Mohawks, Eagles aim higher

The two met last year in the Cook consolations; they want finals this time.

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12:05 AM Thursday, December 29, 2011

By Pete Conrad

Staff Writer

MADISON TWP. — Madison High School basketball coach Jeff Smith and Middletown Christian coach Luke Gibson wouldn’t mind a rematch of last year’s game in the Brian Cook Classic, with one distinct difference.

Each would rather see his team play in Friday’s championship game.

The Mohawks and Eagles met in last year’s consolation contest, won by Madison 83-67.

Madison (4-2) will face Oyler (1-6) in tonight’s opening round and is playing “pretty well,” according to Smith, despite the loss to injury two weeks ago of 6-foot-4 sophomore Kyle Shouse. He was the Mohawks’ leading scorer at the time, averaging 14 points.

“He’s still on crutches, so we don’t know when we’ll get him back,” Smith said.

“We’ve responded well to Kyle’s injury,” he added. “We’ve defended well in the half court and we’ve had balanced scoring.”

Madison’s new leading scorer is Joey Adleta, a 6-3 senior forward who averages 16 points. And there is Alec Berry, whose 3-pointer with 11 seconds left lifted the Mohawks to a dramatic victory over Waynefield Goshen after they had trailed by eight with 1:30 to go.

Tonight’s second contest will pit the Eagles against Belmont.

“We’ve already played three Division III teams and Belmont is in Division II,” noted Gibson, whose own MCS team (3-3) is in Division IV. “In every game we’ve had an opportunity to win. We’re eager to learn from our mistakes and correct them.”

The Eagles have a high-powered offense which features four players with a scoring average in double figures: point guard Zach Wise (17 point per game), power forward Zach Henderson (14), Josh Hudson (14) and Josh Hall (11).

“We’re a fast-forward team,” Gibson noted. “We like to get it up and down the floor.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or Pete.Conrad@coxinc.com.

How to go

What: Brian Cook Classic boys basketball tournament

When: Today and Friday

Where: Madison High School, 5797 West Alexandria Road, Middletown

Today’s schedule:Madison vs. Oyler, 6 p.m.; Middletown Christian vs. Belmont, 7:30 p.m.

Friday’s schedule: Consolation, 6 p.m.; championship, 7:30 p.m.

2010 champion: Reading

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