Newport – In Wednesday night’s game, West Canada Valley senior Michael Zaino picked a great time to have his best scoring effort and his team picked a great time to have its best foul shooting effort as well. Both were needed to eke out a 59-57 win against Central Valley Academy’s boys basketball team in the title game of WCV’s annual tourney.
“I was just getting to the basket (better),” Zaino, the tourney’s MVP, said of how he was able to score 23 points – five better than his previous scoring record – to help WCV improve to 7-2. “And making foul shots. It was nerve wracking.”
WCV’s Kyle Butler ranges high for a hotly contested basket (Photo By – Robert Critser)
Zaino made some of his team’s biggest plays of the night at the end, the first being a driving layup with 1:03 to play that cut CVA’s lead to 56-55. Then, with 37.6 seconds left, he made two foul shots to give the hosts a 57-56 lead. The Thunder’s Adam Klosner drove the lane trying for the go-ahead score with 16 seconds to play, but tough WCV defense force his shot to roll off the rim and Kyle Butler grabbed the rebound for the hosts. He was fouled immediately by CVA but he, like Zaino seconds earlier, made both shots to stretch the lead to 59-56.
WCV’s Michael Zaino (11) powers through traffic en route to 2 of his game high 23 points (Photo by Robert Critser)
Michael Bergin made one of two free throws for CVA (3-6) with 7.3 seconds left to make it 59-57. That set up two dramatic plays that sealed the win for WCV. First, Josh Chapin threw a long inbounds pass to Brad Bostwick that the senior caught then lost out of bounds when he injured his knee on the play. That gave CVA the ball with 3.7 seconds left. Great defense by Chapin on CVA’s inbounds attempt kept the visitors from getting off a shot.
CVA’s Michael Bergin (32) works the boards against WCV’s Josh Chapin (Photo By – Robert Critser)
“Everybody says we can’t make foul shots,” WCV coach Dustin Cool said afterward. “Normally we’re around 50 or 60 percent.”
Not this night as WCV was 24-for-27.
CVA was 11-for-22 at the line but still was in the game all the way. Coach Luke Judd’s squad fell behind by 11 in the second period then rallied to be down just by seven at the break. Neither team played consistently in the third period and the beginning of the fourth and CVA was able to take advantage bit more to chip away at WCV’s lead. The Thunder took a 49-48 lead on Steve Bergins driving layup early in the fourth quarter and a shot by his brother Michael with two minutes left gave CVA a 56-50 edge.
West Canada’s Matt Carney (34) stops and pops from the top of the key, as CVA defenders Phillip Bodwell and Michael Slaughter hold their ground. (Photo By Robert Critser)
Zaino followed with his second three of the night to give the hosts hope and that set up his dramatic plays at the end that led to victory.
“I’m not unhappy with our effort,” Judd said. “West Canada Valley’s a good basketball team. They just made a few more plays at the end.”
Kyle Butler was the only other WCV player in double figures as he scored 12 points. After Michael Bergin’s 23-point effort, Steve Bergin was next best for CVA on offense with nine points.”
CVA 15 18 8 16 – 57
WCV 20 20 5 14 – 59
CVA (3-6): Phillip Bodwell 4, Michael Bergin 23, Steve Bergin 5, Zachary Waldren 2, Michael Slaughter 4, Adam Klosner 5, Josh Panko 4, Tyler Rhude 6.
WCV (7-2): Jacob Gorinshek 4, Josh Chapin 5, Michael Zaino 23, Brett Greco 6, Matt Carney 3, Kyle Butler 12, Brad Bostwick 2, Mason Schloop 4.
