The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Cornerstone advances to regional final
CANTON » Cornerstone Christian drove its final nail into Rittman’s chances of winning early in the fourth quarter. The sequence typified the Patriots’ program.
The Indians sliced Cornerstone’s lead to single digits early in the period. After Ricky Adams’ layup, Jeremy Owens picked up Rittman point guard William Swartz as soon as he received the ensuing inbound pass.
Owens cut Swartz off to his left, then Swartz drove upcourt to his right as Owens, attached to Swartz’s hip, harassed him. Owens knocked the ball loose and Michael Bothwell laid out to try to wrangle a loose ball.
Titus Wheeler instead came up with the ball, drove upcourt and made the extra pass to Bothwell for a layup.
Bothwell’s layup extended the Cornerstone lead to double digits and forced a Rittman timeout. The Indians drew no closer as the Patriots defeated Rittman, 56-41, in a Division IV Canton Regional semifinal at Canton Fieldhouse on March 13.
The statement play delivered the effect Cornerstone hoped it would at the beginning of the quarter.
– Cornerstone Christian guard Michael Bothwell “We wanted to be able to pressure them and let them know this game was going to be over quick.”
The Patriots led, 40-30, at the start of the fourth and after a 3-pointer drew Rittman within seven, Cornerstone wanted to erase any inclination of a rally by extending its lead back to double-digits.
“You’re low-key feeling like the game is over with,” Bothwell said. “We wanted to do the same thing since we were in a positive position. We wanted to take the air out of their chest. We wanted to be able to pressure them and let them know this game was going to be over quick.”
Bothwell led all scorers with 22 points. Kendall Saunders added 14 for the Patriots, who advance to a D-IV Canton Regional final March 16 against Mansfield St. Peter’s.
Bothwell scored seven points in the first quarter to give Cornerstone a 13-9 lead. The Patriots led by 10, 27-17, after a pair of layups from Saunders before Rittman cut its deficit to five, 27-22, at halftime.
The Indians remained within striking distance via their 3-point shooting. Kaleb Bauman and Connor Stuart each made a pair of 3-pointers in the first half. Andy Weybrecht and Cornerstone’s coaches emphasized improved communication to prevent clean looks from the perimeter in the second half.
“We did a much better job talking through screens in the second half,” Weybrecht said. “They got some open ones off missed communications, or lack of communications, probably. We did a lot better job of that in the second half and made their shots a little bit tougher on him.”
A Bothwell dunk followed Martel Ferrell’s corner 3 to give Cornerstone a 12-point lead late in the third before Rittman’s tipin beat the buzzer. Evan Ringer’s 3-pointer drew the Indians within seven, 40-33, before the Patriots’ defense cracked Rittman.
“They’re athletic and they’re disciplined,” Rittman coach Chad Bever said. “When you mix that athleticism with that type of discipline and coaching, that’s a great recipe for success.”
Bauman led the Indians with 16 points, and Stuart chipped in 10.
Cornerstone limited the effectiveness of 6-foot-10 center Justin Flaisman, primarily behind Saunders’ effort. The Patriots’ coaching staff stressed the need for Cornerstone’s defenders to beat Flaisman down the floor and prevent him from establishing position in the post.
“That comes with our speed,” Weybrecht said. “Our big guys can run the floor. They wanted to beat him to the block and not let him get that spot. Force him to be six feet and out in order to have to catch the ball out there. We felt he couldn’t make as many plays if he did that.”
When the Patriots’ defense elevated its performance in the fourth quarter, Cornerstone extended its lead to a peak of 19 points.
“Defense is our main priority,” Saunders said. “Our offense flows through our defense so if we get stops, then we get buckets. That’s how we play, pressure them on defense, run in transition, easy lays, maybe a transition 3 here and there. That’s what we do.”