Jays’ defense stymies Mustangs

By Jim Metcalfe, The Delphos Herald
Published:  Tuesday, January 2, 2007 (1 year, 10 months ago)
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CINCINNATI - St. John’s made the long trek down I-75 Friday night in search of victory number 3 on the boys basketball season.

It wasn’t the prettiest game but the Blue Jays got the job done, shutting down Cincinnati Madeira 40-28 at the home of the Mustangs.

“I couldn’t be more pleased to get a win, especially after an embarrassing performance the night before against Van Wert. We really needed it,” St. John’s coach Doug Etgen said.

The Jays (3-4) got a double-double from senior Kazz Bryan (21 markers, 11 boards); nine markers from Jeff Ostendorf; 11 boards and six assists from Ryan Reynolds; and four assists from Josh Klaus.

“Kazz has struggled in the first halves of our last two games, going a combined 0-for-13. We can’t have that out of our best player,” Etgen continued. “We told him that we needed him to get off to a good start. We felt we had a size mismatch inside with him and Jeff and our game plan was to take advantage of that.”

The visitors, minus junior forward Tony Reindel (ankle), did so, outrebounding their foe 26-15, 8-5 offensive. They also shot 18-of-40 overall (0-of-5 treys) for 45 percent versus 12-of-36 for Madeira (4-of-14 from deep) for 33.3 percent.

Bryan scored 16 in the first half to help stake the Jays to a 24-22 advantage. With both defenses sitting in a 2-3 zone, daring the other to shoot from the perimeter, both offenses struggled from the floor, combining for 4-of-23. The Mustangs (3-4) scored their only points on an Elliot Rupe basket at 4:11. The Jays got theirs on a

Bob Koester basket at 3:06. Taylor Bowersock’s 18-footer at 1:00 and Ostendorf ’s baseline drive with 15 ticks showing made it 30-24.

The Jays defense then held Madeira scoreless for the first 5:08 of the fourth period (adding up to a 9:19 drought) in erecting a 36-24 advantage on an Ostendorf basket with 3:00 showing. The hosts scored four quick points to get within 36-28 but no closer.

“We did not play aggressive offensively. With our lack of size inside, we have to score from the perimeter but we have to still attack,” Mustangs coach Jim Reynolds noted. “We didn’t penetrate very much and when we did, we didn’t relocate well for outside shots. Anything we tried to do inside, either Bryan blocked it or altered it; we also kind of threw it up there.”

Bryan had his way inside in the first 16 minutes. His nine in the opening eight minutes helped the Jays nab a 13-10 lead after eight minutes.

“I felt from the start - in the locker room - that we were not mentally prepared to play tonight. I take full responsibility for that as the coach,” Coach Reynolds added. “We have no margin for error. We just played poorly, even when we had some success the first half. We try to make more free throws than our opponents shoot but not getting one tonight was a failure. You won’t win getting no free throws in a game.”

Bryan added seven markers in the next eight minutes but the hosts managed to get within 24-22 at intermission.

“With the way Madeira depends so much on the 3, that was our biggest concern; not giving them open looks. I didn’t think we could do that in man-to-man against a continuous motion offense,” Etgen added. “Overall, our zone did a great job of contesting those perimeter shots. We also only gave up a couple of transition baskets, which was the other big concern.”

St. John’s hit 4-of-7 at the line (57,1 percent) and collected 15 miscues and six fouls. They visit Marion Local Friday.

Madeira, led by 11 markers (3 treys) from Jimmy Gulick, also had 15 errors and eight fouls. They battle Batavia tonight.

In JV action, the Jays advanced to 6-1 with a 51-48 win over previously-unbeaten Madeira.

Austin Paxson (2 bombs) and Tyler Hayson delivered 11 markers each for the victors, while Matt Smith bombed in 21 (3 trios) for the home team

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