Canton >>> Jerry Higgins is a known quantity in Villa Angela-St. Joseph’s calculus toward winning.
Through the Vikings’ regular season, they worked to make constants from variables among Higgins’ supporting cast. Freshman Jaden Hameed ultimately finished as the team’s second-leading scorer. Jordan Calhoun started every game and finished second on the team in assists.
VASJ needed each to weather a spirited Cortland Lakeview team in a Division II Canton regional semifinal March 15 at the Canton Civic Center.
While the Bulldogs shot nearly 50 percent in the first half, Hameed’s scoring gave the Vikings the halftime lead.
When Lakeview slashed VASJ’s lead to one with a pair of 3s out of the fourth quarter, baskets by Calhoun reclaimed momentum.
Finally, Higgins scored 13 of the Vikings’ final 15 points to secure a 74-59 victory.
“Those two played phenomenal when we needed them to,” Higgins said. “I just kind of put the icing on the cake.”
VASJ advances to a D-II Canton regional final against Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary on March 17.
Higgins led all scorers with 30 points, Hameed finished with 19 and Calhoun added 15.
Lakeview made a Cinderella run through the Youngstown District to advance to Canton. The Bulldogs’ charmed play spilled into the first half against the Vikings.
Three of Lakeview’s first four baskets were shot from 3-point range. The Bulldogs led, 22-15, after a quarter and their lead peaked at nine, 26-17. early in the second. VASJ sliced its deficit to a point, 26-25, before Daniel Evans drained a pair of 3-pointers to restore Lakeview’s lead.
After Calhoun’s layup drew VASJ within three, 35-32, Hameed stole the ensuing inbounds pass and put back his own missed layup. Hameed sent VASJ into the locker room ahead, 36-35, with a pair of free throws.
Hameed scored 14 of his 19 points in the first half. The freshman provided much-needed scoring in the Vikings’ otherwise sluggish first half.
“That’s the best freshman in the state right there,” Calhoun said. “He’s a problem.”
Lakeview connected on five 3-pointers in the first half. The Vikings adjusted at halftime and allowed three in the second half.
The Bulldogs were nearly flawless against the Vikings. Lakeview’s six-man rotation held fast against VASJ’s fullcourt pressure. The Bulldogs made the Vikings pay for their aggressiveness with catch-and-shoot 3-pointers from missed assignments in transition and backdoor cuts for layups when VASJ’s defenders overplayed.
The Vikings reduced their pressure to try to force the Bulldogs to make plays off the dribble.
“We knew they weren’t going to shoot off the dribble, so we backed off of them instead of playing the pressure we’re used to,” Higgins said. “We made them take shots they weren’t used to.”
VASJ carried a 54-47 lead into the fourth and appeared to have gained control. A pair of 3-pointers from Evans refuted such notion. Carter Huff’s layup gave the Bulldogs a 55-54 lead.
Calhoun responded with his most significant plays of the season.
The junior point guard canned a jumper to reclaim VASJ’s lead. After Drew Munno’s layup put VASJ behind, 57-56, Calhoun drilled a 3-pointer from the left elbow to give the Vikings a 59-57 lead.
VASJ never trailed again.
Assistant coach Tedd Kwasniak drove Calhoun from the team’s practice March 14. His message during the ride home encouraged Calhoun to play with composure. A day later, head coach Babe Kwasniak saw Calhoun make a play of the year.
“Jordan’s been waiting for this his whole life,” Kwasniak said. “He’s been putting in so much time. I thought the 3 he hit, at the time it felt like a touchdown.”
Calhoun and Hameed set the table for Higgins, who improved to 24-1 in the state tournament. Higgins scored nine points in VASJ’s 11-0 run to turn a four-point lead into a double-digit victory.
“I realized I didn’t want to go home,” Higgins said. “They got me the ball, Khalil and Latrace set good screens. I was able to finish.”
