Every time Maple Heights built a lead, Lorain would cut it down.
At home Dec. 16, Lorain’s Dennis Pettis scored the go-ahead basket to take the lead in an eventual 49-47 win.
Guerra-Howard the steal! Guerra-Howard the pass! Pettis the three!
Dennis Pettis makes the go-ahead three to edge Maple Heights 49-47. @lorainathletics @LakeErieLeague @MJournalSports pic.twitter.com/XYSUzXNFNG
— Mark Perez-Krywany 🇦🇷⚽️ (@MarkPerezK10) December 17, 2022
“(I had to) knock it down,” Pettis said. “I in the first half, I was letting my teammates down. I wasn’t hitting my shots when I needed to. I knew when Jai’den Guerra-Howard (passed) it, I had to knock it down.”
Lorain’s Dennis Pettis talks about making the go-ahead 3-pointer in the Titans win over Maple Heights. pic.twitter.com/DA9iOqsHiR
— Mark Perez-Krywany 🇦🇷⚽️ (@MarkPerezK10) December 17, 2022
The basket was scored off a steal and an assist from teammate Jai’den Guerra-Howard on the fast break.
“We needed a good stop and a bucket,” Guerra-Howard said. “I was playing my heart out to get a stop and to get (Pettis) the ball. It was a good pass; a smart play. I kicked it to him, and he hit it.”
Lorain’s Jai’den Guerra-Howard talks about his steal and assist to Pettis’ go-ahead 3 in win over Maple Heights. pic.twitter.com/YK1qh8Yqtv
— Mark Perez-Krywany 🇦🇷⚽️ (@MarkPerezK10) December 17, 2022
The Mustangs had an opportunity from the free-throw line on a one-and-one, but couldn’t take advantage.
The pressure was enhanced on the Mustangs as Christian Ruiz made one of his two free throws to extend Lorain’s lead to 49-47. The defense held on for the final possession.
As the sixth man, guard Ike Rowser led the Titans with four 3-pointers and totaled 16 points. Asiah Kielian scored 11 points with six assists.
“I was feeling great. My teammates trusted me. They made one more pass, and I made some clutch shots. I did what I had to do and played my role,” Rowser said.
Guerra-Howard and Pettis scored six points each. Pettis scored two 3-pointers in the second half after going scoreless in the first half.
“(Pettis) is a really good tenacious guard that can defend and that can help a team out. He is a great kid for our program and did a great job tonight,” Lorain coach Matthew Kielian said.
Maple Heights controlled the first half to lead, 27-20, but Lorain made 3-pointers to take its second lead of the night in the third quarter. The entered the fourth quarter tied at 36.
Maple Heights built leads, and the Titans managed to cut them down multiple times. The Mustangs’ lead extended to 47-40.
Lorain clawed back to close the game on an 8-0 run to pull through with the win.
“We are resilient, and that is the mark of our team,” Coach Kielian said. “It is a part of our core values. (Our resiliency) is what got us through tonight.”
“We weren’t happy with the way that we were sharing the ball in the first half. We felt like we needed to get more people involved. (Pettis’ go-ahead 3-pointer) wasn’t something that I drew up. It was something that we do all the time. I was about paying attention to detail and looking for the right guy.”
Maple Heights dominated the boards in the first half. The Mustangs outrebounded the Titans, 15-8, in the first half to lead, 27-20.
Lorain got its point off steals. In its half-court offense, top scorers Guerra-Howard and Kielian led the charge to total 15 of the Titans’ 20 points at halftime.
Maple Heights got going in the second quarter after it led, 15-13, to start the quarter.
The Mustangs used a variety of scorers that produced in the paint, 3-point line and free-throw line.
They went on a 12-1 run in the second quarter with six forced Titans’ turnovers.
Lorain improved to 5-1 and remained undefeated in the LEL with a 3-0 conference record. The Titans are at the top of the LEL with Garfield Heights (4-0, 3-0 in LEL).
Maple Heights still searched for its first win of the season as it dropped to 0-5 (0-3 in LEL).
Lorain continued its eight-game winning streak over Maple Heights that’s lasted since February 2018. Its record against the Mustangs improved to 16-1 since December 2014.
Lorain will play in back-to-back games Dec. 19 and 20 in the Westlake Hoops Classic with Nordonia, Oberlin and Westlake.
The Titans will play their first game against the Demons on Dec. 19 at 7:30 p.m.
Maple Height’s next matchup will be at Medina on Dec. 20. Lorain and Maple Heights will rematch at the Mustangs’ court on Jan. 31.
