The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)

Sophomore sparks Cardinals

- By Nate Barnes nbarnes@news-herald.com @NateBarnes_ on Twitter

Luke Chicone opened his sophomore season with back-toback 20-point games. No one is surprised.

The sophomore guard led all scorers with 26 points in Mentor’s 92-74 win over Strongsvil­le on Dec. 7 three days after he scored a team-high 21 points against North. Chicone’s skill and supreme basketball IQ put him on the floor as a freshman.

A year of varsity experience and added physical strength has resulted in early success this season. The 5-foot-9 guard, called “Chico” by his teammates, is playing with increased aggression and decisivene­ss — especially after Coach Bob Krizancic pulled him twice against North for passing up open shots.

“Last year, I feel like I facilitate­d more for others,” Chicone said. “This year, it’s like creating my own shot and doing the same thing I did last year.”

Junior Luke Floriea added 22 points and Chad Rogers scored 15 as Mentor improved to 2-0. The Cardinals made 14 3-pointers in their Greater Cleveland Conference opener, led by Chicone’s five makes.

Strongsvil­le led, 11-2, in the first quarter before Chicone scored 10 points to spark a 14-0 Mentor run.

Chicone made four of his five 3-pointers in the first quarter and the Cardinals led, 27-22, after a quarter.

Alex Edwards hit a pair of 3-pointers in the second quarter to help stretch Mentor’s lead to double digits. Floriea’s first of three 3-pointers sent the Cardinals to halftime ahead, 49-40.

Strongsvil­le cut its deficit to six by the end of the third quarter and trailed by four, 67-63, after Kevin Lawler’s layup. Mentor switched its full-court pressure to a man-to-man look, stopped trying to trap the Mustangs’ ballhandle­rs and found defensive success. Strongsvil­le scored 13 points in the fourth quarter,

“We tried to just get in their guards’ heads a little bit and make them think about it,” Floriea said, “think about what they were doing. Got some steals, got some easy layups and put them away.”

Meanwhile, Chicone hit all six of his free throws then put the game away when he stole the ball and finished through contact from the 6-foot-5 Lawler.

“I knew he was a rising star for Mentor,” Strongsvil­le coach John Lipowski said. “I knew, with Mentor and the program they have, there’s going to be someone to drop 20.”

Timmy Ruch led the Mustangs with 17 points and Drew Lipowski added 15. Strongsvil­le fell to 0-3.

Krizancic was concerned by his team’s defensive effort in a 91-80 win over North on Dec. 4, and saw some marginal improvemen­t against Strongsvil­le. Mentor plays at Shaker Heights on Dec. 14, then visits 2018 Division I state runner-up Solon on Dec. 21.

Sophomore Ian Kipp is expected to return from an ankle injury sustained during the football team’s postseason next week. The hyper-athletic wing will acclimate quickly into Krizancic’s rotation.

Most encouragin­g from Mentor’s first week, to Krizancic, is a belief among the players they are capable of better play.

“I would say that is probably the overwhelmi­ng good thing about two games,” Krizancic said, “is we know that we can play a lot, lot better. Especially defensivel­y.”

 ?? TIM PHILLIS — FOR THE NEWS-HERALD ?? Mentor’s Luke Chicone shoots over Strongsvil­le’s Jalen Garner on Dec. 7.
TIM PHILLIS — FOR THE NEWS-HERALD Mentor’s Luke Chicone shoots over Strongsvil­le’s Jalen Garner on Dec. 7.
 ?? TIM PHILLIS — FOR THE NEWS-HERALD ?? Mentor’s Chad Rogers drives to the basket during the Cardinals’ win over Strongsvil­le Dec. 7.
TIM PHILLIS — FOR THE NEWS-HERALD Mentor’s Chad Rogers drives to the basket during the Cardinals’ win over Strongsvil­le Dec. 7.

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