Cards set for rubber match in sweet 16 with Medina

When Mentor and Medina meet at Cleveland State’s Wolstein Center in a Division I regional final March 11, the matchup will mark the third game between the teams this season.

The Bees defeated the Cardinals by 13 on their home floor in December to hand Mentor its first loss. Luke Chicone’s buzzer-beater lifted the Cardinals to a one-point win at home in January.

That the teams tied one another for the Greater Cleveland Conference title is fitting.

The Bees and Cardinals feature outstanding guard play and play an uptempo style. Chicone and senior Luke Floriea anchor Mentor, while junior Corey

Tripp and senior Kyle Szumski lead the Bees.

On paper, the teams look similar. When they meet at Cleveland State, a trip to the regional final will hinge on who plays the most complete game.

“The first game, we didn’t come close to playing as hard as them,” Floriea said. “The second time, we won on Chico’s buzzer-beater. We didn’t play hard in the fourth quarter until the last minute and a half or whatever. I think if we play consistently harder than them, we’ll be all right.”

Mentor’s 94-81 loss to Medina on Dec. 20 marked the team’s second game of the year. The Cardinals were still working their way into game shape — particularly Floriea, who’d only joined the team weeks earlier after the football team advanced to the state semifinal round.

By that time, the Bees had already played five games. Chicone racked up 33 points and six assists, while senior forward Chad Rogers had 32 points and seven rebounds. But Medina’s 26-13 lead after a quarter proved insurmountable.

When the teams rematched Jan. 31, Mentor found itself at less than full strength again. Senior wing Caleb Piks broke a finger days earlier in a game against Euclid, an injury that kept him out until the team’s sectional final against Mayfield on Feb. 29.

The teams played to a stalemate after three quarters, 58-58, before Medina pulled ahead behind Szumski, who scored 14 of his game-high 29 points in the fourth. The Cardinals trailed, 80-72, inside a minute to play when Chicone score the game’s final nine points — capped by a pullup 3-pointer at the buzzer.

“We played them twice,” Chicone said. “The first game, we weren’t nearly as in shape as we are now. Second game, we were short Caleb. Third game, I think we’re in the best shape we’ve been in, plus now we have Caleb.”

That second game, Coach Bob Krizancic admits, the Cardinals were lucky.

Familiar with one another from their twice-yearly clashes in the regular season, Medina coach Chris Hassinger said there will be no surprises when the teams meet in this year’s rubber match.

At 20-5, Medina is back in the regional round for the first time in three years. Although none of his players have experience on the Wolstein Center’s floor, Hassinger is confident they’re prepared from their rigorous schedule in and out of league play.

Szumski, a first-team Northeast Inland all-district selection, leads the team in scoring at 18.5 points. Tripp, named second-team all-district, scores about 13 per game. Forward Christian Howard-Saffey and sharpshooting guard Doug Sartain highlight the supporting cast. Hassinger expects an uptempo, physical game.

“We know how tough they are,” Hassinger said.