryan Berger. Csuhran made 7 of 14 shots, including 3 of 6 from 3-point range for a game-high 24 points. Berger was 8 of 11 from the field — 4 of 5 from long distance — and netted 20. Berger’s brother Jimmy was the other Blue Streaks
making
player in double-figures with 13 points.
“Yeah we were making shots, but the defensive effort meant everything tonight,” said Csuhran, who said the team is motivated from its first-round exit from last season’s OAC tournament. “We’re on a mission to win the OAC.”
As a team, JCU was 12 of 27 from 3-point range, and outrebounded BW by a 4938 margin. Allen Stokes paced the Blue Streaks with 10 boards, followed by Jimmy Berger’s nine and NDCL grad John Cirillo’s seven. Cirillo played in his 100th career game at JCU Feb. 22.
The Yellow Jackets were led by senior and Vermilion grad Cam Kuhn, who finished off his standout career with 17 points. He ranks No. 4 on BW’s alltime scoring list with 1,881 points.
“They were ready to play, and were rolling. We seemed to tighten up early, and we just couldn’t get a stop.”