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1/29/06

Eagles stun Detroit power

Sunday, January 29, 2006

By Mike Popovich REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER




PLAIN TWP. - Here is some advice for anyone who wants to write off injury-depleted GlenOak: Don’t even.
The Golden Eagles went toe-to-toe with one of the nation’s best boys high school basketball teams Saturday at the GlenOak Career Center — and won. Brian Powell’s two free throws in overtime gave GlenOak a 74-72 win over Detroit Country Day, which is rated No. 18 in the nation by SI.com.
Head coach Jack Greynolds’ Eagles are 2-0 without 7-foot-1 center Kosta Koufos, who broke a bone in his right foot and is lost for the season. They made believers out of themselves and others when they beat Perry the night they learned the extent of Koufos’ injury.
The win over Country Day proves something to those who still doubted the Eagles.
“I think it shows we’re a great team, a complete team who can hang with the best of them,” senior guard Errick McCollum said. “We have a lot of heart and refuse to lose.”
McCollum finished with a career-high 36 points, Mark Moore scored 20 points and Nate West added 10 as GlenOak improved to 10-3. Country Day fell to 6-2.
The 6-foot-1 McCollum’s previous high was 27 against Perry. He hit the game-winning jumper that night with 4.5 seconds left.
Against Country Day, McCollum hit all 12 of his free throws and finished 11-of-18 from the field. He also had a team-high six rebounds.
“Hey, I didn’t know that,” reacted McCollum when informed he finished with 36. “I know I was feeling it in the first quarter, then I thought I cooled down a little bit.
“But we got the win. That’s the main priority.”
Country Day head coach Kurt Keener said McCollum is a skilled player who plays within his abilities.
“It never seems like he’s sweating,” Keener said. “He played a real methodical game. When he had open shots, he knocked them down. When he got fouled, he knocked (the free throws) down. I give a great deal of credit to him.”
The Eagles were forced to rally in the final minutes of regulation after they led by as many as 15 points in the second half. McCollum and Moore hit tying jumpers to help send the game into overtime.
Powell’s free throws with 25.5 seconds left were the only points in the extra period. Country Day’s Alex Legion, a University of Michigan recruit, missed a baseline jumper in the final seconds. “The kids just kept fighting back,” Greynolds said. “Man, that’s just a testament to the kids. It was a gutsy team effort. The kids played awesome. I’m really proud of them.” Reach Repository sports writer Mike Popovich at (330) 580-8341 or e-mail: mike.popovich@cantonrep.com