Canton GlenOak High School (Canton, OH)

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1/18/06

H.S. boys basketball: Tigers entertain, win
Wednesday, January 18, 2006 By Chris Beaven Repository sports writer

repository SCOTT HECKEL TIGERS’ SWAT TEAM GlenOak’s Errick McCollum (center) has his shot rejected by Massillon’s Mario Edwards (rear) during the Tigers’ 74-70 non-conference high school boys basketball victory Tuesday at GlenOak Career Center. Also defending for Massillon is Dirk Dickerhoof.

PLAIN TWP. - Two of Stark County’s top boys basketball teams took center stage Tuesday night at GlenOak High School.

A packed gym with a raucous crowd greeted them, and the Massillon Tigers and GlenOak Golden Eagles did their best to put on a show.

Four entertaining quarters later — after a number of show-stopping performances — the Tigers owned the spotlight with a 74-70 win.

“We played great basketball in a great game,” Massillon head coach Matt Creamer said.
Sixty-six percent shooting over the final three quarters enabled the Tigers to raise their record to 9-1. The Eagles fell to 8-3 despite a career-high scoring effort from 7-foot-1 Kosta Koufos.

“It was two really good teams going at it,” GlenOak head coach Jack Greynolds Jr. said. “Their advantage was their quickness, and they’re more athletic. Our advantage was Koufos was bigger than anyone they have.

“We each played to our strengths. Massillon did some little things better than we did and got the ‘W.’ But I thought we gave great effort.”

The teams played relatively mistake-free basketball (18 total turnovers) despite the game’s fast pace. They traded baskets within seconds of each other on a number of occasions.

Creamer, though, said Massillon did a good job of keeping the tempo from getting too fast.

“We didn’t want to go up and down with them defensively,” he said.

“They’re too good of a team to do that with. They’ve got shooters, and Kosta is all-world. What’d he have? 60?”

Actually, it was 34 points for Koufos, topping his previous best of 33. He also grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked two shots.

“He’s a great player,” Creamer said. “But I’ll tell you what, we’ve got a lot of great players, too.”

Junior guard-forward Ricardo Wells led the Tigers with 21 points and five rebounds. Senior guard Mario Edwards scored 16 and delivered a tremendous dunk off a lob from Michael Porrini, who had a number of fine passes. Juniors Brian Gamble and Greg Fite each added 12 points. The 6-3 Fite also did his best to make Koufos work for his points despite giving up 8 inches in height.

“I can’t say enough good things about all of them,” Creamer said.
Massillon won by shooting 29-for-50 from the floor and committing just 11 turnovers.

“We know when we’re going against a great player like (Koufos), we need to polish everything, limit our turnovers and limit our mistakes,” Wells said.

GlenOak limited its mistakes quite well, too. The Eagles had just seven turnovers. But 12-for-33 shooting in the first half created a 37-33 halftime deficit they could never erase.

The Eagles led 17-16 after one quarter. Nine points by Koufos got them going. They also got good nights from Nate West (14 points, nine rebounds), Errick McCollum (12 points, six assists) and Mark Quinn (five rebounds, seven assists).

Wells hit two step-back 3-pointers within the first two minutes of the second quarter to get Massillon going.

“Basically I was just trying to find a rhythm at that point and time in the game, and it happened to come in the second quarter,” he said.

The 6-2 Edwards got the Tigers — and their crowd — going when he finished an amazing alley-oop dunk early in the third. He soared in from the left side to catch a pass from Porrini several feet to the left of the rim.

Edwards kept climbing after the catch, punching in a right-handed tomahawk dunk. He said he didn’t know if he’d get to the ball when he saw Porrini lob it up.

“Once I got up in the air, I knew I had it,” he said.

That thrill didn’t last long, though. Edwards picked up his fourth foul six seconds later. He sat out the final 6:50 of the third.

The Tigers led 39-35 when he left. Their lead was 57-51 when he returned at the start of the fourth.

“When I came out there were no seniors on the court,” Edwards said. “Our juniors stepped up and showed they can play in a big game and keep the lead.”

Koufos scored 10 points in the third and 11 in the fourth to keep the Eagles close. He shot 16-for-29 overall.

“You’ve got to give credit to all of our guys for doing a good job of getting the ball inside,” Greynolds said.

Some key free throws and buckets by Wells and Fite helped Massillon close out the win.

“They’d get just enough separation on us, and we’d fight back,” Greynolds said. “They’d get another spurt and we’d play from behind again. Eventually time ran out.” Reach Repository sports writer Chris Beaven at (330) 580-8345 or e-mail:

chris.beaven@cantonrep.com

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1/20/06

Perry-GlenOak not all about stars

Friday, January 20, 2006

By Chris Beaven REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER




Much of the focus tonight at a sold-out GlenOak High School will be placed on the two big guys.
That’s nothing new for GlenOak’s 7-foot-1 Kosta Koufos and Perry’s 6-11 Kenny Frease. Their play warrants plenty of attention.
But when their teams meet tonight at 7:30 in a key Federal League game, their coaches know this will be about more than their centers. It will be about two good teams trying to bounce back from a loss. And it will be a matchup of GlenOak’s dangerous offense against Perry’s fierce defense.
“GlenOak’s got a lot of weapons, and we’ve got to be prepared for all the different ones,” Perry head coach Rob Toth said.
The Golden Eagles (8-3) feature not only the high-scoring Koufos but also guard Errick McCollum and versatile forward Nate West.
Perry (8-2) counters with a defense that gives up 40 points a game. Frease anchors the Panthers inside, but Matt Kolic, Brent Wilson and Matt Ehmer are among their other tough defenders.
“They’re real scrappy,” GlenOak coach Jack Greynolds Jr. said. “They take a lot of charges. They get into you. It’s like Larry Wilson revisited.”
Wilson, Perry’s former coach, was known for teaching defense. Toth played and coached under Wilson.
In their last game, the Panthers limited Lakewood St. Edward to 37.8 percent shooting and forced 15 turnovers. However, their offensive shortcomings resulted in a 46-41 loss.
“We knew the Ed’s game would be a particularly good test,” Toth said. “They’re long, athletic, they’ve got a good bench, and they’re a top program year-in, year-out.”
Toth’s Panthers more than held their own against a team capable of a long tournament run. It just needs to shore up its offensive execution.
GlenOak is coming off Tuesday’s 74-70 loss to Massillon. The Eagles were in the game the entire way, getting 34 points from Koufos. But a tough first half and a two quick spurts by Massillon resulted in GlenOak’s third loss against a well-regarded team.
“We’ve shown we can play right there with top teams,” Greynolds said. “We have to take the next step and beat one of these teams.”
Koufos and Frease give both teams the potential to reach the next level.
Koufos, a junior being heavily recruited by many college heavyweights, averages 24 points a game. He is averaging 29.7 points and 14.7 rebounds over the last three games.
“He’s got a post man’s body, but he’s got perimeter skill,” Toth said. “ ... You don’t often see a guy his size with the ability to handle the ball and his shot outside. He’s got the whole package and streak of competitiveness.”
Frease, a sophomore, averages 16.6 points and 11.4 rebounds, and is drawing his share of college interest. He scored a career-high 29 two weeks ago.
“He’s improved a lot,” Greynolds said. “He’s a great college prospect, and he’s going to be a great high school player.”
Both coaches said their big men are not getting too wrapped up in the individual matchup.
“(Koufos) doesn’t talk about it,” Greynolds said. “He takes each game as it comes.”
Toth said Frease is aware the individual matchup takes a backseat to the game itself.
“It’s a good chance for him to ... see where he’s at as an individual,” Toth said, “but he knows it must be done within the concept of the team.”
Toth’s bigger concern is defending all of the Eagles. McCollum (15.2 points per game) and West (11.6) just as easily can beat Perry.
“Put them on another team and maybe they’re the stars,” Toth said. “ ... They’ve got a lot of weapons, and we’ve got to be prepared for all the different ones.” Reach Repository sports writer Chris Beaven at (330) 580-8345 or e-mail: chris.beaven@cantonrep.com

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1/21/06

GlenOak guts one out

McCollum caps comeback against Perry with winning basket in final seconds, leads with 27 points

By David Lee Morgan Jr.

Beacon Journal sportswriter

PLAIN TOWNSHIP - It was nothing but guts.
That's the only way to describe the way GlenOak rallied from an eight-point deficit at home Friday night against Perry with 1:45 left in the game to win 51-50.
The game-winner came from 6-foot-2 senior guard Errick McCollum. He finished with a game-high 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, but the basket that meant the most was his soft jumper from the right baseline with 4.5 seconds left, giving the Golden Eagles a one-point lead.
``The kids really did their job,'' GlenOak coach Jackie Greynolds Jr. said. ``It was a great win and we were fortunate to put ourselves in a position to win at the end.''
After McCollum's basket, Perry took a timeout, and when play resumed, the Panthers (8-3, 5-1 in the Federal League) couldn't get off a decent shot.
``I've never seen fans run onto the court like that, except in a college game on TV,'' McCollum said. ``Somebody picked me up and started carrying me. It was amazing. This is the biggest win I've ever experienced.''
The Golden Eagles (9-3, 5-1) had so many factors against them.
Kosta Koufos, a 7-foot-1 junior center who is averaging 24.6 points and 13.5 rebounds (29 points and 15 rebounds in his past three games), was sitting on the bench with a broken foot. He injured it in practice Thursday and is expected to be out from four to six weeks.
``This is the most wonderful team I've been around,'' said Koufos, who already has scholarship offers from Ohio State and Louisville. Schools such as Maryland, North Carolina, Connecticut are also on the top of his recruiting list. In fact, assistant coaches from North Carolina and UConn attended the game, not knowing that Koufos was injured.
``These guys dedicated the game to me, and they are my heroes.''
Friday night's game was supposed to feature Koufos against Perry's talented 6-11 sophomore center Kenny Frease.
With Koufos out, Frease was nearly unstoppable inside, finishing with 23 points.
With GlenOak's big man out, the rest of the team had to step up. On the perimeter, Mark Quinn, Mark Moore and Jon Miller helped McCollum carry the load, and underneath, senior Nate West (nine points) and Brian Powell did what they could against Frease.
West was playing with a broken finger on his right (shooting) hand, and every time he took a shot, he grimaced with pain, which was noticeable when he shot from the free-throw line.
He didn't make any excuses and sank 9-of-10, including two with 41.8 seconds left that tied the score at 49-49.
``I broke it on our first possession against Massillon on Tuesday,'' West said.
``Even (Thursday) night, it was aggravating me when I was trying to sleep. But when I came to school the next day and found out that Kosta wasn't playing, I knew I had to suck it up.''
Perry coach Rob Toth said the game came down to determination.
``It was gut-check time and we didn't finish,'' Toth said. ``That's what's disappointing. But give McCollum credit. He made the shot when they needed it. He wanted it in his hands

Perry's Kenny Frease tries to score in front of GlenOak's Nate West (#15) and #5 Mark Quinn (#5) at GlenOak High School Friday, Jan. 20, 2006 in North Canton, Ohio. (Akron Beacon Journal/Jocelyn Williams)



GlenOak's seven-foot 1-inch tall Kosta Koufos talks with teammate Nate West during a timeout in his team's game against Perry High School at GlenOak High School Friday, Jan. 20, 2006 in North Canton, Ohio. (Akron Beacon Journal/Jocelyn Williams)



Perry's Geoff Marsh tries to drive around GlenOak's Mark Quinn at GlenOak High School Friday, Jan. 20, 2006 in North Canton, Ohio. (Akron Beacon Journal/Jocelyn Williams)

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1/27/06

Basketball

GlenOak displays its fortitude

Loss of 7-foot-1 Koufos hurts but summer work helps Eagles stand tall

By David Lee Morgan Jr.

Beacon Journal sportswriter

PLAIN TOWNSHIP - The idea of high school basketball teams staying together to play in the offseason has been popular for some time.
The theory is that if a team wants to be successful in winter months, then summer workouts are important.
One byproduct of players staying together is team chemistry -- and that was apparent when GlenOak defeated Perry 51-50 last Friday.
The Golden Eagles did it without 7-foot-1 junior forward Kosta Koufos, who had broken his foot the day before the game.
Koufos, who is being recruited by college programs such as Ohio State, Maryland, Connecticut, Louisville, North Carolina and others, had been averaging 24.6 points and 13.5 rebounds.
Perry came into the game featuring its own outstanding post player in 6-11 sophomore Kenny Frease, who scored 23 points.
In Koufos' absence (he was on the bench with his crutches right next to him), GlenOak needed its starters -- Errick McCollum, Mark Quinn, Nate West, Mark Moore and Brian Powell -- to pull together.
The Golden Eagles also needed bench players such as Jon Miller, Zach Kager, Dan Wagner, Stephen Mueller and C.J. McCollum to step up.
Their effort pushed GlenOak's record to 9-3, 5-1 in the Federal League behind Canton McKinley (11-2, 6-0).
Some people might have thought that it wasn't possible without Koufos.
``Not to be cocky or anything, but when Kosta hurt his foot and we found out the day of the game that he wasn't going to play, we weren't nervous or anything,'' said senior guard Errick McCollum, who scored a career-high 27 points, including the game-winning shot with 4.5 seconds remaining.
``This summer, we went to a team camp at Ohio State,'' McCollum said. ``Kosta was at the Nike All-American camp so we played without him. We played some of the top teams in the state, and we played well. So ever since then, we had a lot of confidence because we showed we could play without Kosta if we had to.''
The summer team camps help build confidence, because on many occasions, teams have a chance to play quality competition.
For instance, a quality Division III school that plays in a conference and has limited open dates for nonconference games during the season can go to a summer team camp and play quality Division I or II schools.
Or a Division I team such as GlenOak would have the opportunity to play other top Division I schools from different parts of the state.
The Golden Eagles played eight games during the OSU camp. They won five in a row and reached the championship game against Dayton Dunbar.
``Even now, we'd like to have Kosta with us, but we can't moan and groan,'' Greynolds added. ``It just gives other guys the opportunity to step up.''
As for Koufos, he visited a doctor Wednesday afternoon with his mother for another assessment of his injury.
``We're going to take the conservative approach,'' said Koufos, who is most likely out for the season. ``I don't want to try to rush anything. It's not worth it. And I'm not letting it get me down.''

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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

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2/4/06

Late shot lifts Hoover over GlenOak

Saturday, February 4, 2006

By Jim Thomas Repository Sports Writer




NORTH CANTON - Down a point and time running out in your final home basketball game: It’s every high school basketball player’s dream to take the last shot and win it.
North Canton senior Joe Moriarty lived the dream in Friday night’s 39-38 victory over GlenOak.
“I actually looked at Barry (Shetzer) first, then saw my shot was there,” Moriarty said of his turnaround jumper in the lane with 21 seconds left. “I knew I had to get a lot of arch on it to get it over the shot blocker. And it dropped in.
“You couldn’t ask for a better ending.”
It was the Vikings’ only lead of the second half but victory wasn’t secured until the Eagles’ 3-pointer at the buzzer was off the mark.
GlenOak (10-4, 5-2) lost for the first time in three games since 7-foot-1 center Kosta Koufos was lost for the season with a broken bone in his foot.
It was fitting that Hoover’s defense preserved the win considering its triangle-and-two zone did in GlenOak. Errick McCollum and Mark Moore were stuck in the ‘two.’
McCollum, a 6-1 senior guard, was limited to 7 points, none in the second half after scoring 63 points in his last two games. Shetzer, who led Hoover with 12 points, wore him like latex on the perimeter. Moore had only 2 points, leaving GlenOak to try and win from the outside.
The Eagles, though, were a woeful 3-of-22 on 3-pointers and managed just 15 points in the game’s final 16 minutes as the outside shots didn’t fall.
“We definitely played great defense as a team,” Vikings hea