The Berkshire Badgers boys’ basketball team stormed back late with a dominant fourth period, but their comeback fell short losing 47-46 against Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division and Geauga County rival Chagrin Falls last Saturday afternoon in Burton.
“It has been a problem putting the ball in the basket,” said Coach Joe Montanero. “They fight, the effort is there. I am proud of them, but we just have these bad stretches where we are not putting the ball in the basket, and it just becomes real stagnant and becomes really hard to guard because we are not making baskets.”
Although the Geauga County rivalry has remained strong between the teams, the stakes are even higher this year as Chagrin Falls has moved to the CVC Valley Division, making them the Badgers’ (2-2, 0-1) division rivals for the first time.
“It is always good when you are in the same county and you are close,” the fourth-year coach noted. “We get another shot at them, so it is good.”
Entering the fourth quarter, Berkshire trailed 40-26, having only scored in double digits during one quarter through the first three periods. The Tigers had used two big runs to seize control of the game, one being an 11-2 run at the end of the second period and another coming on an 11-5 run in the third period.
The Badgers trimmed the Tigers’ lead to 44-34 at the two-minute mark of the fourth period and used a full court press to storm back.
Fueled by some stout defense, Berkshire clawed back into the game by going on a 7-0 run, trimming the Tigers’ advantage to 44-41 after senior guard Billy Verbic drove to the basket and earned an and-one opportunity after being fouled in the shooting process and making the ensuing free throw.
According to senior forward Cam Beam, when it comes down to crunch time, that is when the Badgers have been at their best this season and it was no different on Saturday, when they forced six turnovers and enjoyed their best offensive quarter of the game.
“We are still tight at the start and once we get to that two-minute mark, that is when we start flying around and just having fun,” noted Beam who scored 16 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, and dished out one assist.
Ahead by only three points, Chagrin Falls maintained possession despite a swarming Badgers’ defense, and Berkshire resorted to fouling the Tigers to stop the clock and get the ball back.
After senior forward Owen Adelman drained both free throws, Berkshire struck quickly, finding senior guard Jake Patterson alone in the right corner for a transition 3-point shot, cutting Chagrin Falls’ lead to 46-44.
Tigers’ senior guard Quinn Bargar split a pair of free throws, giving the Badgers one more possession to tie the game but Patterson’s game-tying 3-point shot did not connect and although Beam grabbed the rebound for the putback, time ran out on Berkshire’s furious rally.
After surrendering 40 points in the first three quarters, the Badgers’ defense stiffened and allowed only 7 points in the final period.
“We have six seniors so there are no moral victories right now and we have to be able to play so I think that is very important,” said Montanero. “They have to understand that we cannot play in those stretches and get down 15 points.”
Montanero acknowledged that although Berkshire returns its same starting five from last year, having graduated only two seniors who did not receive much varsity action last year, it has been plagued by poor stretches of play throughout the first four games of the season, which has been an unwelcome sight.
“We had a bad start against Chardon,” he added. “We had a little bit of a bad spurt against Edgewood, but it was not that much of a deficit and on Saturday, we got in the big hole, and it is hard to fight back but they did.”
The Badgers’ hole became deeper in the third period against the Tigers, as senior center Harrison Horvath dominated inside the paint, scoring eight points in the quarter to key a run that gave Chagrin Falls a double-digit lead entering the fourth quarter.
Although Berkshire responded with a sense of urgency in the fourth period, the comeback fell short and Montanero stressed how important it is that the Badgers repeat that same style of play in the coming games as they showed in the fourth period.
“That is what it should be all of the time,” he added. “We should give that effort all of the time on the defensive end.”
Following a road contest against CVC Valley Division foe Wickliffe on Wednesday evening, the Badgers will stay on the road and take on league foe Rootstown at the Rover Dome on Saturday evening at 6:45 p.m.
