Friday, March 10, 2000
McNick blames refs for loss
BY DAVE SCHUTTE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
DAYTON — Jerry Doerger understands the consequences of criticizing officials, but the 25-year veteran McNicholas boys basketball coach unloaded anyway.
“I've had trouble before with those two (Jon Sagers and Jon Warden), and it carried over into tonight,” Doerger said after McNicholas lost 69-66 to Dayton Christian in the Division II District championship game at the University of Dayton Arena.
“I think they carry a chip on their shoulder. There were some of the worst calls I've seen. I really think that they took the game way from us. We deserved better.”
Doerger's main criticism centered around four goaltending no-calls on shots blocked by Xavier University recruit Romain Guessagba-Sato, one with 1:29 remaining that would have given McNicholas a 66-64 lead.
After the no-call, Guessagba-Sato scored on a short jump shot for 66-64 lead. Craig Walder sank one free throw with 34.3 seconds remaining. Then Joe Deister clinched it with two free throws with 26.5 seconds left.
Guessagba-Sato followed with two blocks — one was controversial — during the final 12.5 seconds to preserve the Crusaders' victory.
Dayton Christian advances to the Division II semifinals on Wednesday against the winner of the Kettering Alter/Bellefon taine game.
Other than the first quarter when Guessagba-Sato sank four 3-pointers for a 22-13 Crusaders lead, McNicholas outplayed Dayton Christian, the No.1-ranked Division II team in the Associated Press poll.
Guessagba-Sato was held scoreless from the 3:47 mark of the first quarter until the 7:07 mark of the third quarter by the Rockets' man-to-man defense.
“Romain went eight minutes without touching the ball,” Dayton Christian coach Dave Jackson said. “We talked about it at halftime and told the guys we had to get the ball to him.”
Guessagba-Sato responded with 11 points in the third quarter, but the relentless Rockets managed to remain close. It was 52-50 going into the final eight minutes.
During the first four minutes of the fourth quarter, Guessagba-Sato scored seven of Dayton Christian's first nine points. But Brian Cupito, Paul Sheehy and Brian Chrin all scored to keep McNicholas close at 61-57.
Shooting 12-of-18 from the field, including 7-of-10 from 3-point range, Guessagba-Sato led all scorers with 34. He also had 15 rebounds.
“That kid (Guessagba-Sato) is as good as I've seen and deserves a lot of credit,” Doerger said.
Guessagba-Sato, a 6-foot-4 senior forward/center/guard, averages 26.3 points, 14.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists with 87 blocked shots.
McNICHOLAS (66) — Schneider 6-11 0-0 14, Popelar 0-4 0-0 0, Brothers 0-5 0-0 0, Hensley 1-1 2-3 5, Sheehy 10-21 2-2 24, Dyment 1-0 0-0 2, Cupito 3-5 0-0 8, Chrin 5-14 3-3 13. Totals: 26-62 7-8 66.
DAYTON CHRISTIAN (69) — Walder 4-8 5-9 13, Grandgirard 2-2 1-2 5, Guessagba-Sato 12-18 3-5 34, Deister 3-8 3-4 12, Mitchell 2-3 0-0 4, Boykin 0-0 1-2 1, Green 0-0 0-0 0, Wilcox 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 23-40 13-22 69.
McNicholas ....... 13 21 16 16—66
Dayton Christian ....... 22 15 15 17—69
3-pointers: M 7-8 (Schneider 2, Sheehy 2, Hensley). DC 10-16 (Guessagba-Sato 7, Deister 2). Rebounds: M 33 (Chrin 8, Hensley 5). DC 24 (Guessagba-Sato 15). Assists: M 14 (Hensley 5). DC 11 (Grandgirard 4, Deister 3). Turnovers: M 14, DC 18. Steals: M 6, DC 8. Records: McNicholas 15-9, Dayton Christian 23-0. Officials: Jon Sagers, Jon Warden, Harry Hall.
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