Inside No. 4 Garfield Heights boys basketball's 59-37 conference win over No. 11 Medina: Top plays, stats, reaction (video)

  • 12/19 - 7:30 PM Boys BasketballFinal
    Medina 37
    Garfield Heights 59
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GARFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio -- A dominant defensive effort fueled Garfield Heights to a 59-37 boys basketball victory over Medina on Friday. The Bees' scoring total was a season-low.

Leading the way was junior Willie Jackson, who posted 10 points and 20 rebounds despite playing against 7-foot center and Michigan commit Jon Teske.

"I've always been battling the biggest dude on the team," Jackson said. "Tonight, I went into the game wanting to dominate the game."

The first half featured a lights out shooting performance from Frankie Hughes. The junior guard hit five of his six 3-point attempts to finish with 15 points at the break. He helped host Garfield Heights, which is ranked No. 4 in the cleveland.com poll, gain a 36-20 advantage at halftime.

The win was some payback for Garfield Heights. A season ago, No. 11 Medina took both games from the Bulldogs, but the win streak ended at two games for the Bees.

What it means

You learn a lot from a team like Garfield Heights (4-0) when it makes a good team like Medina (2-1) play as poorly as the Bees did on Friday. The Bulldogs' depth and athleticism makes them a difficult team for anyone to match up with.

"Our defense was the key," said Garfield Heights coach Sonny Johnson. "If Teske was going to beat us, we were going to deal with that, but we weren't going to let anyone else beat us."

Individually, Jackson and Hughes continue to show they are high-level talents and perhaps the best duo in all of Northeast Ohio.

For Medina, the loss is a reason to go back to basics. The Bees cannot shoot like this if they expect to win, and they need more offense from players other than Teske. Expect a much better effort next time.

Play of the game

Facing Teske on the low block, Jackson missed a layup and got two offensive boards in a row before sinking the layup. The play showed off Jackson's athleticism as he basically bounced like a pogo stick off the ground three straight times.

Crucial run

The game was still within one possession early in the second quarter, but Garfield Heights quickly opened things up with a 17-4 run to end the half. Hughes hit two 3-pointers during the stretch.

Who stood out for Medina

Teske: The junior center didn't shoot a very high percentage but still finished with 12 points. He's clearly the focal point on offense and will continue to improve.

Who stood out for Garfield Heights

Hughes: With six 3-pointers to finish with 18 points, Hughes showed off his best asset. He's someone you can't leave open.

Jackson: Having 10 points and 20 rebounds is an eye-opening performance any night, but it looks even better when you're facing a 7-footer like Teske. He sometimes looks like a man amongst boys.

Branden Johnson: There was no backing down for Johnson, who went toe-to-toe with Teske to finish with 12 points. He's relatively new to basketball and constantly improving.

Medina sound bites

Medina coach Chris Hassinger on Garfield Heights: "They're really good. They're so athletic and make you take tough shots. Everything is contested and at the high school level, there's not a ton of kids that can shoot the ball with someone in their face all the time."

Garfield Heights sound bites

Jackson on his contribution: "When I came out, I wasn't hitting shots, so I had to figure out something else to do -- grab boards and block shots."

Johnson on the offense: "It's hard to stop because we're doing an unbelievable job sharing the ball."

Johnson on the conference race: "There's nothing like being in first place, and that's what we want to do. This is our last year in the conference, and we want to try to win it."

What's next

Garfield Heights plays Buchtel at the LeBron James Classic in Akron on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Medina is on the road against No. 21 Brunswick on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

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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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