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Senate League Semis | Full Recap

By T.J. Peatross, 02/02/17, 2:45PM EST

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The stage is set for Friday night's contest between Glenville and East Tech over at the old East High on 79th. The Senate League crown and a year of bragging rights will be on the line as the two team's face off for the second time this season.

Glenville knocked off the Scarabs 76-64 back in December.

While we are excted to look ahead to Friday, let's recap Wednesday's action as the top four seeds met up one last time this season.

Glenville Holds on in Overtime

It took 40 minutes but Glenville was able to pull out an 80-75 win over John Hay in double-overtime and complete their season sweep over the Hornets. Click HERE to see highlights from their first matchup back on January 20th.

Glenville juniors Nelson Wheatley and Aaron Loines connected on a layup to put the Tarblooders up 41-27 with just over six minutes left in the third quarter but it was the John Hay defense that would cause a major swing in the momentum.

After a first half in which they committed double digit turnovers themselves, John Hay picked up the intensity in the third and their physical play prevented Glenville from getting into a rhythm on that end of the floor.

Nigel Martin and Dalen Solomon, two young and athletic wings for John Hay sparked a run that cut the lead to just two after three, Glenville led by 10 at the break.

The momentum shift carried over into the fourth quarter and an old fashioned three-point play by Solomon gave John Hay their first lead of the game. Both teams would continue to trade baskets until a late flurry by Wheatley knotted things back up.

Wheatley, who was one of our top performers at the Great Lakes Classic during opening weekend, scored four straight points and forced two consecutive turnovers late in regulation.

A game saving block by John Hay senior Nijon Kirkman sent us into the first overtime but those four minutes weren't enough as neither team was able to pull away.

A pullup jumper by Loines opened up the second overtime for Glenville and the Tarblooders would go on to grab a slight lead. Late turnovers by the Hornets put an end to the Hornets' hope of an upset.

Top Performer

Isaiah Washington (East Tech) 5'10 PG

After sitting out the first 11 games of the season as a result of transferring from Rhodes, Washington scored a game-high 29 points against MLK and his strong start opened the door for East Tech's big run in the second half. 

The senior guard scored 12 of the Scarabs first 18 points on the night. His willingness to attack the rim resulted in 15 attempts at the free throw line and eventually sparked  fire in teammate Tyshaun Howard. 

The two running mates connected for a handful of threes down the stretch in the third quarter and with Washington pushing the tempo, the game completely shifted.

MLK utilized a 3-2 zone in the first half to really control the tempo and force East Tech into playing in the halfcourt, and senior guard Denzel Carter was the catalyst behind a hot shooting start for the Crusaders. 

It was in the second half where things picked up and transition runouts for East Tech provided quick scoring opportunities before MLK could get set in their defense. With a matchup with Glenville awaiting them on Friday, Washington will need to carry over some of his success from Wednesday night. 

Other Notables:

Rob Carr (MLK) 6'2 G/F

When Carr has a full head of steam, look out. The senior possesses a combination of speed and strength that is virtually unmatched by any other player in the area. During the first half, Carr went coast to coast for a one-hand throwdown that sparked a run to put the Crusaders up 14 going into the locker room. 

Tyshaun Howard (East Tech) 6'2 WG

With Washington leading the way in the first half, it was Howard's hot shooting late that made the difference. It was his jump shot with three minutes remaining in the game that gave the team its first lead of the game. Howard, Tech's leading scorer this season, put in 20 points on the night and has done more than hold his own as one of Coach Moore's first options.

Aaron Loines (Glenville) 6'4 WF/PF

Loines received some praise earlier this season due to his innate ability to rebound the basketball but the junior forward proved that he can carry the scoring load as well. Loines double double of 19 points and 10 rebounds was a result of his motor and a few acrobatic finishes out in transition.

Nigel Martin and Dalen Solomon(John Hay)

John Hay saw two seniors transfer out with Leonard Cottrell (Garfield Heights) and Aaron Pate (East Tech) but Coach Sanders has to be happy with what he has seen this season from sophomore Nigel Martin and junior Dalen Solomon. The two 6'4 wings combined for 40 points, 16 and 24 respectively, to go along with 18 rebounds. Martin came around in the third quarter while Solomon was steady throughout the afternoon. 

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