Dragon Boys win two, Dragon Ladies devestated after tough loss

Written Tuesday February 9th at 8:55 PM

Sorry Den fans about the blog last week, been busy though.

Anyway the week that was in Dragon Basketball had it's ups and downs, with the Varsity Boys winning two games, while the Varsity Ladies suffered a tough loss on Thursday.

The Dragon Boys entered league play with two critical road games, to start off a three game road trip. The first game of this three game road trip was against the Troy Colts. The freshman and JV won their respective games over Troy by more than 21 points, the Varsity however had their hands full with a depleted but always dangerous and desperate Colts team.

The Colts were led by their Senior, power forward and quarterback Bobby Wunderlich, and also their freshman sensation James Young, who probably if their was a trophy in the OAA White, would be my pick for Newcomer of the Year. However the Dragons also had a duo led by newly Western Michigan recruit for soccer Derek Schrauben and also Alex Mayo, and both these two combination's got their game on Tuesday Night at Troy.

Troy started the game early with two three pointers by their point guard Evan Malone for a quick 6-0 Colts lead, however the Dragons matched Troy possession after possession scoring basket after basket however everytime they went to the line their free throws weren't going down, after one quarter it was 18-16 Colts. Troy then controlled most of the play in the second quarter lead by their duo of Wunderlich and Young. Young had nine of his 15 points in the second quarter. Wunderlich went inside and did most of his damage in that quarter as well. However Mayo and Schrauben kept it close for the Dragon attack, as the quarter and the half ended with the Colts leading 34-28 at the half. Usually down six or less at halftime is always a good thing well stay tuned.

The second half saw it become a back and fourth game. The Dragons scored their first basket, and then seen Young drain a demoralizing three pointer to make it 37-30 Troy, but the Dragons started to get their opportunities and free throws started going down, the catalysts were led by Mayo and Schrauben for the Dragons. Mayo and Schrauben carried the team offensively, and also got a timely three pointers from Evan Dream and Todd Wolverton in the third quarter. The Dragons outscored Troy 17-14, but were still down by three points 48-45 after three quarters.

The Dragons then controlled the fourth, outscoring Troy 15-11 in the quarter, however as the Dragons increased their lead to 60-56. Young hit his final three pointer of the game with five seconds in the game making it 60-59, with three seconds left. The Dragons then turned it over giving Troy one last chance at a victory, and a demoralizing defeat for the Dragons. Troy got the ball to Young but was blocked by 6.8 center Ian Monk, and the ball was captured by point guard Paul Courteas as he ran out the clock on the Colts. The final score read HOME 59: VISITOR 60, or should I say Lake Orion 60, Troy 59. Mayo lead the Dragons with 25 points, while his partner and crime Schrauben had 16 points. For the Colts, Wunderlich and Young had 15 points each in the loss.

As I talked to Troy head coach Gary Fralick, we've been friends for years, going back to my days of my brother going up against him in years past. I said to him that his team can beat Seaholm, even if they were depleted because I felt, and still feel that Seaholm was not a very good road team, they just lost to Adams on that last Thursday. He was very happy with the comment, I just wished they beat Seaholm though but they lost at home 57-51 to the Maples on that Friday.

On that Friday the Dragons had their second game of this huge three game trip, a showdown with the always high scoring, and entertaining Berkley Bears at the Dark Gym, I call it, I think it has the best lighting in the county, besides Southfield Lathrup. The Freshman destroyed the Bears 62-18, while the JV survived a scare 61-53. The Varsity entertained the Bears, who just lost a high scoring affair against Troy Athens on Tuesday Night 73-70, Berkley came back twice, after trailing 24-9 in the first quarter and 67-55 with over three minutes remaining in the game to tie the score 68-68 until falling in the final minutes.

In the first quarter Berkley started out hot, outscoring the Dragons at one point 17-8 in the process until a late 4-0 run by the Dragons closed the gap down to 17-12 after the first quarter. In the second quarter the Dragons exploded off the gate, quickly taking the lead and not letting go off it the rest of the quarter. Orion then took an impressive 37-27 lead to the locker room at half, it was a 15 point turnaround, seeing the Dragons after the first quarter down five to up ten with a half yet to play over the up tempo Bears.

The second half saw the Bears cut the Dragons lead down to six at 37-31 early, however the Dragons answered back in the third quarter, increasing the lead up to 14 points at one point (47-33) before settling at a 52-42 score after three quarters. Orion then kept pressing and pressuring the ball, also they were scoring baskets at will against the Bears defense, outscoring the Bears 14-11 in rout to a 66-53 win over the Bears. Mayo added 22 points, while Schrauben added 16 points to carry Orion, who didn't even hit a three pointer in the game. Ignacio Hood, and Ryan Bush added 14 points each for the Bears.

The Boys next basketball game is Thursday against Rochester, at Rochester. The Falcons have not played in a week, since the 61-31 beat down against arch rival Stoney Creek, so Rochester should be well rested heading into Thursday's game against the Dragons. Orion's varsity is now 9-5 overall, and 6-2 in the OAA White, while the JV and Freshman are a combined 23-2 (Freshman 11-1, JV 12-1) with games against Rochester on Thursday, freshman at home, JV on the road.

The Varsity girls basketball team suffered a heartbreaker this week at Sy Green Gym against the Phoenix of Pontiac. The girls came into Pontiac with hope of adding some revenge in mind after losing at home 52-37 back in December. The freshman and JV teams both lost at Sy Green Gym this week, so it was up to the Varsity to make up both those losses. The game went back and fourth early, as both the Dragons and the Phoenix fought to control tempo in the contest. Pontiac only came into the game with only eight players, due to grades. However the Dragons could not buy a free throw or a shot in the first half, the Dragons were a dismal three for ten shooting from the line in the first half, and trailed 24-20 at the half.

The second half from the third quarter to the early stages of the fourth quarter belonged to Pontiac. The Phoenix led by Brittany Alston led the Phoenix charge to a 44-33 lead with 6:45 left in the game, that when the Dragons got going, especially from downtown. The Dragons then went on a 7-0 run to cut the Phoenix lead to 44-40 on a huge three pointer by Dana Schrauben before Pontiac scored twice to make it an eight point lead 48-40, and then Maddi Gagen got it going, by going on a personal 8-0 run, with two three's and a layup to tie the game 48-48 with two minutes left in the game. Pontiac then answered with a three pointer by power forward Tameree Austin to make it 51-48 Phoenix, with under a minute left. Then the Dragons scored a three point play to tie the game at 51-51 and force overtime.

In the overtime session is felt like a personal battle was going on between Dragon small forward Jackie Hood and former Pontiac Central star, now with Pontiac Destiny Adams. Adams scored ten of her 13 points in overtime, while Hood led the Dragons. However it was a three pointer by shooting guard Jamie Tasco that gave the Dragons a brief 55-54 lead with over a minute left to play. However Austin answered by hit another three pointer that gave the Phoenix a 57-55 lead with under a minute left.

However the Dragons were not done yet, as Hood penetrated to the line and got herself two more points at the free throw line to tie the score back at 57-57 a piece. Pontiac next possession saw Adams penetrate and got fouled by Tasco sending her to the line. Adams made one of two free throws to give Pontiac a 58-57 lead. As the Dragons tried to get the ball to half court, Adams then stole the ball from Alexis Haan, and forcing her to intentionally foul her with 1.4 seconds left on the clock. Adams then shot two free throws making it 60-57, and then they got the ball back again before being fouled. Adams then went back at the line and missed two free throws. Hood then quickly launched the ball from half court, and couldn't make it. The Phoenix players then celebrated the huge upset win over the Dragons 60-57 in overtime.

Hood led the Dragons with 18 points, Hann had a another double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Gagen had 12 points four three pointers, and Tasco with six points to lead the Dragons. Alston had 25 points to lead Pontiac, along with Adams 13 points, and Austin added ten points, three three-pointers for the Phoenix.

This game was a tough loss for the Dragons, but they got to feel proud that this experience should help them in a couple of weeks once playoffs start at their home court, which is huge to Orion head coach Steve Roberts who had only one starter back from the State Semifinal team a year ago. Pontiac head coach Jeff Vonn after the game in the Oakland Press said that Pontiac might be back in a few years or so, but looking at their JV and freshman teams, yes they do have talent, but they also have flaws as well. Also it all starts in the classroom, in which Pontiac did not have half of it's team there because of grades.

The Dragons fell to 9-6 overall, and 3-6 in the OAA Red, the JV is 8-7 overall and 4-5 in the OAA Red while the freshman are 4-10 and 2-7 in the OAA Red, there next contest is on Friday, after the Lathrup game was moved back due to the snowstorm to Wednesday February 17th. The Dragons will travel to Troy to take on the Colts in a OAA Red contest that puts the two centers into battle. Alexis Hann and Liz Siepker, so Friday should be interesting. The JV and Freshman also battle Troy Friday, with the freshman at home and the JV at Troy for the early game with the Colts.

See you next week.