Eagles crush Carey to win 3rd straight N10 title

NORTH ROBINSON — Over a five-minute period at the end of the first quarter and the start of the second quarter, Colonel Crawford went on a 22-5 run to break a tied ballgame wide open. Mac Morrison Gymnasium was rocking as the Eagles clinched the Northern 10 Athletic Conference title in a 77-51 home victory Friday night."First of all, credit Carey," Colonel Crawford coach David Sheldon said. "They came out and hit some big threes…they played really well to start."Sheldon said he called a timeout early to discuss the Eagles' defense—which Sheldon says has carried them all year."Then, our defense set up so we could get out offensively," Sheldon said.It's CC's third straight league title and its fifth in the last six seasons.The Eagles (18-1, 13-0 N10) got off to a great start with Payne DeGray scoring in the paint on their first two possessions. That's when Carey (10-8, 9-2) put together a 10-2 run of its own started by Carter Bame's bank shot inside. The ensuing possession, Colonel Crawford's John DeGray used a post move to score down low for the Eagles' lone bucket of the run.Then, Devil senior Kyler Boes knocked down a trey from the right wing to get within a point of Colonel Crawford, 6-5. A steal by Chase Stone turned into another three from Boes—this time from the right corner to give Carey its first lead of the game. The stretch was finished with a fast break jumper by Dalton Roberts for the Blue Devils.The teams traded scores back-and-forth over the next several possessions with Payne passing down low to his brother, John DeGray, for some points to end the run.Carey's Roberts scored inside again only to be answered by a putback off of an offensive rebound by John DeGray. Tripp Phoenix's jumper from the foul line was responded with a bank shot off of dribble penetration by the Eagles' All-Ohio guard Brayden Holt.After a stop, John DeGray grabbed an offensive rebound and used a spin move to put the ball back up in the post. The basket tied the game at 14-all with a couple minutes remaining in the first quarter.That's when Colonel Crawford went on its 22-5 run. Holt got the run started with a shot from the left elbow followed by John DeGray scoring inside on their next offense.The Blue Devils' Chase Mullholand knocked down a three from the left wing off of an inbounds pass to get within a point of the gold and black. Payne DeGray then scored off of a nice post move followed by Holt's three-pointer from the top of the key to end the first quarter with a 23-17 lead.Once play resumed, the Eagles' picked up right where they left off with a three-pointer from Peyton Baker. Carey's Chase Stone nailed a deep two-point shot before Payne DeGray converted an and-one play to push CC's lead to 10.A little over a minute later, Colonel Crawford's Holt hit another three from the top of the key behind a Payne DeGray screen. Their next offensive possession, Holt converted a four-point play after being fouled while hitting a trey to end the run.The teams traded points over the next three minutes with the Devils' Bekkem Sherman making one-of-two foul shots before Payne DeGray banked it off the glass from short distance. Two more free throws by Carey's Roberts were negated by a three from the left wing from Holt. Brayden Kitzler scored in the paint for the blue and white only to have Payne DeGray make a free throw to cap the exchange.One free throw from Baker and two more from Holt sent Colonel Crawford into the half with a 47-26 lead.Over the first three minutes of the second half, the Eagles went on a 9-0 run that began with Payne DeGray scoring a contested shot in the box. It was a minute or so before Holt hit another three then John DeGray powered for points down low. Payne banked it up-and-in to finish the onslaught for Colonel Crawford.Carey's Stone scored while being fouled, and made the shot from the charity stripe for a three-point play. Payne DeGray dribbled penetrated for a basket before the Devils' Phoenix made a short jumper to make it a 58-31 contest.Another three by Holt made it a 30-point game. Holt, on the Eagles' next possession was fouled while making a bucket. Holt's foul shot was good for the old-fashioned three-point play.Bame responded with a three from the left wing, but CC's John DeGray scored on the post. Stone converted an and-one opportunity for Carey, but the Eagles' Baker hit a buzzer-beating three at the top of the key to make the score 69-37 going into the final period.The bank was open again for Payne DeGray to start the fourth, and after a free throw made by him on the next possession—the running clock started due to the lead being at 35 for Crawford.Then Phoenix hit a three from the right wing, but shortly thereafter, the Eagles' Tyler Lash scored on a layup when Walker Cramer tossed him an alley oop.Carey's Landyn Miller scored on a left-hand layup, but then Holt swished his sixth and final 3-pointer of the night. The Devils' Evan Kinn scored the three final buckets for Carey on its last three possessions to get the final score.Colonel Crawford had Holt leading the way with 32 points, Payne DeGray finished with 21 points and John DeGray added 12 points."Holt's a tremendous player, and we tried to throw different guys at him just to try to change it up, but he just shot right over our defense," Carey coach Zach Bame said.Phoenix led Carey with 10 points.