Youth being served for Granville boys as they pass tough test at Utica

On Jan 25, 2023

UTICA ― Granville was already a youthful team, and the Blue Aces have gotten even younger with the loss of solid senior Rex Rader to an ankle injury.

In a road challenge against ever-improving Utica, however, it was the youngest of the young stepping up. Sophomores Carson Murphy and Dylan Lane, and freshmen Jakob Culver and Cayden Strasser all had their moments Tuesday, as the Blue Aces’ rode junior Jase Becker’s 16-point effort to a 49-40 Licking County League crossover win against the Redskins.

Of the eight players who cracked the scorebook for well-balanced Granville (10-6, 8-1), only one was a senior as it maintained its two-game LCL-Buckeye Division lead with a sixth consecutive victory, and seventh in its last eight games.

“Players are stepping up, and we’ve always had guys who can play. All of them are giving us valuable minutes,” Becker said. “Losing Rex is a big loss, but we’re still confident in the players we have,” said junior Dante Varrasso, wearing a faceguard after breaking his nose over two weeks ago against Licking Valley. “The young guys put in the work, all the time, in practice. I’m really proud of the freshmen. They make us work hard.”

Coach Chris Powell’s rare switch to a zone defense in the second quarter paid dividends after talented senior southpaw Roman Gamble scored nine points against the man-to-man, including a driving 3-point play for a 15-14 Utica lead with 6:24 left in the half. Murphy, who had all seven of his points in the second quarter, helped trigger an 11-0 run with five of them, including a 3 from the top of the key, and Varrasso sank four consecutive foul shots as the Blue Aces built a 25-16 halftime lead. Culver had a 3-pointer, off a Lane assist.

“Carson has always been the best player, on all of the teams he’s played on, so it’s been a little bit of an adjustment for him. But he’s put in the work,” Powell said. “He’s always been a good scorer, he doesn’t complain, and he makes the right play,” Becker said.

Granville looked ready to run away and hide in the third quarter, opening a 41-24 margin with a minute left as six different players shared in the scoring. Lane drove for a basket and Strasser assisted junior Alex Engle on a 3 from the top of the key in the surge. And the Blue Aces led 45-31 with 6:33 left in the game as the quick, heady Becker knifed his way in on a drive, and hit two free throws.

But Utica (10-6, 5-5), playing its second game without LCL scoring leader Trenton Collins, had some fight left. Three times, Gamble worked his way to the basket for layups and found Brody McDaniel for a 3 as the Redskins chopped their deficit to 45-40 with 1:30 left, and had the ball twice with a chance to get closer. However, senior Dylan Niedermeyer and Becker each made two free throws, finally salting away the win. Lane, a football standout on the defensive line, took a key charge late, his second of the game.

“Dylan is physical and tough, and he’s done that a number of times this year,” Powell said. “He missed all of November and most of December with a concussion from football, and has worked his way back.”

Becker was the only Blue Ace in double figures and made 6-of-7 foul shots, while Varrasso tallied all eight of his points in the first half.

“Jase does some good things, getting around his man to the rim, and he was never a tremendous free throw shooter, but he’s really worked on it and has gotten much better,” Powell said. Granville was a so-so 16-of-39 from the field for 41 percent but made a strong 14-of-18 at the line for 78 percent. Junior Colt Shaw picked off eight rebounds as the winners held a 23-19 edge on the boards.

Gamble turned in a 21-point, six-rebound, three-assist performance for Utica, 15-of-34 from the floor for 44 percent and 4-of-7 at the stripe. McDaniel scored all nine of his points in the second half, on a trio of 3-pointers. Collins will return Friday at Johnstown.

“We really didn’t change a whole lot,” coach Brian Radabaugh said of Collins’ absence. “Roman was able to showcase what he can do, and we have good players, up and down the lineup. We tried to play good team basketball, and we did, especially in the second half. We’ve had a really good season, and there’s a lot of basketball left to be played.”

Powell admitted changing to a zone was bit of a gamble. He was not pleased the Blue Aces let Utica rally at the end. Granville had five fourth-quarter turnovers.

“Coach Radabaugh does a great job getting them to compete. They didn’t quit, and kept battling,” he said. “We’re a heavy man-to-man team. I thought our zone was pretty effective, but our rotations were bad at the start of the fourth quarter, and that’s on me. We’re just trying to add another tool to our tool box. We knew this was going to be a big stretch for us, with tonight, Saturday at Heights and Tuesday against Northridge.”