GARY DAVIS
PAINESVILLE TOWNSHIP — Viewed from the security of the bleachers, frustration is usually seen as a potentially devastating emotion. But oddly enough, that depends on whether you let it disable you, or motivate you.
A frustrated Riverside (0-2) boys basketball team chose the latter, despite falling 95-61 to the Bedford Bearcats (1-0) at Community Fieldhouse Friday night.
“Yes, we are a little frustrated,” said Beavers coach Rob Winton, “Last year (15-8) we ended the season on a high note by going deep into the district tournament. Expectations were high for this season. We will get through this. This is a good lesson.”
Riverside opened its 2007-08 campaign on a sour note last week losing to Perry in an effort that Winton described as flat. So the keynote this week in practice had been intensity.
The Beavers matched the Bearcats bucket for bucket and were down only 10-9 halfway through the opening period as senior guard Alex Sullivan struck for all seven his first quarter points. Then Bedford, mainly on the strength of its fast break, reeled off a 15-3 run. Riverside played catch up the remainder of the evening.
“We told them (Riverside) we would rather lose by 30 playing hard, than playing flat like we did against Perry,” said Winton. “We can live with this loss. They are a difficult team. We were overmatched physically.”
The Bearcats were paced by 6-foot-8 center Reggie Keely and 6-7 forward Robert Johnson. Keely served up nine field goals and eight of 11 from the free throw line for a game high 27, and was supported by Johnson with eight field goals for 16 to lead a quintet of Bearcats who scored in double figures.
“They are the best team we will see this year,” Winton said. “This team is very similar to the 2000 team that went to the state finals, but this team is all juniors.”
Bedford used its superior size to outrebound the Beavers 41-23 and to shoot a lofty 59.7 percent from the field (40-67).
Riverside did have one last flicker of hope with less than three minutes remaining in the first half when they closed the gap to 40-29 on a stellar shooting display by senior guard Evan Savage. He was a perfect 6-6 from behind the three point arc and added a two pointer to almost single-handedly keep the Beavers in range.
“He is a streaky shooter,” said Winton, “He played very well.”
“They were getting me the ball and I just was feeling it. I was trying to get it spread around,” Savage said.
Savage finished with 20 second-quarter points and 24 for the game. He agreed with his coach that the team is a little frustrated but feels things will only get better.
“We had more intensity, which is a positive,” he said. “We did some of the little things. In our first game we were just flat.”
Sullivan (15 points) and Lavelle Stevens (10 points) were the only other Beavers in double figures.
“I think so,” said Winton when asked if Sullivan might be a bit frustrated at this point in the young season. “He is such a great competitor and tries at times to carry the team. He will get better.”
Bedford began to pull away when they started knocking down baskets on their fast break. Bearcats veteran coach Everett Heard said that that is their style to get out and run.
“We work hard to get people in the open court,” said Heard. “They beat us last year, so this was fun.” Heard and Winton were ex teammates for Baldwin Wallace and he said he enjoys the friendly rivalry.
Davis is a freelance writer from Madison Township.
