The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Titans untarnished after LEL headliner ‘W’
Pierre-Louis records double-double, Grant nets 30 in big Lorain victory
Lorain was still reeling after giving up the Lake Erie League title to Cleveland Heights last season, and the Titans were not about to let it slip out of reach once again.
After the Tigers took their first lead with 3:04 left in regulation, Lorain (10-1, 4-0) went on a 7-2 run that included some clutch free-throw shooting and the Titans pulled off a 75-71 victory to take over sole possession of first place in the LEL.
“It’s always about the getback,” senior Taevon Pierre-Louis said. “That’s just us, though.
“I’m proud of our teammates for the big turnaround, getting the ‘W’ today. That was a great Heights team.”
Pierre-Louis finished with a double-double, including 14 points and 13 rebounds, and was one of four Titans to reach double figures. Devon Grant once again led all scorers, this time with 30 points. Deonte Benejan had 15 and Jordan Jackson 10.
Grant entered the game having made his last 28 straight free throws, and his streak reached 31 — a school record — before the senior missed his next three.
But it was a free throw with 1:10 on the clock that tied the game at 69 before he knocked down his next four in a row to seal the win.
When asked if he’d rather have anyone else at the line in a critical moment, PierreLouis simply said: “Nah.”
“For sure Grant. Ya’ll saw him down the stretch last year. For sure Grant. Get
him the ball every trip.”
Jordan Jackson nailed a pair of free throws with seconds remaining to help pad the lead, and the junior, who’s finally begun to hit his stride offensively, said it’s the experience he got last year that allows him to keep his head in tense situations.
“I just went back to last year when I hit (free throws) against Vermilion and Lutheran East,” Jackson said. “I just knew I was in this position before as a sophomore, and now that I’m a junior I
knew I could knock it down.”
Lorain coaches and players agreed it’s a huge bounceback win for the team after losing to fourthranked Akron St. VincentSt. Mary on Jan. 6, and not just losing, but according to the team, being outplayed on defense and getting handled on the boards.
The Titans were in fact outrebounded against Cleveland Heights, 30-27, but with the size mismatch the Tigers presented, most felt the effort was an allaround improvement after
a hard week of practice.
“It was a lot of fun to coach this kind of game,” Lorain coach John Rositano said. “Both sides were really going with a lot of intensity.
“We withstood a lot of things going on out there, and that’s what elite teams do . ... That was a tough loss the other night. These guys were upset about it . ... The way we came back down the stretch and made plays is a credit to our guys.”
The Titans take a week off before hosting Clearview on Jan. 19.