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03/14 - 7:00 PM Boys Basketball Final East Tech 60 Garfield Heights 72
EUCLID, Ohio -- There's a new champion at the Euclid District as Garfield Heights' boys basketball team knocked off defending champion East Tech, 72-60, on Saturday to advance to a regional semifinal.
Behind junior Frankie Hughes, who hit seven 3-pointers to finish with 21 points, the Bulldogs (22-3) won their first district title since 2012.
"We've been trying to do this my whole high school career, and now we've accomplished the goal," Hughes said.
Garfield Heights advances to the Division I Cleveland Regional. On Wednesday the Bulldogs will play Uniontown Lake in a regional semifinal at Cleveland State University at 8 p.m.
After being tied midway through the third quarter, foul trouble forced Markell Johnson and Anthony Carmon to the bench for the third-seeded Scarabs (22-4), and the No. 2 Bulldogs were able to capitalize.
The Cleveland regional will have three teams from the Northeast Ohio Conference Valley Division -- Garfield Heights, Medina and Shaker Heights.
"I'm not surprised," said Garfield Heights coach Sonny Johnson. "It's a great league. I'm sorry this is my last year in the league. It's a great league, and it's showing right now."
What it means
The way Garfield Heights played is the way the team hoped to play all season. The Bulldogs were on the top of their game from the very beginning, flexed off their depth and got big-time performances from Hughes and Willie Jackson.
"Frankie was due," Johnson said. "He can be a playmaker in a big game. I was on him all week in practice, and he delivered."
Garfield Heights can do some serious damage in the regional round and has as good of a chance as any of the four teams to make it the Columbus. If the Bulldogs play like they did Friday, they will be a tough out.
East Tech's loss is a tough one, as the Scarabs felt they had the talent to make it to Columbus again. They graduate key starters (Carmon and Kory Cullum), and now it will be up to Markell Johnson to keep the program toward the top of Northeast Ohio.
Play of the game
Whenever Garfield Heights needed a key bucket, it seemed like Hughes delivered. That's what happened in the third quarter after East Tech tied the game at 48. Hughes connected on his sixth 3-pointer of the night, and the Bulldogs led the rest of the way.
Crucial run
To win this game, Garfield Heights knew it had to get out to a good start. That's exactly what it did, as an 18-0 run in the first quarter put the Bulldogs up 23-5. Although East Tech would eventually battle back, the run set the tone for the game.
Who stood out for Garfield Heights
Hughes: When Hughes is on, he's on. With seven 3-pointers, Hughes was the player that helped Garfield Heights carve out the early lead. You simply can't leave him open, and East Tech did too many times.
Jackson: The matchup nightmare had 18 points for the Bulldogs. He's explosive around the rim, and he also did a great job slowing down Cullum.
Kyle Stergis: With so much East Tech pressure, the Bulldogs needed Stergis to play well to win. That's what he did, as he gave the team a crucial 11 points.
Who stood out for East Tech
Carmon: It could have been a huge night for Carmon, who sat a good chunk of the second half with four fouls. He finished with 18 points in his final game with East Tech.
Johnson: The same about foul trouble can be said for Johnson, who finished with a game-high 25 points despite sitting for extended time. He will return as one of Northeast Ohio's best players.
Garfield Heights sound bites
Johnson on the fast start: "We knew they were going to pressure. They have great guards. We just wanted to limit our turnovers and take advantage of their aggressiveness."
Johnson on always having an answer: "We knew they were a team that was going to make a lot of runs. One thing we preach is to not fold when they make a run."
Hughes on his night: "I had to come out and score. Willie Jackson couldn't be the only scorer. I helped my boy out tonight."
Jackson on facing East Tech's guards: "We wanted to make a run. They have D1 guards, but we knew they would get tired at some point."
East Tech sound bites
Coach Brett Moore on falling behind early: "They came out hot. Defensively, they didn't do much to stop us. We were just missing shots. They were ready to play."
Moore on what he told his seniors: "I told them to stay strong academically, and we need to ship these guys out to college. They have four more years."
What's next
Garfield Heights will play Uniontown Lake in a Division I regional semifinal at Cleveland State University on Wednesday at 8 p.m.
Contact high school sports reporter David Cassilo by email (dcassilo@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@dcassilo). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.
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