The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Cardinals, Spartans are left wondering
Mentor, Richmond Heights teams among athletes whose seasons won’t have an ending
Only four basketball teams in Ohio earn the right to say they won their final game each season — under normal circumstances.
Forty-one schools remained in play when the OHSAA canceled the remaining winter tournaments last month following the outbreak of novel coronavirus.
Many, if not all, of them don’t take solace in ending their season on a victory. Now, they wonder what could have been had their seasons been permitted to continue. Mentor and Richmond Heights’ seasons ended when the state basketball tournament was postponed, then eventually canceled. Each school had the chance to advance to Columbus in its next game.
The opportunity to move on to the state level made the season’s untimely conclusion more bitter for those communities.
The Cardinals were scheduled to play Shaker Heights in a Division I Cleveland regional final. A victory would’ve sent Mentor to Columbus for the first time since the Cardinals won the 2013 state title.
Mentor advanced to the game with an exhaustive, emotional double-overtime win against Medina that featured an all-time performance from junior point guard Luke Chicone. The Raiders mostly controlled their double-digit semifinal victory against Canton McKinley.
Mentor defeated Shaker Heights twice during the regular season in two games decided by single-digit margins.
The Cardinals’ trio of Chicone, Luke Floriea and Chad Rogers matched up against the Raiders’ lead group of Dakota Cochran, Shammah Scott and Danny Young Jr. would’ve provided an outstanding display of talent all over the floor.
An additional complication of the season’s cancellation — Rogers stood 16 points away from scoring his 1,000th career point after the Medina victory. He scored 24 and 21 points in the two previous games against Shaker Heights.
Mentor’s supporting cast played extremely well in the Medina game and could’ve been a determining factor against Shaker Heights.
Andrew Witte knocked down four 3-pointers when the Cardinals won by four on the Raiders’ home floor in February. Kyle Culler and Caleb Piks provided valuable defense against the Bees’ Corey Tripp and Kyle Szumski in the regional semifinal.
Piks, who missed the second Shaker Heights game, would’ve helped Mentor’s effort on the glass in the third game against the Raiders after they dominated the boards at home in February.
To call anyone a favorite in the regional round is a difficult assertion. Every team still playing is there for a reason, and it’s not by circumstance. Although Mentor beat Shaker Heights twice already, it’s extremely tough to beat a team a third time.
Regardless of result, a third matchup between Mentor and Shaker Heights would’ve likely been an outstanding game. Similar to the Cardinals’ semifinal game against Medina, the contest would’ve pitted two teams against each other that are intensely familiar with one another.
In those types of matchups, game planning and strategy superfluous. The teams know their opponents almost as well as they know themselves. Games of that nature are decided by will, toughness and execution.
Had Mentor advanced, the Cardinals would’ve likely met St. Edward in a state semifinal. Behind Grant Huffman, Montorie Foster and Devontae Blanton, the Eagles compiled their best regular season in school history. In a potential state championship matchup, powerhouse Cincinnati Moeller loomed.
Meanwhile, in D-IV, Richmond Heights would’ve played Lucas for a chance to return to the Schottenstein Center after the Spartans fell to eventual 2019 state champ Convoy Crestview there a year ago.
At the time, Richmond Heights looked primed to defend its regional title and then win a few more games in Columbus.
The Spartans won both of their district games at Norton handily and outlasted a strong effort from Warren JFK in their Canton regional semifinal. Gbolahan Adio and Jevontae Jones were playing like seniors who understood this was their final chance to make a memorable run in their high school careers. Junior point guard Jamarr Talbert Jr. commanded the offense. Malikee Sonie, Ibn Edwards and Ilan Armstrong provided solid minutes off the bench.
The most significant difference in Richmond Heights’ run this year was the presence of Josiah Harris. The 6-foot-7 sophomore was capable of taking over games for the Spartans when they needed him to and, at times, he looked unstoppable.
If Richmond Heights defeated Lucas, the Spartans would’ve likely met an undefeated, No. 1-ranked Columbus Grove team in a state semifinal then probably played the winner between Columbus Wellington and Grandview Heights for the D-IV title.
There’s no one at fault for the end of the winter season. There’s no use in pointing fingers and placing blame on the government or the OHSAA. Larger concerns exist beyond the score of high school sports and when it comes to trying to save lives, limiting large gatherings and staying at home is a necessary price to pay.
Still, any of the 41 remaining basketball teams — and I’m sure the same goes for the girls teams and wrestlers competing at the state level — would’ve preferred to have their season end on the court. Even if it was a loss, that provides closure.
Instead, the final 41 are left to wonder if they could’ve been one of the four to accept a state championship trophy.