John Carroll men get impressive victory at Marietta

Chicone has game highs of 23 points, 11 assists

A blistering first half — led by Mentor grad Luke Chicone and Jerry Higgins of VASJ — keyed a enormous win for John Carroll at Marietta on Dec. 17.

The 95-73 victory was a big one for the Blue Streaks, who improved to 8-1 and 3-1 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. The Pioneers entered 6-2 and 3-0 in the OAC, and have long been a men’s basketball power in the conference and a perennial Top 25 program.

A season after finishing last in the OAC, JCU and Coach Pete Moran have reversed those fortunes a little more than a month into the season.

“We took some giant steps forward,” said JCU coach Pete Moran. “This is the best we’ve executed. We’re looking for games like this.”

The victory was notable in this respect: The OAC loss by Marietta was just the program’s second in the past three seasons. The Pioneers lost once during the COVID seasons and they did not lose in OAC play a season ago.

Chicone finished his best game as a Blue Streak with game highs of 23 points and 11 assists and added four rebounds. Higgins had 19 points, four rebounds and three assists.

“He had me in awe with some of his passes, very high-level passes,” said Moran about his nephew Chicone. “He made some passes you just don’t see at Division III level. He commanded floor. Gene Higgins gave a great effort defensively. I know he made some big shots but his defense was excellent.”

JCU started fast and so did Chicone, who started the scoring off a steal. Back-to-back layups by Chase Toppin and another by Gilmour grad Connor O’Toole — off a Chicone assist — made it 11-5.

Chicone then dazzled on a layup, made a 3-pointer and was fouled on another 3-point attempt, making 2 of 3 for a 16-7 advantage.

An 8-0 Marietta run stopped the bleeding for the home team and closed it to within 20-15 but that didn’t last long — thanks to hot shooting by Higgins.

Higgins’ first two points were at the free-throw line, and his first from the field came courtesy of a layup. From there, it was a 3-point show.

A Higgins shot from downtown (off a Chicone assist) made it 43-28 at the 5-minute mark of the first half. Another Higgins 3 from Chicone made it 4828.

Higgins and Chicone each scored 15 points in the first half to lead a JCU offense that didn’t miss much in the first 20 minutes as it shot 65 percent.

The second half played much like the first. The Blue Steaks’ biggest lead was 22 early in the second half, and got even bigger.

Name a category and the Blue Steaks won it. They outshot (54.5 percent to 42.2) and outrebounded (39 to 31) the Pioneers, took and made more free throws (15 of 16) and dished out more assists (20 to 10).

Will Yontek — a Marietta recruit before transferring to JCU last summer — had a solid game in his return with nine points and three rebounds.

Joining Chicone and Higgins in double-figure points were Toppin with 13 and Frazier with 11.

Per an NCAA mandate, JCU players get the Christmas week off and return for practice on Dec. 27. Then it’s off to Florida, where the Blue Streaks play at the Naple Classic. On Dec. 29, they play University of Wisconsin-Superior then Skidmore the next day.

“These guys are clicking at the right time but now we’ve got a target on our back that’s a little bigger,” said Moran about the impact from winning by 22 at Marietta. “There’s more film out on us, and teams will pick up on our tendencies. But we’re going to enjoy this one.”