U-32 ousts Springfield, 53-39

Third-seeded U-32 turned up the heat defensively in the second half and used its height advantage to defeat No. 14 Springfield 53-39 Wednesday night and advance into the Division II boys basketball quarterfinals on Saturday.

http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20120301/SPORTS02/703019896

U-32 senior Clark Stridsberg shoots a jumper as Springfield senior Aaron Wallace defends during the second half of the Raiders’ victory on Wednesday.
Photo: Jeb Walalce-Brodeur / Staff Photo
Published March 1, 2012 in the Rutland Herald
U-32 ousts Springfield, 53-39

By TOM HERZIG
CORRESPONDENT

EAST MONTPELIER — Third-seeded U-32 turned up the heat defensively in the second half and used its height advantage to defeat No. 14 Springfield 53-39 Wednesday night and advance into the Division II boys basketball quarterfinals on Saturday.

Despite four first-quarter 3-pointers by sophomore sharpshooter Ryan Booth, the Raiders found themselves nursing a five-point lead, 31-26, at halftime. Springfield seniors Aaron Wallace and Kirk Perham combined for 17 points in the first half as the Cosmos went 9 for 18 from the floor.

U-32 coach Dan Gandin headed to the locker room displeased by his team’s commitment on the defensive end.

“When someone got beat, nobody was stepping in to help out,” he said. “Those two guys (Wallace and Perham) can play. We needed more effort and we needed more offensive rebounds.”

When Booth cooled off, U-32’s offense sputtered as Springfield zoned up and packed the paint. Jack Shea connected on a much-needed 3-pointer midway through the second quarter and Cal McEathron followed suit to forge a 29-21 lead.

McEathron scored 15 points to lead the Raiders, including six consecutive points early in the fourth quarter.

U-32 senior forward Clark Stridsberg had a game-high 10 rebounds and added 11 points.

Springfield was held to 1 of 8 shooting and two points total in the third period.

“It’s never good when you make four of your first five shots and you’re down two,” Cosmo coach Pete Peck said of Booth’s early fireworks. “We got the shots we wanted, they just didn’t fall. Their defense tightened up in the second half. Wallace and Perham have been our horses all year. It was a well-played game.”

Perham drained a deep trey from the corner to trim U-32’s lead to 40-33 with six minutes left but then McEathron heated up. He scored on a reverse spin in the paint, drove the lane for another hoop and followed a miss to make it 46-33 at the three-minute mark.

Perham finished with 18 points for the green and white. Wallace scored 10 points. Junior Michael Muther added five points and five rebounds.

“There are some jitters in the first game of the playoffs, no matter what your seed is,” Gandin said. “Chris Collins contributed off the bench for us. Cal (McEathron) did a good job on Wallace. Springfield showed a lot of patience. They were well-coached.”



U-32 53, Springfield 39

SPRINGFIELD (39)

Muther 1 1 0-0 5, Patoine 2 0-0 4, Crowley 0 0-0 0, Wallace 2 2 0-0 10, Perham 4 2 4-4 18, Therrien 0 0-0 0, Goodrich 0 0-0 0, Farmer 1 0-0 2, Brady 0 0-0 0.

Totals 10 5 4-4 39.

U-32 (53)

Shea 1 1 0-1 5, Stridsberg 3 5-7 11 Bolduc 0 0-0 0, Booth 1 4 0-0 14, McEathron 6 1 0-0 15, Collins 3 0-0 6, Weaver 1 0-0 2.

Totals 15 6 5-8 53.

Springfield 13 13 2 11 - 39

U-32 15 16 5 17 - 53

Three-pointers: S – Wallace (2), Perham (2), Muther. U – Booth (4), Shea, McEathron. Fouled Out: none