According to Crestwood Red Devils boys’ basketball Coach Josh Jakacki, he knew that despite his team trailing by 15 points at the halfway mark of the second quarter, all they needed was a spark to turn things around. The Red Devils caught fire to storm back and upstage Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division foe Berkshire 44-39 to remain undefeated last Saturday evening in Burton.
“We told them that we would get back into the game on the defensive end of the floor,” the 15-year coach said. “We knew shots were not falling but they were going to eventually and they came out the aggressors and got that 15-point lead halfway through the second quarter then we just clamped down.”
Not only did Crestwood (11-0, 5-0) capture another league victory, but extended its winning streak in the CVC Valley Division to 15 games, having not lost a conference battle since the 2022-23 season. It also marked the fourth straight victory against the Badgers (2-9, 1-4) since last season.
Despite having previously trounced Berkshire by a 73-38 margin on their home floor on Dec. 11, the Badgers were fueled by an aggressive start to try and hand their conference foes their first loss of the season by racing out to a 25-10 lead in the middle of the second period. In addition to benefiting from some sharp shooting, they knocked down three 3-point baskets.
Jakacki acknowledged that Crestwood was also too complacent on offense, settling for too many shots from the perimeter.
As troubling of a start as it was for the Red Devils, at this point of the season they know not to take any game for granted and to expect the best from every opponent now that it has established itself as one of the strongest teams in the CVC Valley Division.
“Coach Jakacki tells us that all of the time,” said senior guard Augie Schweickert. “Teams are not just going to roll over for us because of our record and who we are, they are going to bring us their best and want to give us our first loss and we have to expect that coming into every game that teams are going to come out fighting and we have to be ready no matter who our opponent is.”
With a 15-point deficit hanging over their heads in the second period, the Red Devils finally hit their stride, staging an 8-0 run in the final five minutes of the quarter sparked by a pair of 3-point baskets by senior guard Dekota Johnson, cutting Berkshire’s lead to 25-18 at the break.
“Early on they came out as the aggressors and they came out with some energy and were able to build that comfortable lead,” noted Jakacki. “If I am being honest, I was not concerned because I thought we would make a run at some point. We knew defensively we needed to tighten some things up and we took away those traps and the kids did a great job of responding.”
The Red Devils continued surging in the third quarter, paced by their defense which forced six Berkshire turnovers in the period and eventually took their first lead since the start of the first quarter by outscoring the Badgers 14-3.
After a promising start, Berkshire’s hot shooting evaporated and they did not score another field goal until inside the final minute of the third quarter when junior guard/forward Billy Verbic nailed a 3-point basket.
Badgers’ Coach Joe Montanero acknowledged that it was the same story that had defined his team all season, as they could not hold on to an early lead.
“We had a stretch there where it was just bad turnovers,” the Badgers’ third-year coach noted.
Although Berkshire trimmed the Red Devils’ lead to only one possessions by trailing 34-32 at the start of the final frame, he Red Devils’ defense dictated the rest of the final frame. Crestwood went on 7-0 run to seize control and avoid the upset bid.
While Crestwood’s offense did not immediately come alive at the start of the game, the defensive intensity remained consistent and ultimately sparked the offense to help the Red Devils take over the game.
“That’s what we talk about in practice every day,” said Schweickert who scored two points, grabbed four rebounds and dished out two assists. “The offense will not always be there but our defense will be there every game and when we have off nights like Saturday when the shots are not falling and we are not getting offense like we want, our defense will always be there to pick it up.”
After a crossover CVC game against Lakeside at home on Thursday evening, Crestwood will face Portage County rival Garfield on Saturday afternoon at Hiram College beginning at 5 p.m.
Meanwhile, after a crossover CVC road contest against Cuyahoga Heights on Tuesday night, the Badgers will stay on the road and face CVC Valley Division foe Kirtland in Mentor on Friday night at 6:45 p.m.
