Varrasso, Granville boys rally past Zanesville for share of LCL title

On Feb 11, 2023

GRANVILLE ― Rex Rader made an improbable return for Granville on his Senior Night, and Dante Varrasso showed that he may be back, too.

Varrasso, who enjoyed a stellar sophomore year but has seen his junior season marred by injuries, capped his 12-point, fourth-quarter explosion by driving for a tough layup with 4 seconds left, giving the Blue Aces a 45-43 comeback victory over snake-bitten Zanesville for a second consecutive share of the Licking County League-Buckeye Division title.

The game winner came after Drew Doyle’s two foul shots with 1:26 left gave the visitors a 43-41 lead. But Varrasso converted both ends of his one-and-one with 1:13 for a 43-43 tie. Doyle then drove for the go-ahead basket, but his contested shot rolled around the rim and dropped off with 31 seconds to go. After a timeout, Varrasso knifed between two Zanesville defenders on the right side, and his shot rolled up and over the rim to drop through. Doyle’s 3-pointer on the run was off the mark, and Granville celebrated another tie with Licking Heights atop the Buckeye. The Hornets, who nipped the Blue Devils 48-47 last Friday on a last-second shot, downed Watkins Memorial 52-32.

“We kind of ran a watered-down version of what we normally run,” coach Chris Powell said. “We wanted to spread it out, and either get it to the basket or get to the foul line. We knew they would keep switching, and coach (Cedric) Harris made the right call, but Dante just made a great play. We have sure made it interesting. People are getting their money’s worth, for sure.”

“It was going to be me or Jase (Becker) taking the shot,” said Varrasso, who finished with 17 points and also led the defense with four steals. “I trust Jase, and he trusts me. We trust everyone. I got the switch and was able to take advantage.”

The youthful Blue Devils (6-14, 5-9), who endured their seventh loss by three points or less, also saw the Blue Aces (12-9, 10-4) rally for an overtime win in Winland Memorial Gymnasium, and on Friday, they led 38-28 early in the fourth quarter on lone senior starter Xavier Riley’s 3 from the left corner. However, Granville, in the double bonus since the third quarter, kept getting to the line and stopping the clock. They made just 4-of-8 free throws during a 12-0 run, but Varrasso started the comeback with a steal and breakaway, added a tip in, and Colt Shaw ended it with a layup which suddenly pushed the Blue Aces up 40-38 with 2:25 left.

Sophomore Mikey Johnson’s clutch fadeaway 3 from the left corner with 1:50 gave Zanesville the lead back at 41-40, but the Blue Devils wound up falling just short again.

“We talk about being relentless on the glass, offensive rebounding, attacking the paint and protecting the paint,” Powell said. “They (Zanesville) were really good defensively in the first half. In the second half, we were finally able to turn the corner. We stayed with it, stayed it.”

The Blue Aces nearly took control in the second quarter, with Carson Murphy drilling a 3-pointer off a Dylan Niedermeyer assist for a 19-13 lead. But Johnson’s 3 triggered what would be a 16-2 run to a 29-21 lead midway through the third quarter, as the Blue Devils held Granville without a point for eight minutes. Multi-talented junior Rashaud Hampton scored seven straight points, including a 3. Murphy finally broke the ice for the Blue Aces with a 3, but Hampton’s drive pushed Zanesville back up 33-24. However, Granville was far from finished.

“We’ve been down a lot all year and come back. We just keep fighting,” said Varrasso, who has battled through a separated shoulder, groin injury and broken nose. “He missed some free throws, got fouls and gave up a basket there to Hampton, who is a great player,” Powell said. “But he did not bail out and did not get upset.”

Rader, who was averaging 11 points a game, was expected to be lost for the season and had missed several games. But he willed his way back onto the court. Although he was limited and never took a shot, his presence seemed to lift the Blue Aces.

“Two days ago, he was out for the year. It meant everything to have him back,” Varrasso said. “He’s not able to get into a groove. He just wanted to help us win,” Powell said. “It was all about winning tonight.”

“This is my first day out of the boot,” said Rader, who hasn’t even practiced. “I had a high ankle sprain and micro fracture in my foot, and broke a toe on my other foot. I got cleared today. I knew I was not going to be able to do much, but I was going to do whatever it took to help us win.”

Murphy added nine points and Becker eight for Granville, a solid 15-of-29 from the floor in the low possession game for 52 percent but just 12-of-22 at the line for 54 percent. The Blue Devils were a creditable 16-of-33 from the field for 48 percent, but got to the stripe just seven times, making seven. Hampton scored 16 points and Johnson nine on a trio of 3s, while Maddox Hayes and Doyle had five rebounds each and Doyle dished out four assists.