Strong Second Half Propels Cleveland to Championship

In a tournament filled with games that ended on last-second shots and overtimes, the final ended rather anti-climatically.

Cleveland High routed Eagle Rock, 80-62, Saturday night in the tournament final with a second-half surge.

The Cavaliers, who squeaked into the final with a 78-77 overtime victory over Leuzinger on Friday night, turned to a decided height advantage Saturday.

Center Mike Schultz (6 feet 8) and forward Donald Holt (6-6) proved to be the difference against an Eagle team with no player taller than 6-4. Schultz had 27 points and 13 rebounds, and Holt added 19 points.

But size was not the only advantage the Cavaliers employed, according to first-year Coach Andre Chevalier.

“The last few games we’ve been coming closer together as a family,” Chevalier said. “We’re getting a little better every game.”

Holt, chosen the tournament most valuable player, echoed the family theme.

“We became a family this tournament,” he said. “Before we were all scattered around with groups here and there.”

That closeness came in handy.

Eagle Rock (6-2) pulled to within 52-50 on a three-point basket with 3:38 left in the third, but the Cavaliers closed the quarter with an 11-4 run. The Eagles never got closer than seven points thereafter.

Cleveland took a 40-28 lead with 1:47 to play in the first half, but the Cavalier bench was called for a technical foul for arguing a foul call. Mark Caguioa made all four free throws, then hit a three-point shot as the first-half clock expired to pull Eagle Rock within 41-37.

Eagle Rock was the team exhibiting frustration in the fourth quarter, and Caguioa and Mike Aguirre were ejected in separate incidents.

“This is good for us to come in and win this tournament,” Chevalier said. “It shows that we don’t go into a shell when it’s time to play.”

Bell-Jeff 77, Leuzinger 75--Reserve guard Gaither Powell scored only six points, but they were the most important points of the third-place game.

Powell’s desperation three-point shot as time expired in overtime banked in and gave the Guards (6-2) the victory.

With two seconds remaining in regulation, Powell hit a three-point shot to tie the score, 68-68.

“I was feeling it,” Powell said. “I kept telling coach to put me in so he did and told me to do my thing.”

Things looked grim for the Guards in overtime when the Olympians (8-7) led, 75-74, on two free throws by Gary Dickens with seven seconds left.

Ruben Douglas was tripled-teamed trying to dribble up the court on the ensuing possession and a Leuzinger player made a leaping interception of his pass attempt near midcourt, but he landed out of bounds.

After a timeout, Marcos Flores threw an inbounds pass to Douglas, but it was deflected toward Powell who picked it up at the top of the three-point arch and heaved in the winner.

Douglas finished with 26 points and Mike West and Kent Dennis each added 17.

North Hollywood 76, Monroe 54--Karon Wilkerson scored 33 points to help the Huskies (5-5) win the ninth-place game.

Wilkerson had 18 points in the first half and North Hollywood led, 39-23. Mark Cumbiss had 21 points for Monroe.