[OSUBasketballJunkie]

DDN

3/19/06

Dunbar keeps pact, makes state

By Mark Gokavi
Dayton Daily News

FAIRBORN | After a loss in a Myrtle Beach tournament Dec. 26, the Dunbar boys basketball team made a pact.

"We haven't lost to anybody (in Ohio), and we hope it ends that way," Dunbar coach Peter Pullen said Saturday. "They made a promise in Myrtle Beach when they lost. I've kept that in the back of my mind."

Dunbar defeated New Albany 77-54 in the Division II regional final Saturday at the Nutter Center. Daequan Cook led the way with 21 points, and Aaron Pogue added 18 points and 13 rebounds.

The win puts the Wolverines back in the state tournament. Third-ranked Dunbar (24-2) plays top-ranked Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary (21-3) at 2 p.m. Friday in Columbus' Schottenstein Center.

The Wolverines started the season 5-2, including a 69-54 loss to powerhouse Lawrence North in Indianapolis. Then, Ridgeway (Tenn.) defeated Dunbar 51-46. That's when the team set its goal, even if the math wasn't quite right.

"They said they're going 18-0 from there," Pullen said. "It wasn't quite 18-0. If I remember correctly, this was our 20th in a row."

Actually, it was Dunbar's 19th straight win and a state title would be 21.

But, hey, the Wolverines have won so many it's easy to forget the exact number.

Last season, Dunbar fell in the state semifinals 95-90 to eventual champion Upper Sandusky. Now, the Wolverines have LeBron James' alma mater to contend with and then either Wooster Triway (25-0) or Columbus St. Francis DeSales (19-6).

"Hopefully we'll be down there for two games," Cook said. "Instead of one."
Contact Mark Gokavi at 225-6951.

DDN

3/19/06

Dunbar wins second chance at state title

By Mark Gokavi
Dayton Daily News

FAIRBORN | Dunbar is going back to Columbus for some unfinished business.

Some more big runs Saturday in a Division II regional boys basketball final gave Dunbar a 77-54 victory over New Albany at the Nutter Center.

"Hopefully we bring it back home this year," Dunbar's Mark Anderson said.

"We waited all year long to get here."

The Wolverines (24-2) return to the D-II state tournament, where last season they lost in the semifinals. Third-ranked Dunbar plays top-ranked Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary (21-3) at 2 p.m. Friday at the Schottenstein Center. The title game is at 5:15 p.m. Saturday.

"One thing about this group, they turn it on," Dunbar coach Peter Pullen said. "They know it's game time, and they come to play. It's on them. When it's time to play, win or lose, they're going to give it their best."

Like usual, the Wolverines took their opponents' best shot early and responded with a game-changing run.

Trailing 21-14, Dunbar went on a 18-4 streak for a 32-25 lead. It started inside where 6-foot-9 center Aaron Pogue and 6-9 Anderson did some work.

Then, All-American Daequan Cook took the spotlight.

"They knew they had an inside power game that we couldn't match up with," said New Albany coach Sam Davis, whose team finishes 20-5. "They did a great job pounding the ball inside. And then you have Cook on the outside trying to create things and whenever you help off him, he's a great passer."

Pogue finished with 18 points, 13 rebounds 3 blocks and made 6 of 8 free throws. Anderson had 12 points before twisting his ankle. Cook had 12 of his game-high 21 points in the first half's final 5:31. The Ohio State-bound guard scored on a 3-point play, two jumpers, a 3-pointer and an offensive rebound. Cook also had three nice no-look passes as Dunbar led 36-29 at halftime.

"I just felt like I was laid back too much," Cook said. "I wasn't playing a big role. I was doing this and that, but that wasn't enough. I had to make a big difference and play harder."

Alex Emrich (18 points) and Jake Worley (11) each made 3-pointers to bring New Albany within 40-35. A 13-3 run stretched the lead to 53-43 after three quarters.

Norris Cole added 10 points and Darran Powell had 7 points and 7 assists. Dunbar shot 50 percent from the field, outrebounded the Eagles 36-27 and had more assists (17 to 12) and fewer turnovers (8 to 14).

"We figured they couldn't match our size," Cole said. "They were pretty tall, but as far as size-wise, we thought we had an advantage."

Possibly tired from a four-overtime win over Tippecanoe on Thursday, the Eagles couldn't handle Dunbar's streaks. Dunbar ended the game with 11-2 and 13-3 runs to set the stage for state.

"You turn on and off the light," Cook said. "Sometimes the light doesn't come on when you hit the switch. Luckily, it came back on today. The main thing is to go up (to Columbus) and achieve a goal we set for ourselves last year."

Contact Mark Gokavi at 225-6951.