Rams hand rival Elkers first loss

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

JOHNSONBURG - The Johnsonburg Rams knocked the Ridgway Elkers from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 53-41 win Tuesday in Johnsonburg.
The Rams (15-3) exploded out of the gate, building an 18-9 lead after one quarter and 33-14 at halftime.
It was the third time the two Elk County rivals have met and the Elkers won the first two while compiling an 18-0 record.
But, the youthful Rams (15-3) looked like a team with more to prove and they did.
Three Rams scored in double digits, led by Cameron Grumley's 17 points. Cole Peterson had 16 and Mitch Holmberg scored 12.
The aggressive Rams, led by the defensive pressure of Grumley and Peterson, forced five first quarter turnovers and turned most of them into points while taking a nine-point lead after just eight minutes of basketball.
Only a 3-pointer by Elkers guard Eric Matheson kept the Rams from having a double-digit lead in the first quarter.
But that changed quickly when the Rams put together a 13-0 run in the first 5:46 of the second quarter to take a 22-point lead at 31-9.
The Rams missed few shots in the first and second quarters, and both coaches understood the value of shooting the ball as well as Johnsonburg did.
"When they shoot it like that, what can you say?" Elkers head coach Tony Allegretto said. "I'm proud of the kids for not packing it in and playing hard, but give them (the Rams) credit. They are a very good basketball team and when you fall behind by 20, it's hard to be as patient as we would have liked."
For Rams head coach Bill Shuey, he said the win was a big one for his team.
"It's a boost for our confidence. We needed to know we could beat them, but we also wanted them (the Elkers) to know we could, too," Shuey said.
Peterson led the scoring in the first quarter with eight points. Grumley had four.
In the second quarter, the Rams shot lights-out. Holmberg had the hottest hand, scoring 10 points in the frame, including two 3-pointers.
Grumley started the run with two free throws with 7:36 left. About a minute later, Peterson drained a 3 to make it 23-9.
Grumley then penetrated the Elkers defense and dished the ball off to Holmberg on the baseline for a jumper to make it 25-9 with 5:54 left.
Allegretto called timeout to try and stem the tide, but the Rams just kept up their onslaught.
Holmberg hit a 3, then a layup to make it 30-9 as the Rams fans went wild.
With 2:14 left, Grumley hit one of two free throws after he was fouled on a drive to the basket. Jesse Reynolds then scored Ridgay's first points of the quarter with a 3-pointer with 1:35 left to play.
With a 19-point halftime lead, the Rams didn't come out as strong as they did in the first half, but they made enough plays to maintain a 13-point lead heading to the fourth.
The lead was still 19 halfway through the third as Peterson scored twice as the Elkers turned the ball over on back-to-back possessions.
But Ridgway chipped away and had it down to 39-28 with a little more than a minute to play.
Matheson hit a 3, then scored a traditional three-point play to make it an 11-point game.
The Rams then turned it over, but the Elkers couldn't make them pay as Matheson had a 3 rim-out with 29 seconds left.
The Rams made a big play at the end of the third to make it 41-28. Peterson's steal led to a Grumley score just before the buzzer.
"We were settling for average shots more in the third quarter, but the play at the end was important," Shuey said.
In the fourth the lead stayed between 11 and 15 points. It was 45-30 with 4:46 left after Peterson stole the ball, was fouled and hit both free throws.
Michael Shuey's putback with three minutes left made it 47-33.
With 1:30 left, Johnsonburg's student section had some fun at Ridgway's expense as Matheson shot free throws, chanting 'One-man team' and 'Over-rated.'
Tuesday, it was hard to argue the one-man team idea because Matheson scored 22 of Ridgway's 41 points. Jordan Lundin checked in with seven points and Reynolds had six.
"When you play against a zone defense, you have to make shots and tonight we just didn't make nearly enough," Allegretto said.
With three meeting under their belts already, Ridgway owns a 39-38 win from Jan. 20, and a 45-38 win at the Elk Co. Holiday Tournament, both know there are opportunities to meet again.
Both have won their respective divisions in the Allegheny Mountain League, and if each can win a semifinal game Feb. 17, will meet for the AML crown the following night.
And with both currently seeded in the top four in District 9 Class A, they also could meet in the D-9 playoffs.
But before all that, the Elkers are back in action today, hosting Kane. The Rams also play today, traveling to DuBois Central Catholic.
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Reported by Scott Shindledecker, C-E Sports Editor. E-mail: scotts@thecourierexpress.com.