High Pressure Enables Cleveland to Weather Cold Stretches in Win

Upon his arrival, Cleveland High forward Lucious Harris was not exactly overwhelmed by the city of bright lights. In fact, his first impression after a long drive from Reseda on Monday was pretty close to the way the Cavaliers played later in the afternoon.

“It’s coooold ,” said Harris in reference to the chilly air of the high desert. “It’s real cold.”

Cleveland was likewise for most of the first half of its first-round game Monday in the Las Vegas Holiday tournament at University of Nevada Las Vegas. Cleveland, however, put together its most impressive run of the season, outscoring Chaparral of Las Vegas, by 38 points over the last 15 minutes in a 97-56 win.

Cleveland, which made only 18 of 48 shots in the first half, will play Skyline of Oakland, a 95-87 winner over South Miami on Monday, in the second round at noon today.

One minute into the third quarter, the odds against ever playing Skyline were fast approaching sky-high. After taking a 43-34 lead at the half, the Cavaliers (5-2) sputtered in the first minute of the third quarter and were outscored, 9-3, to cut their lead to 46-43.

For Cleveland Coach Bob Braswell, this looked all too familiar: the team had been outscored, 6-0, before the half and it appeared that Chaparral (5-6) was poised for a run at the game.

“I got on them about our lack of a killer instinct,” said Braswell about a halftime chat with his players. “Putting people away has been a problem all year. And then we turn right around and do the same thing to start the third quarter.”

But put away the game Cleveland did, thanks to a pressing and swarming defense keyed by a rotation of 6 fleet-footed and quick-handed guards. The turnaround started after Chaparral’s Damian Smith made a free throw to cap a 4-point play to cut the Cleveland lead to 46-43 with 5:51 left in the third quarter.

Chaparral committed turnovers on 5 of its next 6 possessions as Cleveland ran off an 11-0 run. Senior guard Adonis Jordan, who finished with a game-high 24 points, scored 5 points in the stretch, which marked the beginning of the end for Chaparral.

“I don’t think we’ll ever see another press like that,” Chaparral Coach Rod Vollan said. “At least, I hope not.”

Cleveland pressed Chaparral into 14 turnovers in the third quarter and 46 in the game. The speedy Cavaliers scored 27 points in both the third and fourth quarters.

The Cavalier guards, as usual, were the offensive focal point. Harris scored 23 points and had 7 rebounds to lead the forwards, but it was guards Eddie Hill (17 points), Andre Chevalier (13), Tim Bowen (5) and Jordan who administered the knockout blows.

“They probably have 5 guys out there who are faster than our fastest guy,” Vollan said. “We get to within 3 points and then commit a bunch of unforced turnovers and, boom, that’s it. We’re history.”

Chaparral made only 8 of 28 field-goal attempts in the second half and 18 of 45 (40%) in the game.

Jordan said the team’s long drive--Cleveland arrived at 1:30 p.m. and played at 4:15--had something to do with the sluggish start.

“We needed some time to get warmed up,” Jordan said. “Once we got going though, we were OK. I noticed the guy I was sticking started going ‘Uhhhhh’ and breathing real hard after a while. Guess that comes from our conditioning.”

And as long as Cleveland’s opponents are sucking wind, even if it is somewhat chilly, the Cavalier condition will be just fine.

In another Las Vegas Holiday tournament game:

Fairdale (Kentucky) 60, El Camino Real 48--El Camino Real Coach Mike McNulty’s toddler son, Brett, watched the Conquistadores’ game from a chair next to his dad. He watched Fairdale, a team with 7 sophomores, 4 juniors and only 3 seniors--youngsters in their own right--hold off a furious El Camino Real rally in the fourth quarter.

Fairdale (6-2) jumped to a 16-7 lead after one quarter and a 31-24 lead at the half, but El Camino Real (3-2) stayed close enough to threaten in the fourth quarter--until some baby steps did them in 3 times in crucial situation.

Trailing, 43-38 at the end of the third quarter, El Camino Real scored 3 consecutive baskets to open the fourth, cutting the Fairdale lead to 43-41.

After Fairdale’s Jermaine Brown, who finished with a game-high 21 points, scored inside and teammate Tony Wheat added a pair of free throws, Fairdale expanded its lead to 7. El Camino Real guard Russell Reid made the first of 2 free throws with 4:02 remaining, but the Conquistadores turned the ball over on their next possession when Ken Findley stepped on the line while attempting an inbounds pass.

Forward Brent Lofton, who had a team-high 18 points for El Camino Real, scored inside with 2:40 remaining to bring the Conquistadores within 50-44, but it was the last basket the team would score. Forward Charles Crow was whistled for a lane violation when he stepped on the line while shooting the first of 2 free throws with 2:13 left, and Reid was called for traveling 2 possessions later.

“I think it all came too easy too soon,” Fairdale Coach Stan Hardin said. “When we do that, we have a tendency to lapse, and that gives a team the confidence it needs to beat you.”

The El Camino Real rally may have been doomed from the beginning. Lofton and center Jason Steele (16 points) were double-teamed throughout the second half because El Camino Real was unable to get any kind of production out of guards Jason Farrell (2 points) or Reid (6 points).

“We told our guards to pressure the ball, get a hand in their face and then get back in the paint,” Hardin said. “They weren’t scoring, so we packed the inside.”

McNulty admitted that Lofton and Steele will have plenty of company in the middle until the team starts scoring consistently from outside. Until then, the team may be on the outside of this tournament, looking in.

“It’s been our problem every game,” he said. “We have to find some scoring from the guard spot or we’re hurting.”

El Camino Real plays Ocean View, a 73-69 loser to Valley of Las Vegas, in the first round of consolation play today at 1 p.m.