Moeller seeks gold in.,M'finaf By Marc Hardin Post contributor
COLUMBUS — Moeller High School basketball coach Carl Kremer was incredulous, and at the same time, not surprised. ~-` When told his Crusaders trailed Mansfield Senior by seven points with 3:45 left in the game before rallying for a 49-43 victory 4n the boys' Division I state semifinals Fri`day night, Kremer said,"I didn't realize that. I guess it's become so standard for us that I didn't realize the situation." Moeller rallied to win the regional and district championship games this month after trailing in both games by 14 points during the second half. Earlier in the week, Kremer described Mansfield's ability to produce points in bunches as "spurtability," and said the Tygers were "dangerous" because of it.
' However,it was Moeller's spurtability Friday night at Ohio State that put the Crusaders (20-6) into tonight's 8:30 championship game against Shaker Heights (25-1). Behind senior guards Mike Monserez and Jeremy Duncan and sophomore forward Matt Sylvester, Moeller outscored Mansfield, 22-8, in the fourth quarter, and 15.4-d'ver the final 6:11.
But there wasn'ta ouder,Moelier'student uproar than the ne that went up' when Sylvester`(13 p ints, nine.i•ebotinds)1' hit a three-pointer wi h 11:37 to go,to tie the score, 43-43. Seventeen econds later, Moil= serez hit his go-ahead op,,
Mansfield did not score in the lase 3:34, when Moeller went on a 13-0 run. Monserez, Moeller's 6-foot-5 all-Ohio point guard, scored eight of his 13 points in "When(my shot)"' t in," said Sylves:, the final quarter, including the go-ahead ter,"there was a sense f relief for me."basket on a lay in with 1:20 to go. That put And for Monserez, well.:- Moeller ahead 45-43. With a quiet, gold-splashed legion of Monserez, a Notre me recruit, picked Moeller students as his backdrop, Monserup three fouls and did fiot score in the first ez then hit four free throws in the final 34 half, missing all three of his shots. Despite seconds to seal the Crusaders' first trip to the state championship game. +11.+ at, M11 oe er +-4 1ed at halfti'me by Just one,20-19. Stepping to the fore for Moeller while Monserez struggled was Duncan, who has struggled with his shot the entire season. "When we got in trouble, we got some help from a man who has struggled this season, Jeremy Duncan," Kremer said."He hit some big shots." Duncan scored eight of his 15 points in the first half. Said Duncan:"I knew somebody had to step up when Mike went out(with three fouls).'! Mansfield (22-4) vas led by junior forward Rick Minard's to points, but Minard missed seven of 12 free throws.
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"Minard hits just 38 percent of his free throws," Kremer said."We were going to foul him every time he got the ball."
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Monserez rebounded in the second half, hitting 9-of-11 free throws.
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Moeller-playrs ., for title today
Jeremy Duncan and his Moeller teamSnates are one victory away fromthe state championship game.
was•a'lot fold hack there," , Monserez said, reel ng his last four free throws."And:it's`a food sound when you makethem.'!'' Moeller'sfstuderit ection woofs,"Sunk it," after each Crus r free throw made:
Moeller's Mike Monserez gives high fives as lie passes a group of Moellerfans after the Crusaders won their Division s I state semifinal 49-43 over Mansfield Senior on Friday. for the Moeller plays'today C1 state title. Sports,
"We didn't have the deer-in-the-headlights look," Monserez said. "I've grown up dreaming about something like this. We've got 10 seniors on this team, and we went undefeated as freshmen.Each year, the stakes have gone up and up. "We're in unproven territory now. We're going to have to come out against Shaker Heights (ranked No.9 in USA Today's toff 25 poll) and keep doing what we're doing," . Said Kremer:"Shaker Heights looks to me to be in another league from the rest of the state. They're the best team I've seen up here in years." MANSFIELD(22.4) Hilitard2.6 0.1 4, Biutn 1-90-02,Sykes 2-I'l 0-05, fson 3-6U-2 Butts 2.51.2 6. Wolf 0-3 0.00, Millard 2-75-12 10. Davis 4.50118, Hood 1-20-02.totals 17.55 .:.. &1743 MOELLER(20.6) Duncan 6.14 3-415, Weis& 0.3 0-00. Monserez 2-109-1111 Sylvester s,X10013,Hutze13.50A6,Byttw50.10.OO,.Curnn1-10•02,ShunaO.00-00.Totals i635
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7 22— 12'3 71aee oolnl gobs -Mana6eW 317(Hard 0.1.BurBn0 b.8ykef 1.4. Thompson 0.1, Buns 1.2. Wo80 ,Millard 1-3). MOWWC1plcrn 0.1,WalsgS 0.1,Monserer K Syivester 1-2). Fmtdout--Hone.Rettounde~ Ma d 34(Sykes 7,Bu8ti7),Mo"33(Sylvester 4). Assists M~sW 4(Mnerd 3). Moe6er6(Mefrwaz 4). Fats—MansOeid 14,Mo"16