Unlike some other high school conferences, the balance of power is always shifting in the Metro Athletic Conference. After winning the MAC banner last year, the Ravenna Ravens boys’ basketball team is learning what life is like at the bottom, losing 74-54 against MAC rival Akron Coventry for its fifth straight loss last Friday evening at Coventry High School.
“We played hard and we fought back,” said Coach Marlon Jones. “We were down eight points at one point in the third quarter but it was just us not being able to take care of the ball. We missed a few shots and did not make our free throws and Coventry was able to pressure us and cause turnovers.”
After the Ravens (4-12, 2-8) clinched the MAC banner last year, the fourth-year coach acknowledged that his team knew they had a target on their backs. Their path to defending their league championship was made harder by graduating nine seniors from last year’s squad.
By having to play freshmen and sophomores this season, Ravenna is no longer the force it was last year and is learning some hard lessons.
“It has been tough,” noted Jones. “The kids ultimately just want to win but at the end of the day you have to compete and have to go out there every night and give your best because teams are going to come out there every night and give you their best. We are having a hard time withstanding all of that and keeping the kids not only just motivated but also keeping them out there competing at a high level.”
Trailing 35-25 entering the third quarter, the Ravens trimmed the deficit to eight points at one point but Coventry responded with a 10-0 run, increasing their advantage to 18 points and stayed in control.
According to Jones, the Comets’ defense forced several turnovers, stalling Ravenna’s momentum to widen the gap and the Ravens once again unraveled because of a bad third quarter.
Jones said that the third period has been the Ravens’ worst enemy for the last several years. Once the opposition gets on a roll, Ravenna has been unable to respond and has allowed the game to slip away.
“It has been a little bit of a lack of focus and a little bit lack of energy coming out of halftime whether we are up or down,” he added. “We build off where we are at that particular point in the game and it is our kryptonite.”
The Comets outscored Ravenna by a 22-15 margin in the third quarter and were sparked by senior guard Jaden Keenan, who tallied nine points to push Coventry ahead for good.
In the fourth period, Ravenna’s defense continued to crumble and committed five fouls in the first three minutes, putting the Comets in the bonus for the rest of the game. Despite Coventry only making five field goals, they shot seven-of-13 from the foul line to preserve their lead.
“If you play a team and foul early in the quarter and they are shooting free throws with five minutes left in the game, any type of reach or on any type of offensive rebound that we do a dumb foul on, that puts them on the line and whether they go one for one or whether they two-for-two, it is an issue and a problem,” Jones said.
Over the course of Ravenna’s losing streak, Jones noted his team has bene plagued by poor passing, bad defensive rotations and other defensive lapses. It is a stark contrast to the complementary basketball the Ravens played en route to the MAC championship last year.
Jones acknowledged that his team was in a challenging spot with all of the losses piling up, but still remained confident they could overcome this difficult stretch and set themselves up for a brighter future.
“They want the same thing and experienced the same thing last year playing against those guys but at the end of the day, they have to want it for themselves,” he said. “We are not able to go out there and do it for them, so they have to be able to compete and be able to play.”
While the Ravens will not repeat as the League Champions this season, Jones said the focus is preparing his team for the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division II postseason, which is essentially like starting over.
“Even though we are not winning games, we are still coaching these kids up and getting them the experience that they need to be able to compete at a high level for seasons to come,” he said.
Following a road game against Portage County foe Rootstown on Tuesday evening, the Ravens will welcome MAC rival Akron Springfield to the James L. Coll Gymnasium on Friday night at 7 p.m.
