GAME TWENTY-FOUR: DESALES 70; CADIZ HARRISON CENTRAL 46
Division II Regional Semifinal
(at Ohio University Convocation Center, March 16, 2006)
Season Record: Overall: 18-6; Central Catholic League: 10-0
SCORE BY QUARTERS
    1     2     3     4   Final
Harrison Central 8 9 12 17 46
DeSales 12 20 14 24 70
BOX SCORE
Harrison
Central		 Field
Goals		 Free
Throws		 Tot.
Pts.		 DeSales Field
Goals		 Free
Throws		 Tot.
Pts.
3s 2s Md. Att. 3s 2s Md. Att.
Willie Walker 4 1     14 Elijah Allen   9 2 2 20
Ben Hodkinson   3 4 4 10 Alex Kellogg   9 2 3 20
Dan Milleson 1 2 1 2 8 Andrew Thomas 2 3 1 2 13
J.T. Cramblett   2 3 6 7 Ricky Taylor   2 1 2 5
Trevor McCue 1 1     5 Brandon Garrick   1 2 2 4
Robbie Davia   1     2 Dane Johnson   2     4
            Sean Hobbs   1     2
            Ryan Moore   1     2

TOTALS

6

10

8

12

46

TOTALS

2

28

8

11

70
   
TEAM STATISTICS
  DHS HCH  DHS HCH
Field goals:    Rebounds:    
    Made 3016    Offensive 9 9
    Attempted 44 41    Defensive 16 7
    Percentage 68.2%39.0%        Total 25 16
3-pt. field goals:    Personal fouls 910
    Made 2 6Assists 17  
    Attempted 6 18Turnovers 13 16
    Percentage 33.3%33.3%Blocked shots 3  
Free throws:    Steals 10  
    Made 8 8Offensive effi-    
    Attempted 11 12    ciency rating 1.296 0.836
    Percentage 72.7%66.7%    
DHS STATISTICS
Player Field
Goals		 3-Pt.
Field
Goals		 Rebounds Pers.
Fouls		 Assts. Blkd.
Shots		 Steals
Att. Md. Att. Md. Off. Def. Tot.
Elijah Allen 12 9 0 0 1 1 2 4 0 0 2
Alex Kellogg 13 9 1 0 3 3 6 0 0 0 4
Andrew Thomas 8 5 3 2 2 1 3 1 3 0 2
Ricky Taylor 2 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1
Brandon Garrick 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0
Dane Johnson 4 2 1 0 0 4 4 1 12 0 0
Sean Hobbs 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0
Ryan Moore 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
David Knapke 1 0 1 0 0 4 4 2 0 1 0
Cris Diedalis 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
Tim Purcell 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
Adam Schwab 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Team rebounds         1 0 1        
TOTALS 44 30 6 2 9 16 27 9 17 3 10
 
PLAY-BY-PLAY SCORING
FIRST HALF DHS HCH
FIRST QUARTER:
Ben Hodkinson field goal 0 2
Elijah Allen field goal 2 2
    (1st tie score)
Trevor McCue three-point field goal 2 5
    (HCH's largest lead)
Andrew Thomas field goal 4 5
Elijah Allen field goal 6 5
    (the game's only lead change)
Elijah Allen field goal 8 5
Willie Walker three-point field goal 8 8
    (2nd and last tie score)
Elijah Allen field goal 10 8
Ricky Taylor field goal 12 8
END OF FIRST QUARTER 12 8
SECOND QUARTER:
Alex Kellogg dunk 14 8
Alex Kellogg dunk 16 8
    (Kellogg dunked after receiving an
    above-the-rim "alley-oop" pass
    from Johnson)
Elijah Allen field goal 18 8
    Time-out HCH (6:05 left to play)
Alex Kellogg field goal 20 8
    (Kellogg's field goal completed
    an 18-3 DHS run that began with 
    Thomas's field goal in the first
    quarter)
Willie Walker three-point field goal 20 11
Elijah Allen field goal 22 11
Willie Walker field goal 22 13
Alex Kellogg field goal 24 13
Alex Kellogg free throw 25 13
Willie Walker three-point field goal 25 16
Andrew Thomas three-point field goal 28 16
Andrew Thomas three-point field goal 31 16
Dan Milleson free throw 31 17
Alex Kellogg free throw 32 17
END OF SECOND QUARTER 32 17
SECOND HALF
THIRD QUARTER:
Elijah Allen two free throws 34 17
    (Allen's free throws completed
    a 9-1 DHS run that began with 
    Thomas's first three-pointer in
    the second quarter)
Ben Hodkinson field goal 34 19
Trevor McCue field goal 34 21
    Time-out DHS (4:42 left to play)
Alex Kellogg field goal 36 21
Andrew Thomas field goal 38 21
J.T. Cramblett free throw 38 22
J.T. Cramblett free throw 38 23
Dane Johnson field goal 40 23
J.T. Cramblett field goal 40 25
Elijah Allen field goal 42 25
J.T. Cramblett field goal 42 27
Dan Milleson field goal 42 29
Brandon Garrick field goal 44 29
Brandon Garrick two free throws 46 29
END OF THIRD QUARTER 46 29
FOURTH QUARTER:
Elijah Allen field goal 48 29
Dan Milleson three-point field goal 48 32
Elijah Allen field goal 50 32
Willie Walker three-point field goal 50 35
Alex Kellogg field goal 52 35
    Time-out HCH (5:46 left to play)
Dan Milleson field goal 52 37
Alex Kellogg field goal 54 37
Ben Hodkinson two free throws 54 39
Alex Kellogg field goal 56 39
Ricky Taylor free throw 57 39
Ben Hodkinson two free throws 57 41
    Time-out DHS (3:03 left to play)
J.T. Cramblett free throw 57 42
Andrew Thomas free throw 58 42
Ricky Taylor field goal 60 42
Dane Johnson field goal 62 42
Andrew Thomas field goal 64 42
Ben Hodkinson field goal 64 44
Alex Kellogg field goal 66 44
    Time-out HCH (:46.3 left to play)
Sean Hobbs field goal 68 44
Ryan Moore field goal 70 44
    (DHS's largest lead -- Moore's
    field goal completed a 13-2 DHS
    run that began with Thomas's
    free throw)
Robbie Davia field goal 70 46

FINAL SCORE

 70 46
    (besides enabling DHS to advance
    to the regional championship
    game, the victory over HCH was
    DHS's 18th of the season, tying
    the 1992-1993 team for the third
    most wins in a season in school
    history -- to date only the 2000-
    2001 team (20) and the 1986-1987
    State Championship team (22)
    have won more than 18 games)
From THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
DIVISION II
DESALES 70, HARRISON CENTRAL 46
 Stallions exploit bad-guy image in 24-point romp

Friday, March 17, 2006
by Shawn Mitchell
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

ATHENS, Ohio — DeSales wore white in a Division II regional semifinal against Harrison Central last night, but it didn’t come into the game with much of a good-guy mentality.

The Stallions sauntered into Ohio University’s Convocation Center before their 70-46 win with chips on their shoulders, courtesy of coach Blair Albright.

Because of their height (11 players over 6 feet) and their big-school, city-slicker image, Albright thought DeSales was being made out to be the bad guys.

"That was something that we really drove home with the kids: We’ve been painted as the villain all week," he said. "We relish that role, and we used it as a motivator: ‘Let’s be those guys that come out and aren’t liked very much.’ The kids really grasped that, and it helped us to get off to a good start."

Elijah Allen scored eight of his 20 points in the first quarter and helped stake DeSales to a 12-8 lead at the end of the quarter. From there, point guard Dane Johnson dished out a flurry of outlet passes to Allen and Alex Kellogg, who also scored 20 points.

Johnson had 12 assists to boost his season total to 252, and DeSales (18-6) won in its first regional appearance since 1987.

"They have a point guard in Dane Johnson who makes passes like Magic Johnson," Central coach Donnie Madzia said. "He does things you don’t coach. In transition, he finds the open man running toward the basket. He gives Allen and Kellogg and these wonderful athletes an opportunity to finish.

"That was the difference."

Johnson orchestrated DeSales on both ends of the floor. He led a defense that limited Central (21-3) to 39 percent shooting from the field and DeSales shot 68 percent. His passes to Kellogg and Allen were crisp and sometimes spectacular, such as an alley-oop to Kellogg that ended with a thunderous dunk and set the arena abuzz.

"We just took it to them," Johnson said. "I thought tonight was perhaps the hardest we played all year. After two years with each other, we’re coming together. The feel we have for each other is there."

Andrew Thomas scored 13 points for DeSales, which will play Zanesville (17-7), a 63-58 doubleovertime winner over Logan Elm, in a regional final at 3 p.m. Saturday in the Convocation Center.

Willie Walker made four three-pointers and led Central with 14 points.


Copyright © 2006, The Columbus Dispatch
From THE INTELLIGENCER & WHEELING NEWS-REGISTER
Huskies toppled by DeSales

Sunday, March 19, 2006
ATHENS, Ohio — The Harrison Central Huskies’ magical run is over.

Columbus DeSales jumped out to a 32-17 lead at halftime and never looked back in a 70-46 victory over Harrison Central in an Ohio Division II regional semifinal Thursday night at the Convocation Center on the campus of Ohio University.

Willie Walker paced the Huskies, who enjoyed a remarkable season that saw them pick up a school record 21 victories (21-3), with 14 points. He hit four 3-pointers.

Sharpshooting junior guard Ben Hodkinson added 10 points.

Other Huskies breaking into the scoring column included senior Dan Milleson with eight; J.T. Cramblett totaled seven; Trevor McCue added five and Robbie Davia hit one field goal and wound up with two points.

Elijah Allen, a first-team all-district performer, tied Alex Kellogg, the son of former Ohio State Buckeye and current CBS basketball analyst Clark Kellogg, for game-high honors as they both scored 20 points. Allen had been the Stallions’ leading scorer throughout the season.

Andrew Thomas, a 6-2 senior, added 13 points, including two 3-pointers as DeSales shot 30-44 (68 percent) from the floor.

McCue and Milleson each hit 3-pointers in for the Huskies.


Copyright © 2006, The Intelligencer & Wheeling News-Register
From THE DOVER-NEW PHILADELPHIA TIMES-REPORTER
DeSales size too much for Harrison Central

Friday, March 17, 2006
by ROGER METZGER
T-R Sports Writer
THE DOVER-NEW PHILADELPHIA TIMES-REPORTER

ATHENS -- Harrison Central's spirit, desire and effort were there, but Columbus DeSales had the athleticism and strength.

DeSales got 20 points from 6-foot-4 junior Elijah Allen and 20 more from 6-7 junior Alex Kellogg as the Stallions used their athleticism and strength to perfection in a 70-46 victory over Harrison Central in the Division II regional semifinals at the Ohio University Convocation Center here Thursday night.

The Stallions improved to 18-6 on the season and will play Zanesville in the regional championship game Saturday.

Harrison Central, which went through a winless season four years ago, ended the campaign with a sparkling 21-3 ledger as the Huskies made their first-ever regional appearance.

Andrew Thomas added 13 points for the winners, while Dane Johnson fed the big dogs (Allen and Kellogg) down low as he recorded 12 assists.

Willie Walker paced Harrison Central with 14 points thanks in part to four triples and junior Ben Hodkinson added 10 points.

Harrison Central coach Donnie Madzia couldn't have been any prouder of his Huskies.

"These boys have busted their tails for many years for me and put Harrison Central on the map," said Madzia. "Tonight, we needed to play a perfect game but they made us play an imperfect game. I underestimated their strength and athleticism. It was like getting ready to play somebody in the OAC (Ohio Athletic Conference).

"We were two games from reaching the Final Four, but to be one of the 16 best in the state says a lot about of our kids," said Madzia. "All good things must come to an end and we got beat by a very good team."

DeSales coach Blair Albright had nothing but praise for the Huskies.

"To get where they've gotten is a tremendous testament not only to their coach but their community," said Albright. "We haven't seen a team with that kind of support all year. They have a great following and their kids never gave up. We're just happy to be moving on."

Albright said his team did a good job of getting the ball out and running with it.

"That's our game," said Albright. "I think we did a good job of getting the game played to our strengths. We wanted to use our size and frustrate them on offense and get our running game going."

DeSales made 30 of 45 action shots for 67 percent and limited Harrison Central to 16-of-41 shooting from the field for 39 percent.

"Once Dane gets the ball to our guys inside they're good finishers," noted Albright. "Our game is gearing around high-percentage shots."

The Stallions were 8 of 11 from the line and the Huskies were 8 of 12.

DeSales took a 12-8 lead at the end of the first quarter as Allen, a first team Central District selection, scored eight points and took control in the second as Kellogg, a son of former Ohio state standout and current CBS college basketball analyst Clark Kellogg, poured in 10 points to take a 32-17 lead at the half. Two of his buckets came on back-to-back slam dunks as Johnson feed him perfectly at the rim.

"We tried to keep the ball out of Johnson's hands, but that didn't work," noted Madzia.

Harrison Central, behind Walker's eight points remained within single digits, but a 7-1 run to end the period put the Stallions up by 15 at the intermission.

The teams played even through much of the third quarter as DeSales would widen its lead, only to see the Huskies battle back to keep the contest from being a runaway.

However, DeSales outscored the Huskies 14-12 in the frame and took a 46-29 bulge into the final eight minutes of play.

Madzia pulled his starters with 46.3 seconds left in the game to honor them for their outstanding season and had some words for them as they exited.

"I told them I loved them and I wanted them to get a standing ovation from the home crowd," said Madzia. "I wanted those five guys to come off in style and I wanted to get the guys off the bench into the game just to say they played in a regional."

Harrison Central turned the ball over 16 times. The Huskies pressured DeSales into 14 miscues.


Copyright © 2006, The Dover-New Philadelphia Times-Reporter
Also From THE DOVER-NEW PHILADELPHIA TIMES-REPORTER
Still another sizable order - Harrison Central set for taller DeSales in regional

Thursday, March 16, 2006
by ROGER METZGER
T-R Sports Writer
THE DOVER-NEW PHILADELPHIA TIMES-REPORTER

A “tall” challenge awaits Harrison Central when it makes its first regional boys’ basketball tournament appearance in school history tonight.

Harrison Central (21-2) will take on Columbus St. Francis DeSales (17-6) in a Division II regional semifinal contest at the Ohio University Convocation Center in Athens.

Tipoff is set for 6:15.

DeSales, making its first regional appearance since 1987, features a front line standing 6-feet-7, 6-5 and 6-4.

Harrison Central’s tallest players stand 6-2.

“They’re tall and athletic,” said Harrison Central coach Donnie Madzia. “They like to use their athleticism to get out and go.”

Despite the disadvantage, it’s nothing new for the Huskies.

“We saw this (a height disadvantage) last game against Tri-Valley and we felt we did a good job of rebounding against them,” said Madzia. “We need the same kind of effort against DeSales. There are ways to getting around height.”

Six-foot-seven junior forward Alex Kellogg led DeSales’ 64-54 district title win over Columbus Centennial last Saturday as he tallied 18 points and hauled down nine rebounds.

Kellogg is the son of former Ohio State standout and current CBS college basketball television analyst Clark Kellogg.

Five players chipped in between seven and 11 points for the Stallions, who outrebounded Centennial 41-27 and limited the Stars into 35 percent shooting from the field.

Central District first team selection junior Elijah Allen (6-4 forward) followed with 11 points and senior guard Andrew Thomas (6-2) scored 10 for the Stallions.

Senior forward David Knapke (6-5) and junior point guard Dane Johnson (6-0), who averages 10.5 assists per game, round out the starting five for the Stallions.

Six-foot-7 senior center Ricky Taylor is the first one off the bench and junior forward Brandon Garrick (6-2) also saw action against Centennial.

“They like to get out and go with it so we have to try to slow them down,” said Madzia. “Controlling tempo is going to be the big thing. Kellogg is good in transition and Johnson makes passes Magic Johnson would be proud of.”

The Stallions’ last regional appearance also resulted in a state championship in 1987. They were regional runners-up the season before.

This season, DeSales captured its second outright Central Catholic League championship in school history with a perfect 10-0 mark.

Harrison Central is still basking in the glow of a 50-42 win over a taller Tri-Valley bunch to win the Coshocton district title.

DeSales’ coach Blair Albright is impressed with the Huskies’ effort on the hardwood.

“No one that we’ve played plays harder than they do,” commented Albright. “They get after it and play with a lot of intensity and we’re going to have to match that.”

Senior forward Willie Walker (6-2) finished with 16 points and seven rebounds to lead the Huskies against Tri-Valley. Junior guard Ben Hodkinson (5-9) added 13 points, including late clutch free throws, and senior guard Dan Milleson (5-11) netted 11.

“I was impressed with Hodkinson, Milleson and Walker,” said Albright. “We’re going to have to defend well against them.”

Madzia said his charges will leave it all out on the floor tonight.

“We’re going to play hard for 32 minutes,” said Madzia. “They way we’ve been playing I like our chances.”

The other regional semifinal pits Zanesville and Circleville Logan Elm in the second game.

The regional championship game is Saturday at 3 p.m.


Copyright © 2006, The Dover-New Philadelphia Times-Reporter