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Lancers edge Dragons in Region 6 showdown

Griffin Suppa scored 15 points in a 68-58 win at Conneaut on Tuesday.

In a battle for early season supremacy atop Region 6, General McLane’s Seth Myers and Josh Schreiber wouldn’t be denied.

Myers scored 27 points and Schreiber had 17 points and 24 rebounds as the Lancers pulled away late for a 60-50 win over the Warren Dragons in a Saturday matinee at Joseph A. Massa Gymnasium.

“It’s important when you play the better teams to bring your ‘A’ game and mentally we were not sharp today,” said Warren coach Jeff Berdine. “When you’re playing one of the better teams in the region or any team that’s a decent team, you have to be ready to play.”

Berdine was pleased with the Dragons’ fight physically, but the mental mistakes proved to be costly.

The only lead Warren had all afternoon was 2-0 at the very start, yet it was a game that was played within a tight window throughout, as the 10-point margin of victory was the largest lead McLane (7-2 overall, 2-0 Region 6) had.

Warren’s Aidan Morrison pulls up for a jump shot during the first half of Saturday’s Region 6 game against General McLane on Saturday. Morrison played a strong game with six points and eight rebounds, but the Dragons were on the short end of a 60-50 final.

“Having the game pushed back (from Friday) was a little bit of a disadvantage,” noted Berdine. “Physically we gave a lot of effort and I’m proud of the kids for that, but mentally we didn’t have it today. That was really the difference in the game.”

Myers scored nine-straight points in the second quarter, and with Caleb Ei saddled with early foul trouble for the second consecutive game and Jake Kupchella turning his ankle midway through the quarter, it presented a prime opportunity for the Lancers to potentially pull away.

That didn’t happen, however, as Devin McMeans knocked down a 3 and Griffin Suppa made a jumper just before the half to keep the Dragons within striking distance, down 29-22.

“We hung in there with foul trouble,” Berdine said. “We could have really put ourselves in bad spots, but we were able to battle back.”

Both Ei and Kupchella came back with a vengeance in the second half, combining to score the final 18 points of the game for the Dragons.

Warren's Devin McMeans scored 11 points against Meadville on Wednesday.

Colby Johnson and Kupchella knocked down 3’s early in the third, but Schreiber went to work, getting a pair of offensive putbacks to keep McLane out in front.

Ei and Aidan Morrison battled Schreiber down low, and it was a physical affair.

They led the Dragons (5-5, 2-1) with eight and seven rebounds respectively.

“I thought they (McLane) did a lot of pushing today,” Berdine said. “Both Caleb and Aidan got pushed constantly. But that’s how it was officiated. Region games are going to be physical.”

Back-to-back buckets by Kupchella and Ei cut the margin to 42-38 going into the fourth quarter, but every time the Dragons made a run, McLane had an answer.

The Flannel Panel cheers on their Dragons during the second half of Saturday's game against General McLane.

Myers had six straight points to start the fourth quarter and had 10 of his 27 in the final eight minutes.

His ability to create his own shot proved to wreak havoc on the Dragons’ defense.

“Every time we got the momentum, they did a good job,” noted Berdine. “The Myers kid played a heck of a game. Sometimes you have to tip your cap. When he got hot he got us behind the 8-ball.”

Three times in the final four minutes the Dragons were able to get within four – on a layup by Kupchella set up by a McMeans steal, a layup by Ei and a putback by Kupchella.

Each time, however, McLane had an answer, and Myers hit his free throws down the stretch.

“We played the entire game like we were down 15, not four,” Berdine said.

Kupchella and Ei both finished with 16 points to pace Warren. Kupchella also had three steals and three assists, with Morrison and Suppa also notching three helpers.

The Dragons return to action on Wednesday with a tough non-region battle at Meadville.

“Today we didn’t play very well and we still hung in there,” Berdine said. “That tells me we have work to do but also we have the potential to be where we want to be at the end of the year, which is at the top of our region. We just made it a little more difficult for ourselves.”

– – –

GENERAL MCLANE (60)

Myers 10-6-9-27, Parker 3-1-4-8, Donahue 0-0-0-0, Manchester 1-0-0-2, Schreiber 5-7-12-17, Yoder 2-0-0-6, Jones 0-0-0-0, Scrutchins 0-0-0-0, Johnson 0-0-0-0, Totals 21-14-25-60

WARREN (50)

Kupchella 7-0-0-16, Johnson 1-0-0-3, Morrison 2-2-2-6, Ei 8-0-2-16, Suppa 2-2-4-6, McMeans 1-0-0-3, Davis 0-0-0-0, Grosch 0-0-0-0, Totals 21-4-8-50

By Quarters

General McLane 15 14 13 18 – 60

Warren

10 12 16 12 – 50

Three-point FGs: General McLane (4) – Yoder 2, Myers, Parker; Warren (4) – Kupchella 2, McMeans, Johnson

– – –

JV: General McLane 61, Warren 36

Warren: Arnold 13 points, Funari 9, Gustafson 7, Bablak 4, Rafalski 3

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