The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Harvey shows growth in win
Harvey led for the first 26 minutes of its sectional semifinal at Perry on Feb. 27.
Then, with six minutes to play, Drew Schiano’s 3-pointer gave the Pirates their first lead.
Perry, in front of a frenzied home crowd and already in the bonus, held the entirety of momentum.
Harvey coach Dave Wojciechowski had no message for his team. The Red Raiders already knew what was necessary.
Among Harvey’s core of underclassmen, junior guard Daylin Davis stepped forward.
Davis’ layup followed Schiano’s 3 to restore Harvey’s lead. Two possessions later, his 3-pointer swung momentum back to the Red Raiders. Harvey proceeded to defeat Perry, 47-44, in a Division II Ashtabula District sectional semifinal.
“We just need a leader to step up,” Wojciechowski said. “We’re trying to find our way with that. He did a great job in the third and fourth quarter for us.”
Davis led the Red Raiders with 14 points. Junior David Dobbins added 11.
When Harvey fell behind, Davis ensured his teammates knew where the ball should go.
“I feel like when the game’s on the line, I love pressure,” Davis said. “I told David, after the timeout, to get me the ball and I’m going to go score.”
Davis and Dobbins scored five points apiece in the first quarter as the Red Raiders led, 10-2, after eight minutes. Harvey held the ball for the quarter’s final 2½ minutes against Perry’s zone defense that didn’t extend beyond the 3-point line. Davis banked in a 3 as the buzzer sounded to close the period.
Harvey’s tempo hastened in the second quarter. The Red Raiders filled passing lanes for steals that sent them downcourt for transition opportunities. Harvey built a double-digit lead on Tyrelle Early’s 3-pointer and led, 25-13, at halftime.
Jake Reid opened the second half with a layup and energized the Pirates with his defense and offensive penetration. Davis’ layup, punctuated with a flex of both biceps, pushed Harvey’s lead back to double-digits, 34-24.
Perry embarked on an 11-0 run from the end of the third quarter into the fourth. Schiano’s 3 capped the run and gave the Pirates their first lead, 35-34, with six minutes to play.
Davis responded, the Red Raiders never trailed again and Harvey earned a hardfought playoff win in a hostile environment.
“There comes a time in these guys’ young careers that they’re going to have to learn how to start winning and playing basketball games,” Wojciechowski said. “Tonight was that case.”
Reid led all scorers with 18 points and Cubbison
added 12 for the Pirates. Cubbison scored 10 points in the third quarter to help whittle Harvey’s lead to six, 34-28, headed to the fourth.
The loss caps a 10-13 season for Perry after the Pirates finished 3-20 a year ago. Juniors Reid and Matthew Cool, sophomores Cubbison and Schiano and freshman Jaylen Anderson developed in significant minutes this season.
By Coach Al Iacofano’s estimation, 10 of the Pirates’ 13 losses were in games they either led, were tied or trailed by one possession.
“Wins and losses, yeah we improved on that,” Iacofano said. “But how effective we played and how competitive we were against the best teams on our schedule put this program on track to be in a good place next year. We’re excited.”