BY GREG GULAS
      Boardman News Sports
      bnews@zoominternet.net
      As the regular draws to a close and school’s prepare for post-season play, the Boardman Spartans boys’ basketball team is looking to fine tune their well-oiled machine for what they hope will be a deep tournament run in the upcoming Division I tournament in Canton.
      The Chaney Cowboys provided more than a test for the Spartans last Friday evening.
      Tommy Fryda hit six triples, four of which came during a crucial second quarter run, while Derrick Anderson scored 14 of his game-high 21 points in the second half as the Spartans defeated the Cowboys, 66-60 before a packed house at the BHS Gymnasium.
      It was the ninth win in a row for Head Coach Pat Birch’s Boardman team as they improved to 19-1 overall and won for the ninth consecutive time---their only loss this season came back on Sunday, January 19, in a 50-45 setback at the hands of the Green Bulldogs at North Canton Hoover High School---improved to 10-0 at home and stand 13-1 since January 1.
      The Spartans are now 39-5 in their last 44 outings.
      While Anderson picked up his game during a critical second half run, it was Fryda’s four triples in the second period that turned a 19-13 second quarter deficit into a 33-27 lead and eventually a 35-29 halftime advantage.
      “This game will go a long way in helping us prepare for the post-season,” Fryda said. “The atmosphere, our defense and offense, it’s only going to help us come tournament time.”
      Six points by Cowboy Cameron Lawrence and four markers from Travis Easterly staked the Cowboys (15-6) to an early 15-7 lead but consecutive buckets by Ethan Andersen, Daeone Martin, Connor Miller and Trey DePietro keyed an 8-2 run by the Spartans to end the quarter as they pulled to within 17-13 after the first eight minutes of action.
      Fryda, who now has canned 57 buckets from beyond the arc this year, entered the game needing two triples to become Boardman’s all-time single season record-holder, and five to set the all-time school mark. The boys record was 52, set by Joe DePasqua during the 1991-92 season while the all-time mark of 55 was held by both Jolene Moschella, set during the 1992-93 season and later tied by Monica Touvelle during the 2007-08 campaign. Fryda broke the boys mark in the second period with his second trey at the 6:07 mark, setting the all-time standard with his fifth triple of the game with 4:15 remaining, the first of his two consecutive buckets from beyond the arc in the frame.
      “This achievement, I cannot get there without the help of my teammates and coaches,” Fryda said, adding “It’s good to be in a game like this as the regular season winds down and you get ready for tournament play. They’re a good, athletic team and it was good to go against them late in the season.”
      Birch said Fryda is as locked in as any player right now when he is shooting.
      “About ten days ago, I looked up and said Tommy’s got to be close to the all -time single season triples record,” he stated. “I started counting and said, ‘Holy Cow,’ he’s really close. The last couple weeks he’s seeing the rim and right now it looks like the ocean to him. He’s playing with a lot of confidence and rightfully so because he’s a really good player.”
      Derrick Anderson’s first bucket of the second half extended the Spartans’ lead to 37-31 just 66 seconds into the session.
      A 10-0 run by the Cowboys, started with Easterly’s triple and ending with Sharrod Taylor’s lay-up, gave Chaney a 41-37 lead, only to have Boardman go on a 12-4 run as they opened a 49-45 margin with eight minutes remaining.
      Derrick Anderson scored eight of the Spartans’ final 12 points in the frame.
      “I started slow and really didn’t get my groove until the second half when we sped things up,” he noted. “We’ve been in moments like this before, kept our heads and composure and were prepared for this type of game. Chaney is a good team and it was good to go up against them late in the season.”
      Birch said Derrick Anderson’s face at halftime told the entire story of the first half.
      “You could see Derrick’s face in the locker room at halftime. He knew that he had to find another gear and I think he did that,” Birch said. “He put us on his back for a while and that allowed some of the other guys to settle down. Tommy got open again and Derrick made some plays that are fun to watch.
      “It was a back and forth game. Chaney went on some runs, we were able to answer, then we went on some runs and they were able to answer. That’s what tournament basketball is all about, except we’re going to have to do that and then some going into Canton. This was a good tune up but it gets real over there pretty quick.”
      The fourth quarter featured ten lead changes, the last coming at the 1:35 mark when Ethan Andersen’s hoop gave the Spartans the lead for good, reeling-off the game’s final six points to preserve the victory.
      “It’s been a while since we’ve had to make some plays in the fourth quarter, probably going back to the Green game, which was the middle of the year for us,” Birch added. “We needed a game like this. That’s a really good basketball team. Chaney has a lot of pieces they can use to make a tournament run and I give them a ton of credit, being shorthanded tonight, coming in here and playing that way.”
      In addition to Derrick Anderson and Fryda, Ethan Andersen added 9 points and Daeone Martin 6 points to pace the Spartans.
      Chaney placed three players in double digits, led by Easterly’s 19 points, also receiving 18 points from Taylor and 13 markers from Quincy Jones.
      Boardman handed out 11 assists, added five blocks and three steals while committing eight turnovers.
      The Cowboys registered six blocks, five steals, dished out five assists and committed nine miscues.
       GAME NOTES: Prior to announcing the starting line-ups, Spartans players hand delivered roses to their mother’s sitting in the stands in honor of Valentine’s Day. With 21 points against the Cowboys, Derrick Anderson now has 964 career points and needs just 36 more to become the seventh-ever boy’s player and 17th overall – there are 11 girl’s hoopsters – to score 1,000 points in their BHS basketball careers.
      Boardman 59 - Louisville 35
      The Spartans were able to contain a good shooting Louisville team last week (Tues., Feb. 11) to earn a 59-35 non-conference win.
      The Spartans were led by Derrick Anderson with 20 points and 4 rebounds. Tommy Fryda connected on four 3-pointers, including 3 in the first quarter to blow the game open early. Ethan Andersen was strong inside with 8 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocked shots. Daeone Martin has a nice night with 8 points. Trey DePietro had a strong game with 6 points, 3 rebounds and 2 blocks. Zach Ryan and Connor Miller provided the defensive toughness all night, with Ryan grabbing 7 rebounds and Miller taking down 4 boards. Charlie Davis posted 2 rebounds, whileAndrew Clark hit a shot from behind the arc, and Joey Zahran rounded out the scoring with 2 points.
      Junior Varsity
      Boardman lost to Louisville 50-45. After leading by five points at halftime, and upped the margin to 8 points at the end of three quarters of play.
      In the fourth quarter, Louisville clamped down on defense and overtook Boardman late in the period.
      Leading the way for the Spartans were Luke Ryan with 10 points and Marco Stilliana with 9 points. Ty Ventresco and Seth Cervello both chipped in with 6 points. Spencer Smith and Brady DePietro each added 5 points. Rounding out the scoring was Ben Alvarico with 4 points.
      The Boardman junior varsity defeated Chaney, 44-42, to improve to 10-8 on the season.
      Luke Ryan posted a game-high 22 points for the winners, including 11 markers in the third quarter, that included three baskets from behind the arc. Ty Ventresco added 9 points, 8 of which came in the first half, while Brady DePietro added 6 points, all in the second quarter. Tony Hightower and Seth Cervello each had a 3-point bucket, while Carter Mraz added a free throw to round out the scoring.
      ALL-TIME BHS BOYS 1,000-POINT CLUB
      Alan Burns..............................1953-56
      Jim Geller..............................1962-65
      Greg Dunn...............................1968-71
      Fred Davis..............................1971-74
      Jim Goske ………………........................1988-91
      Holden Lipke............................2015-18
     
      PICTURED: CONNOR MILLER, 13, and Zach Ryan made big plays last week taking charges against a physical Chaney team. “Connor and Zach both made huge plays defensively, especially taking those charges. Those are winning plays that make a difference in a close game,” Head Coach Pat Birch said. Miller gets a rebound and goes back to the hoop in this picture, as Cowboy Allen Underwood provides the defense.