×

Retro Raiders

Harding beaten in WWR throwback game

Staff photos / Brian Yauger Warren G. Harding’s Dom Foster (23) drives to the basket against Boardman’s Connor Miller on Friday when the Raiders wore replica 1977 Warren Western Reserve uniforms. Boardman defeated Harding, 59-35.

WARREN — The Warren G. Harding boys basketball team celebrated the Warren Western Reserve basketball program in its inaugural “throwback game” Friday night.

Despite donning replica 1977 Reserve uniforms, playing in front of a huge crowd and all the pomp surrounding the event, Harding had little to celebrate on the floor as the Raiders fell victim to a talented and inspired Boardman squad.

The Spartans dominated throughout and improved to 17-1 overall with a 59-35 win to sew up their second-consecutive All-American Conference, Red Tier championship. They are 7-0 in the league with the finale being Feb. 21 against Austintown Fitch.

“Outside of the results of the game, it was a great night for the kids and a great night for the city,” Harding coach Keelyn Franklin said. “They came out to support us in this first throwback game. Obviously, wish we could have put on a better display for everybody that came to watch. But the support was there and that’s all you can ask for on a Friday night as a basketball coach or basketball player.”

The Raiders, who slippped to 12-7 and 5-2, will play at Lakeside on Tuesday before their league finale Friday at Fitch. Their regular-season finale is Feb. 18 at Massillon.

Staff photo / Brian Yauger Former Warren Western Reserve and Harding coach Bob LaRicca spoke at halftime of the throwback game.

Harding looked shaky from the outset, not hanging onto passes or securing lose balls. Boardman took a 19-8 lead after the first quarter.

“We were playing a little too fast,” Franklin said. “We were fumbling the ball when we were just trying to gather the ball in. We didn’t finish at the rim quite a few times when we had the chances in transition before their big guy was back.

“I tried to get them to calm down. I understand the first two minutes being jittery, with this being the game of the week on t.v. I thought we’d settle in, but we never really did, especially offensively.”

While the Raiders may have been a bit out of sorts under the television lights, an even more imposing presence caused them problems when they found driving lanes early in the contest. Boardman’s 6-foot-6 junior forward Ethan Andersen used his wingspan to alter many of Harding’s attempts and then he also cleaned the glass.

“Ethan Andersen did a great job of walling up and contesting us without fouling,” Franklin said. “It’s always hard to contest against length and we’re obviously a much smaller team.”

Staff photo / Brian Yauger Harding sophomore Roshell Daniels wearing the Western Reserve throwbacks during warmups before Friday’s game.

Andersen finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds and combined with senior point guard Derrick Anderson to provide a lethal tandem. Anderson added 15 points, despite missing most of the second quarter due to foul trouble.

Andersen and Anderson both scored seven points in the first quarter and Harding couldn’t dent its deficit in the second quarter, despite Anderson’s foul trouble. Daeone Martin came off the bench and scored eight of his 10 points in the second quarter as the Spartans led 30-17 at halftime.

“We wanted to come out here tonight and win the league championship again,” Anderson said. “I’m very excited. I’m not so sure we’ve ever had back-to-back league championships at Boardman. If we have, it’s been quite a while ago. It’s pretty exciting to do something that may have never been done before, and it shows how hard we’ve worked and how much we’ve all bought in.”

Boardman coach Pat Birch said he wasn’t sure if, or when, the Spartans won consecutive league titles. And he’s keeping an eye on the big picture.

“On a night where (Harding is) celebrating part of their past glory, we took some more steps toward doing the same thing,” he said. “We’ve been trying to rebuild the tradition and get this program back on par to where it was back in the 1960s and 70s. These guys have taken it upon themselves to take those steps.

“The only thing I preached to them early on (this season) was being the best team locally. If we can do that, it gives us a chance to have success outside the area. That’s been what we’ve been striving to be, the best team in the area.”

The Spartans increased their lead to 47-23 entering the fourth quarter and their largest lead was 51-23. Boardman had a sizable 32-19 rebounding advantage, including nine of the offensive variety, and forced the Raiders into 18 turnovers.

In the teams’ first meeting this season Jan. 21, Boardman topped Harding 61-42. That came two days after their lone loss, a 50-45 setback to Green. The Spartans have won seven in a row since that loss.

The Raiders were led by Aston Bates, who scored 12 points. D’Muntize Owens added nine points, but the Raiders only scored in double digits in one quarter, getting 12 in the final eight minutes.

“We knew Aston would get some opportunities because they’re going to press you and they know if you beat their press, they’ve got Ethan Andersen back there. He took advantage of some of those by using his body to ward off Andersen’s length. He was aggressive.”

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
     

Starting at $4.85/week.

Subscribe Today