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Warren Raider
Senior
Here is Warren Harding's Basketball Schedule
Dec 3 Youngstown Chaney
Dec 10 Youngstown Woodrow Wilson @ Youngstown Convo Center
Dec 13 Beaver Local
Dec 17 Cleveland Heights
Dec 20 @ Stow
Dec 23 Cleveland Glenville
Dec 27 Cleveland St. Ignatius
Jan 6 Massillon
Jan 7 @ Farrell PA
Jan 10 Ursuline @ Quicken Loans Arena
Jan 15 Cincinnati Moeller @ N. Canton Hoover
Jan 20 Youngstown Ursuline
Jan 28 @ Euclid
Feb 3 @ Youngstown Cardinal Mooney
Feb 4 Campbell Memorial
Feb 7 @ Akron St. Vincent-St.Mary
Feb 11 @ Mentor
Feb 17 Warren JFK
Feb 21 Youngstown Cardinal Mooney
Feb 24 @ Youngstown Rayen
Dec 3 Youngstown Chaney
Dec 10 Youngstown Woodrow Wilson @ Youngstown Convo Center
Dec 13 Beaver Local
Dec 17 Cleveland Heights
Dec 20 @ Stow
Dec 23 Cleveland Glenville
Dec 27 Cleveland St. Ignatius
Jan 6 Massillon
Jan 7 @ Farrell PA
Jan 10 Ursuline @ Quicken Loans Arena
Jan 15 Cincinnati Moeller @ N. Canton Hoover
Jan 20 Youngstown Ursuline
Jan 28 @ Euclid
Feb 3 @ Youngstown Cardinal Mooney
Feb 4 Campbell Memorial
Feb 7 @ Akron St. Vincent-St.Mary
Feb 11 @ Mentor
Feb 17 Warren JFK
Feb 21 Youngstown Cardinal Mooney
Feb 24 @ Youngstown Rayen
Last edited:
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OSUBasketballJunkie
Never Forget 31-0
Great job Warren Raider, It was my plan to include all schedules for all the teams in this forum.....
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Warren Raider
Senior
Here is a peview of the Harding Raiders from The Warren Tribune Chronicle
2004-05: 22-2 (5-1 SVC)
Coach: Steve Arnold (56-12, 4th year)
Key Returning Players: Brian Wright (Sr., Point Guard), Roddy Fuller(Sr., Guard), Pat White(Sr., Forward), Ta'Shon Williams(Sr., Forward)
Newcomers To Watch: Damien Eargle(So., Forward), O'dell Eargle(Sr., Forward), Chris Henderson(So., Center), Lawerence Coleman(Jr., Guard), Terrence Hudson(Jr., Guard), Keelyn Franklin(Jr., Guard)
The Skinny: The Raiders lost several key players from Last year;s districts final club including Marion Manningham, Bruce Allen, Steve Williams, Terrin Brown, and Josh Rodgers... Harding tied Ursuline for the SVC title last season... This year's edition of the Raiders basketball team has good size with six players that are at least 6-5
Roster
G/F Ta'Shon Williams 6-2 Sr
G Brian Wright 6-0 Sr
G Aaron Elder 5-10 Jr
C Chris Henderson 6-8 So
G Avery Qualls 6-1 So
F Pat White 6-5 Sr
G Sheldon Brogdon 6-2 Fr
G Lawerence Coleman 5-11 Jr
G Terrence Hudson 5-11 Jr
G/F Keelyn Franklin 6-3 Jr
F/C Damian Eargle 6-8 So
G Roddy Fuller 6-5 Sr
F O'dell Eargle 6-8 Sr
2004-05: 22-2 (5-1 SVC)
Coach: Steve Arnold (56-12, 4th year)
Key Returning Players: Brian Wright (Sr., Point Guard), Roddy Fuller(Sr., Guard), Pat White(Sr., Forward), Ta'Shon Williams(Sr., Forward)
Newcomers To Watch: Damien Eargle(So., Forward), O'dell Eargle(Sr., Forward), Chris Henderson(So., Center), Lawerence Coleman(Jr., Guard), Terrence Hudson(Jr., Guard), Keelyn Franklin(Jr., Guard)
The Skinny: The Raiders lost several key players from Last year;s districts final club including Marion Manningham, Bruce Allen, Steve Williams, Terrin Brown, and Josh Rodgers... Harding tied Ursuline for the SVC title last season... This year's edition of the Raiders basketball team has good size with six players that are at least 6-5
Roster
G/F Ta'Shon Williams 6-2 Sr
G Brian Wright 6-0 Sr
G Aaron Elder 5-10 Jr
C Chris Henderson 6-8 So
G Avery Qualls 6-1 So
F Pat White 6-5 Sr
G Sheldon Brogdon 6-2 Fr
G Lawerence Coleman 5-11 Jr
G Terrence Hudson 5-11 Jr
G/F Keelyn Franklin 6-3 Jr
F/C Damian Eargle 6-8 So
G Roddy Fuller 6-5 Sr
F O'dell Eargle 6-8 Sr
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Warren Raider
Senior
Warren Harding beat Youngstown Chaney 96-45. Here's the story
WGH 'paints' Chaney into corner in opener
By JOE SIMON Tribune Chronicle
WARREN - During the opening tipoff of Warren G. Harding's season-opening matchup with Chaney, Harding's 6-foot-8 sophomore Damion Eargle towered over Chaney's 5-5 Sir Franklin at center court.
The Cowboys were already in defensive positions when Eargle easily tipped it to his teammate, point guard Bryan Wright. Harding then flipped the ball inside to one of its post players and took the lead.
That would be a re-occuring theme throughout the night.
The Raiders dominated every facet of the game, most glaringly inside the paint, and rolled to a 96-45 victory Saturday night at Harding Field House.
Pat White (6-5), Roddy Fuller (6-4), Damion Eargle and Damion's older brother O'dell (6-7) outscored Chaney by themselves, 50-45, as the Raiders' inside presence was much too strong for the Cowboys.
"We tried a little bit of everything,'' said Chaney coach Bernie Bohla of the Cowboys' defense. "We just couldn't keep them off the glass, and that was the story of the night.''
Harding had 23 second-chance points and held a 51 to 27 rebounding advantage. Fuller led the Raiders with 15 points, and every player on the varsity team scored in the victory. White had a double-double with 14 rebounds and 12 points.
"When you have those three guys on the floor attacking like they did, it's going to be hard to stop them,'' said Chaney coach Bernie Bolha of Harding's White, Fuller and Damion, three of the Raiders' starters. "They're a very good team.''
Harding coach Steve Arnold said there was no magic formula to get the ball inside.
"It was easy just throwing the ball up and letting our guys go get it,'' Arnold said. "They were basically out-manned tonight. But I have to give Chaney credit, they played hard for four quarters.''
Chaney, in fact, did manage to outscore Harding 20 to 17 in the third quarter, yet down 52-17 at the half, there was no comeback story for the Cowboys. The lapse, however, didn't sit too well with Arnold.
"I told our guys, 'Championship teams don't have spurts like that,' '' he said.
The Raiders made 40-of-66 field goals in the game (61 percent), while holding Chaney to 26 percent shooting.
O'dell, a senior who despite coming off the bench went for a double-double (12 rebounds, 14 points), said the Raiders will be good because each player does his part.
"Everyone has a role,'' he said. "If I need to come off the bench to help the team, that's what I'll do. Everything's for the team.''
Harding is a changed team from a season ago. Five seniors are gone, and Arnold said what the Raiders lost in speed and athleticism, they gained in size and rebounding.
"We're a vastly different team than we were last year,'' he said. "We had to change our philosophy of what we do, offensively and defensively, based on our talent.''
After going 19-1, and 22-2 overall in 2004, losing only to eventual state champion Canton McKinley in the district finals, it would be hard for the Raiders to have a better season this year. Yet, Arnold, who said he told his team he would no longer speak of last year, said his team is ready to compete at the highest level. "We're one of the top teams in the state,'' Arnold said, "and now we've got to go out and prove it.''
WGH 'paints' Chaney into corner in opener
By JOE SIMON Tribune Chronicle
WARREN - During the opening tipoff of Warren G. Harding's season-opening matchup with Chaney, Harding's 6-foot-8 sophomore Damion Eargle towered over Chaney's 5-5 Sir Franklin at center court.
The Cowboys were already in defensive positions when Eargle easily tipped it to his teammate, point guard Bryan Wright. Harding then flipped the ball inside to one of its post players and took the lead.
That would be a re-occuring theme throughout the night.
The Raiders dominated every facet of the game, most glaringly inside the paint, and rolled to a 96-45 victory Saturday night at Harding Field House.
Pat White (6-5), Roddy Fuller (6-4), Damion Eargle and Damion's older brother O'dell (6-7) outscored Chaney by themselves, 50-45, as the Raiders' inside presence was much too strong for the Cowboys.
"We tried a little bit of everything,'' said Chaney coach Bernie Bohla of the Cowboys' defense. "We just couldn't keep them off the glass, and that was the story of the night.''
Harding had 23 second-chance points and held a 51 to 27 rebounding advantage. Fuller led the Raiders with 15 points, and every player on the varsity team scored in the victory. White had a double-double with 14 rebounds and 12 points.
"When you have those three guys on the floor attacking like they did, it's going to be hard to stop them,'' said Chaney coach Bernie Bolha of Harding's White, Fuller and Damion, three of the Raiders' starters. "They're a very good team.''
Harding coach Steve Arnold said there was no magic formula to get the ball inside.
"It was easy just throwing the ball up and letting our guys go get it,'' Arnold said. "They were basically out-manned tonight. But I have to give Chaney credit, they played hard for four quarters.''
Chaney, in fact, did manage to outscore Harding 20 to 17 in the third quarter, yet down 52-17 at the half, there was no comeback story for the Cowboys. The lapse, however, didn't sit too well with Arnold.
"I told our guys, 'Championship teams don't have spurts like that,' '' he said.
The Raiders made 40-of-66 field goals in the game (61 percent), while holding Chaney to 26 percent shooting.
O'dell, a senior who despite coming off the bench went for a double-double (12 rebounds, 14 points), said the Raiders will be good because each player does his part.
"Everyone has a role,'' he said. "If I need to come off the bench to help the team, that's what I'll do. Everything's for the team.''
Harding is a changed team from a season ago. Five seniors are gone, and Arnold said what the Raiders lost in speed and athleticism, they gained in size and rebounding.
"We're a vastly different team than we were last year,'' he said. "We had to change our philosophy of what we do, offensively and defensively, based on our talent.''
After going 19-1, and 22-2 overall in 2004, losing only to eventual state champion Canton McKinley in the district finals, it would be hard for the Raiders to have a better season this year. Yet, Arnold, who said he told his team he would no longer speak of last year, said his team is ready to compete at the highest level. "We're one of the top teams in the state,'' Arnold said, "and now we've got to go out and prove it.''
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Warren Raider
Senior
Warren Harding beat Youngstown Wilson 58-24
Raiders adjust on fly in second half By JOE SIMON
Tribune Chronicle
YOUNGSTOWN - Wilson coach Mark Cherol had to come up with some type of plan against a Warren G. Harding team that he said had "superior size and talent.''
So he decided to try to slow down the high-flying Raiders by keeping it a half-court game.
And the plan worked - in the first half, that is.
Harding's defense adjusted by swarming the Redmen with a half-court press and forced 18 second-half turnovers to rout Wilson, 58-24.
"We needed to do something to change the tempo,'' Harding coach Steve Arnold said of the second-half adjustment. "We tried to use our length on the trap, and obviously it caused some problems (for Wilson).''
Twelve problems altogether. Of the 18 Wilson turnovers in the second half, 12 were from the trap, and Harding (2-0) scored 14 points off them.
The Redmen finished with 28 turnovers.
"I knew we couldn't run up and down the court with them,'' Cherol said. "So we needed to try and change our style for this game. And it worked for a while.
"(Harding) went to that half-court trap, and our kids didn't adjust to it real well. We got real panicky and threw the ball away.''
The Raiders led 25-15 at the half but held Wilson to just nine second-half points while scoring 33 of their own.
O'dell Eargle led all scorers with 20 points. He also grabbed eight rebounds and provided the crowd at the Chevrolet Centre with some extra entertainment with a few high-flying dunks.
"We're working on a state-championship team,'' the 6-foot-7 senior said. "I believe we have that potential.''
After coming off the bench in the Raiders first game against Chaney and posting a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, Eargle said it was an "honor'' to be a starter.
"They might need me to come off the bench again and be a role player,'' he said. "Whatever they need me to do. It's just an honor to be a starter on this team, it really is.''
Younger brother Damion Eargle, a sophomore, earned a double-double with 10 rebounds and 12 boards, while senior Roddy Fuller scored 10 points and had five rebounds.
For the second time in as many games at least four players scored in double figures. Arnold said it's nice to have that type of offense.
"We have a lot of balance,'' he said, "which helps because when another team wants to scout us they can't really say, 'We want to stop this guy or this guy.' ''
While Arnold said he was happy with the win, he added the Raiders still need to improve on defense.
"We were getting beat off the dribble,'' Arnold said. "I just told the guys, 'To get where we want to get, we need to play better defense.'
We will definitely work on that on Monday in practice.'' The Raiders play at home on Tuesday against Beaver Local.
Raiders adjust on fly in second half By JOE SIMON
Tribune Chronicle
YOUNGSTOWN - Wilson coach Mark Cherol had to come up with some type of plan against a Warren G. Harding team that he said had "superior size and talent.''
So he decided to try to slow down the high-flying Raiders by keeping it a half-court game.
And the plan worked - in the first half, that is.
Harding's defense adjusted by swarming the Redmen with a half-court press and forced 18 second-half turnovers to rout Wilson, 58-24.
"We needed to do something to change the tempo,'' Harding coach Steve Arnold said of the second-half adjustment. "We tried to use our length on the trap, and obviously it caused some problems (for Wilson).''
Twelve problems altogether. Of the 18 Wilson turnovers in the second half, 12 were from the trap, and Harding (2-0) scored 14 points off them.
The Redmen finished with 28 turnovers.
"I knew we couldn't run up and down the court with them,'' Cherol said. "So we needed to try and change our style for this game. And it worked for a while.
"(Harding) went to that half-court trap, and our kids didn't adjust to it real well. We got real panicky and threw the ball away.''
The Raiders led 25-15 at the half but held Wilson to just nine second-half points while scoring 33 of their own.
O'dell Eargle led all scorers with 20 points. He also grabbed eight rebounds and provided the crowd at the Chevrolet Centre with some extra entertainment with a few high-flying dunks.
"We're working on a state-championship team,'' the 6-foot-7 senior said. "I believe we have that potential.''
After coming off the bench in the Raiders first game against Chaney and posting a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, Eargle said it was an "honor'' to be a starter.
"They might need me to come off the bench again and be a role player,'' he said. "Whatever they need me to do. It's just an honor to be a starter on this team, it really is.''
Younger brother Damion Eargle, a sophomore, earned a double-double with 10 rebounds and 12 boards, while senior Roddy Fuller scored 10 points and had five rebounds.
For the second time in as many games at least four players scored in double figures. Arnold said it's nice to have that type of offense.
"We have a lot of balance,'' he said, "which helps because when another team wants to scout us they can't really say, 'We want to stop this guy or this guy.' ''
While Arnold said he was happy with the win, he added the Raiders still need to improve on defense.
"We were getting beat off the dribble,'' Arnold said. "I just told the guys, 'To get where we want to get, we need to play better defense.'
We will definitely work on that on Monday in practice.'' The Raiders play at home on Tuesday against Beaver Local.
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Warren Raider
Senior
Warren Harding beat Beaver Local 101-21
Harding dunks Beaver Local
By J.J. BENSON Tribune Chronicle
WARREN - Warren G. Harding owes the rim manufacturer an apology after Tuesday's game against Beaver Local.
The Raiders abused the basket with an array of dazzling dunks in their 101-21 Steel Valley Conference victory, and spared the steel cylinder only when they got nothing but net from 10 3-pointers.
It was the first time Harding scored 100 or more points since doing it against Rayen in the 2001-02 season.
Five Harding players finished with double-digit scoring, led by Damion Eargle's 15 points and 12 rebounds. O'dell Eargle had 17, Brian Wright scored 14 and Ta'Shan Williams and Keelyn Franklin each had 13.
Harding coach Steve Arnold had no complaints following the 80-point victory. His biggest concern was keeping the victory from enlarging the Raiders' heads.
"I don't want the kids to get a false sense of security,'' Arnold said. "After this 3-0 start we are really trying to keep our kids grounded.
"You hate to be in such a lopsided game. I give Beaver Local credit. They played hard for four quarters.''
The Raiders led 28-5 after the first quarter and held Beaver Local scoreless in the second quarter to take a 53-5 halftime lead.
O'dell Eargle had 14 points in the first quarter, including a pair of slam dunks that left the Beavers defenseless.
"Harding was very athletic,'' Beaver Local coach Mike Solterbeck said. "When I saw Harding on our schedule, I said they could beat us 120-10 if they wanted to. They almost did it.
"I knew in the first few minutes if we couldn't turn over our offense and make them play defense it would be a long night.''
The Beavers had more turnovers than points in each quarter and finished the game with 29. Harding had just nine turnovers.
Wright hit a pair of three pointers early in the third quarter as the Raiders took a 63-9 lead with 4:58 left. The Raiders led 76-15 at the end of the third.
Franklin, Wright and Aaron Elder each hit three 3-pointers in the game as the Raiders made 38-of-73 from the field.
The Raiders outrebounded the Beavers 47-14. Pat White had eight boards while Williams and O'dell Eargle had six each.
"O'dell got us off on the right foot with his energy tonight,'' Arnold said. "He gives us a dimension of athleticism at 6-foot-7 that we haven't had in a while.
"Brian (Wright) has been groomed to be a leader for us. We expect a lot from Brian.''
With 2:11 left in the game the Harding faithful began pulling for the 100-point mark after Elder hit a 3-pointer making it 97-19. Lawrence Coleman's shot put the Raiders over the milestone with 44 seconds left.
Beaver Local joined the Steel Valley League last season, but they are leaving after this year. For Solterbeck, it was the most optimistic aspect of Tuesday's game since the two teams won't meet again this year.
"We can't compete in that league in boy's basketball,'' he said. "This was the worst year for us to be in this league.'' Arlan Bailey and Ethan Russell each scored six for Beaver Local, now 0-4.
Harding dunks Beaver Local
By J.J. BENSON Tribune Chronicle
WARREN - Warren G. Harding owes the rim manufacturer an apology after Tuesday's game against Beaver Local.
The Raiders abused the basket with an array of dazzling dunks in their 101-21 Steel Valley Conference victory, and spared the steel cylinder only when they got nothing but net from 10 3-pointers.
It was the first time Harding scored 100 or more points since doing it against Rayen in the 2001-02 season.
Five Harding players finished with double-digit scoring, led by Damion Eargle's 15 points and 12 rebounds. O'dell Eargle had 17, Brian Wright scored 14 and Ta'Shan Williams and Keelyn Franklin each had 13.
Harding coach Steve Arnold had no complaints following the 80-point victory. His biggest concern was keeping the victory from enlarging the Raiders' heads.
"I don't want the kids to get a false sense of security,'' Arnold said. "After this 3-0 start we are really trying to keep our kids grounded.
"You hate to be in such a lopsided game. I give Beaver Local credit. They played hard for four quarters.''
The Raiders led 28-5 after the first quarter and held Beaver Local scoreless in the second quarter to take a 53-5 halftime lead.
O'dell Eargle had 14 points in the first quarter, including a pair of slam dunks that left the Beavers defenseless.
"Harding was very athletic,'' Beaver Local coach Mike Solterbeck said. "When I saw Harding on our schedule, I said they could beat us 120-10 if they wanted to. They almost did it.
"I knew in the first few minutes if we couldn't turn over our offense and make them play defense it would be a long night.''
The Beavers had more turnovers than points in each quarter and finished the game with 29. Harding had just nine turnovers.
Wright hit a pair of three pointers early in the third quarter as the Raiders took a 63-9 lead with 4:58 left. The Raiders led 76-15 at the end of the third.
Franklin, Wright and Aaron Elder each hit three 3-pointers in the game as the Raiders made 38-of-73 from the field.
The Raiders outrebounded the Beavers 47-14. Pat White had eight boards while Williams and O'dell Eargle had six each.
"O'dell got us off on the right foot with his energy tonight,'' Arnold said. "He gives us a dimension of athleticism at 6-foot-7 that we haven't had in a while.
"Brian (Wright) has been groomed to be a leader for us. We expect a lot from Brian.''
With 2:11 left in the game the Harding faithful began pulling for the 100-point mark after Elder hit a 3-pointer making it 97-19. Lawrence Coleman's shot put the Raiders over the milestone with 44 seconds left.
Beaver Local joined the Steel Valley League last season, but they are leaving after this year. For Solterbeck, it was the most optimistic aspect of Tuesday's game since the two teams won't meet again this year.
"We can't compete in that league in boy's basketball,'' he said. "This was the worst year for us to be in this league.'' Arlan Bailey and Ethan Russell each scored six for Beaver Local, now 0-4.
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Warren Raider
Senior
Warren Harding beat Cleveland Heights 62-39
Raiders blast Tigers
By JOE SIMON Tribune Chronicle
WARREN - While Warren G. Harding was 3-0 coming into its match up with Cleveland Heights Saturday night at Harding Field House, the Raiders knew this would be their toughest game thus far.
Yet since Harding had won its previous three games by an average of 55 points, that wasn't saying much. And it took a half for Harding to realize Cleveland Heights wasn't as good of a test as they had thought.
The Raiders stayed perfect by dominating the second half, turning a seven-point halftime lead into a 62-39 victory.
Harding allowed just three third-quarter points and didn't allow the Tigers to score a point until the 1 minute 52 second mark of the quarter. The Raiders outscored Cleveland Heights 18 to 3 in the quarter.
The difference came with a change in intensity, Harding coach Steve Arnold said after the game.
"They were better than the previous teams we've played,'' Arnold said of Cleveland Heights. "They were able to play us relatively close in the first half. Our kids just turned it up a notch in the second half.''
The biggest difference, Arnold said, after leading 29-22 at halftime, was how the Raiders took care of the ball and ran the court. After 10 turnovers in the first half, the Raiders had just four in the second.
The Raiders also implemented a half-court press defense, something they've done throughout the year, and forced the Tigers into 18 turnovers after intermission. Harding scored 14 points off the 28 total turnovers by Cleveland Heights.
"We just played our game,'' said senior Pat White, who led the team with 16 points. "The coaches told us that if we played like we did the first half, (Cleveland Heights) was going to stick around. We took care of the ball and got up and down the court on them (in the second half).''
White was the Raiders' main offensive threat in the decisive third quarter, scoring eight points, including a vicious one-handed dunk that ignited the 18-to-3 run. He also had eight rebounds and two blocks.
"Pat's been a stabilizing force for us,'' Arnold said. "He can defend, he can rebound, and he runs the court well. Pat played an excellent game tonight.''
Arnold said the four to five dunks the Raiders had helped with their intensity.
"If you look at every level of the game: high school, college and the NBA, sometimes a dunk can energize you,'' he said. "It definitely did tonight.''
With Harding having six players over 6-5 on the roster, the Tigers were the only team that has been anywhere near Harding's size- with two players over 6-6 and one near 6-8 and 250 pounds. But while Cleveland Heights had size, the speed to go with it wasn't there.
"Our depth hurt them a bit in the second half,'' Arnold said. "That and our overall athleticism I think gave them problems over four quarters.''
After thoroughly dominating Chaney, Wilson and Beaver Local to start the season, Arnold said the Raiders needed a team to challenge them. "After the way our first three games went, as a head coach, you worry that your kids could become complacent,'' he said. "But it only gets tougher from here.''
Raiders blast Tigers
By JOE SIMON Tribune Chronicle
WARREN - While Warren G. Harding was 3-0 coming into its match up with Cleveland Heights Saturday night at Harding Field House, the Raiders knew this would be their toughest game thus far.
Yet since Harding had won its previous three games by an average of 55 points, that wasn't saying much. And it took a half for Harding to realize Cleveland Heights wasn't as good of a test as they had thought.
The Raiders stayed perfect by dominating the second half, turning a seven-point halftime lead into a 62-39 victory.
Harding allowed just three third-quarter points and didn't allow the Tigers to score a point until the 1 minute 52 second mark of the quarter. The Raiders outscored Cleveland Heights 18 to 3 in the quarter.
The difference came with a change in intensity, Harding coach Steve Arnold said after the game.
"They were better than the previous teams we've played,'' Arnold said of Cleveland Heights. "They were able to play us relatively close in the first half. Our kids just turned it up a notch in the second half.''
The biggest difference, Arnold said, after leading 29-22 at halftime, was how the Raiders took care of the ball and ran the court. After 10 turnovers in the first half, the Raiders had just four in the second.
The Raiders also implemented a half-court press defense, something they've done throughout the year, and forced the Tigers into 18 turnovers after intermission. Harding scored 14 points off the 28 total turnovers by Cleveland Heights.
"We just played our game,'' said senior Pat White, who led the team with 16 points. "The coaches told us that if we played like we did the first half, (Cleveland Heights) was going to stick around. We took care of the ball and got up and down the court on them (in the second half).''
White was the Raiders' main offensive threat in the decisive third quarter, scoring eight points, including a vicious one-handed dunk that ignited the 18-to-3 run. He also had eight rebounds and two blocks.
"Pat's been a stabilizing force for us,'' Arnold said. "He can defend, he can rebound, and he runs the court well. Pat played an excellent game tonight.''
Arnold said the four to five dunks the Raiders had helped with their intensity.
"If you look at every level of the game: high school, college and the NBA, sometimes a dunk can energize you,'' he said. "It definitely did tonight.''
With Harding having six players over 6-5 on the roster, the Tigers were the only team that has been anywhere near Harding's size- with two players over 6-6 and one near 6-8 and 250 pounds. But while Cleveland Heights had size, the speed to go with it wasn't there.
"Our depth hurt them a bit in the second half,'' Arnold said. "That and our overall athleticism I think gave them problems over four quarters.''
After thoroughly dominating Chaney, Wilson and Beaver Local to start the season, Arnold said the Raiders needed a team to challenge them. "After the way our first three games went, as a head coach, you worry that your kids could become complacent,'' he said. "But it only gets tougher from here.''
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Warren Raider
Senior
Defense carries Harding
By MIKE McLAIN Tribune Chronicle
WARREN - There were a couple of dunks, five 3-point shots and several impressive fastbreaks that turned on Warren G. Harding basketball fans.
Offensive exploits aside, what pleased Harding coach Steve Arnold the most in the Raiders' 59-40 win over Cleveland St. Ignatius Tuesday was the play on the defensive end. How could a coach be unhappy when a strong offensive team like Ignatius is limited to four points in the first quarter and 17 at halftime?
The key in Harding's defensive plan was to keep Rudy Kirbus under control. Kirbus is capable of big scoring nights, but a combination of Harding players kept him to a hard-earned 21 points.
With little help on the offensive end from Kirbus' teammates, the Wildcats didn't have much of a chance against Harding's depth of talent.
''You have to commend Bryan (Wright), Lawrence Coleman, Keelyn Franklin and Tashon Williams on how they defended Kirbus,î Arnold said. ''We made him work for everything he was able to get. You take 75 percent of their offense away when you wear down Kirbus.î
Harding (6-1) also struggled to score at the outset as both teams played well on defense. The Raiders were hampered at the outset because of Arnold's decision to not start Roddy Fuller and O'Dell Eargle because of disciplinary reasons.
The absence of two key players didn't bother senior guard Bryan Wright, who scored 20 points and ran the offense with few mistakes. Wright scored seven points in the first quarter as Harding took a 13-4 lead, and he added eight in the second period to help give the Raiders a 26-17 halftime advantage.
Wright made three shots from 3-point territory to loosen up the Wildcats' zone defense. His play proved crucial in a game that could have been difficult for the Raiders.
''Bryan showed his true leadership skills,î Arnold said. ''He ran the offense and he hit the wide-open shots.î
Wright expected a higher scoring game, but he was content to remain patient and pick his spots. Filling the role of team leader suits him fine.
''They were sagging off of us because they didn't think we could knock down our shots,î Wright said. ''But we hit a few. We had to swing the ball around and get it moving a little bit.î
Ignatius (3-4) stayed within close range in the third quarter as Kirbus scored eight points. Eargle became a factor in the quarter by scoring nine of his 11 points, including a tip-in at the buzzer to give Harding a 41-33 lead entering the final stanza.
With Ignatius forced to pick up the tempo, Harding methodically pulled away in the final eight minutes. Franklin and Pat White opened the quarter with fielders, and Franklin followed with a 3-point shot as Harding stretched its lead to 48-33.
Franklin scored eight of his 15 points in the period, including the last four of the game. Kirbus scored all seven of Ignatius' points.
Arnold liked the fact that the Raiders were able to adjust well to an opponent that plays a patient, halfcourt style.
''There are times when you have to be able to run the halfcourt offense because teams won't allow you to run,î Arnold said. ''What I try to convey to our players as you go through the season is that scouting reports are involved. They're going to say, 'Get back on defense and don't allow them to run.' If the break isn't there, we're going to have to be able to execute our halfcourt offense, and we were able to do that.î
Harding is idle until Friday, Jan. 6 when it host Massillon Washington.
Harding 59, St. Ignatius 40
ST. IGNATIUS (40): T.J. DiSanto 2 0-0 5, Dave Thompson 1 0-0 2, Ryan Sylvester 0 0-0 0, Rudy Kirbus 7 4-5 21, Ryan Palaf 1 0-2 2, Fred McElrath 2 0-0 4, Sean Whitney 0 2-2 2, Pat Hennessey 0 0-2 0, Matt Rosinski 0 1-2 1, Connor Flanagan 1 0-0 3, Chris Milkie 0 0-0 0. Totals: FG ñ 14-43; FT ñ 7-11.
HARDING (59): Bryan Wright 7 3-3 20, Roddy Fuller 0 0-0 0, Pat White 1 1-2 3, Tashon Williams 3 0-0 6, Damion Eargle 0 0-0 0, O'Dell Eargle 5 1-2 11, Lawrence Coleman 2 0-1 4, Terence Hudson 0 0-0 0, Keelyn Franklin 5 3-5 15. Totals: FG ñ 23-44; FT ñ 8-13
St. Ignatius 4 13 16 7 ñ 40
Harding 13 13 15 18 ñ 59 3-POINT GOALS: SI ñ 5 (DiSanto, Kirbus 3, Flanagan); H ñ 5 (Wright 3, Franklin 2). REBOUNDS: SI ñ 29 (Kirbus 10); H ñ 32 (White 9). ASSISTS: H ñ 13 (Wright 3, White 3). JV SCORE: St. Ignatius, 60-48. LEADING SCORERS: SI ñ Ryan 20; H ñ Aaron Elder 13, Sheldon Brogden 13.
By MIKE McLAIN Tribune Chronicle
WARREN - There were a couple of dunks, five 3-point shots and several impressive fastbreaks that turned on Warren G. Harding basketball fans.
Offensive exploits aside, what pleased Harding coach Steve Arnold the most in the Raiders' 59-40 win over Cleveland St. Ignatius Tuesday was the play on the defensive end. How could a coach be unhappy when a strong offensive team like Ignatius is limited to four points in the first quarter and 17 at halftime?
The key in Harding's defensive plan was to keep Rudy Kirbus under control. Kirbus is capable of big scoring nights, but a combination of Harding players kept him to a hard-earned 21 points.
With little help on the offensive end from Kirbus' teammates, the Wildcats didn't have much of a chance against Harding's depth of talent.
''You have to commend Bryan (Wright), Lawrence Coleman, Keelyn Franklin and Tashon Williams on how they defended Kirbus,î Arnold said. ''We made him work for everything he was able to get. You take 75 percent of their offense away when you wear down Kirbus.î
Harding (6-1) also struggled to score at the outset as both teams played well on defense. The Raiders were hampered at the outset because of Arnold's decision to not start Roddy Fuller and O'Dell Eargle because of disciplinary reasons.
The absence of two key players didn't bother senior guard Bryan Wright, who scored 20 points and ran the offense with few mistakes. Wright scored seven points in the first quarter as Harding took a 13-4 lead, and he added eight in the second period to help give the Raiders a 26-17 halftime advantage.
Wright made three shots from 3-point territory to loosen up the Wildcats' zone defense. His play proved crucial in a game that could have been difficult for the Raiders.
''Bryan showed his true leadership skills,î Arnold said. ''He ran the offense and he hit the wide-open shots.î
Wright expected a higher scoring game, but he was content to remain patient and pick his spots. Filling the role of team leader suits him fine.
''They were sagging off of us because they didn't think we could knock down our shots,î Wright said. ''But we hit a few. We had to swing the ball around and get it moving a little bit.î
Ignatius (3-4) stayed within close range in the third quarter as Kirbus scored eight points. Eargle became a factor in the quarter by scoring nine of his 11 points, including a tip-in at the buzzer to give Harding a 41-33 lead entering the final stanza.
With Ignatius forced to pick up the tempo, Harding methodically pulled away in the final eight minutes. Franklin and Pat White opened the quarter with fielders, and Franklin followed with a 3-point shot as Harding stretched its lead to 48-33.
Franklin scored eight of his 15 points in the period, including the last four of the game. Kirbus scored all seven of Ignatius' points.
Arnold liked the fact that the Raiders were able to adjust well to an opponent that plays a patient, halfcourt style.
''There are times when you have to be able to run the halfcourt offense because teams won't allow you to run,î Arnold said. ''What I try to convey to our players as you go through the season is that scouting reports are involved. They're going to say, 'Get back on defense and don't allow them to run.' If the break isn't there, we're going to have to be able to execute our halfcourt offense, and we were able to do that.î
Harding is idle until Friday, Jan. 6 when it host Massillon Washington.
Harding 59, St. Ignatius 40
ST. IGNATIUS (40): T.J. DiSanto 2 0-0 5, Dave Thompson 1 0-0 2, Ryan Sylvester 0 0-0 0, Rudy Kirbus 7 4-5 21, Ryan Palaf 1 0-2 2, Fred McElrath 2 0-0 4, Sean Whitney 0 2-2 2, Pat Hennessey 0 0-2 0, Matt Rosinski 0 1-2 1, Connor Flanagan 1 0-0 3, Chris Milkie 0 0-0 0. Totals: FG ñ 14-43; FT ñ 7-11.
HARDING (59): Bryan Wright 7 3-3 20, Roddy Fuller 0 0-0 0, Pat White 1 1-2 3, Tashon Williams 3 0-0 6, Damion Eargle 0 0-0 0, O'Dell Eargle 5 1-2 11, Lawrence Coleman 2 0-1 4, Terence Hudson 0 0-0 0, Keelyn Franklin 5 3-5 15. Totals: FG ñ 23-44; FT ñ 8-13
St. Ignatius 4 13 16 7 ñ 40
Harding 13 13 15 18 ñ 59 3-POINT GOALS: SI ñ 5 (DiSanto, Kirbus 3, Flanagan); H ñ 5 (Wright 3, Franklin 2). REBOUNDS: SI ñ 29 (Kirbus 10); H ñ 32 (White 9). ASSISTS: H ñ 13 (Wright 3, White 3). JV SCORE: St. Ignatius, 60-48. LEADING SCORERS: SI ñ Ryan 20; H ñ Aaron Elder 13, Sheldon Brogden 13.
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