Friday, June 2, 2023

Mentor falls to host CPA in opener of Next Level Hoop Fest in Nashville

Mentor's 5-game winning streak ended on Dec. 29.

Cardinals coach Bob Krizancic said his team needs to be more aggressive to avoid a losing streak in Nashville.

Mentor shot 6 of 25 from 3-point range and were unable to get tempo in its favor while falling to host Christ Presbyterian Academy, 69-54, on the opening day of the CPA Next Level Hoop Fest.

It was the first loss for the Cardinals since opening night in overtime vs. Garfield Heights.

"We were tentative. We need to be much more aggressive against these teams down here," Krizancic said.

"(CPA) was good. They hit some shots. But we have played teams like that before. We just needed to be more aggressive against the press than we were. We needed to attack and we didn't do that. These guys knew coming down here what we were getting into with this competition. We will need to be very good the next two days."

Mentor (5-2) fell out of the winner's bracket and will play Episcopal Collegiate (AR) at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 30 in Round 2.

Junior center Micah Potter led the Cardinals with 25 points and seven rebounds. Mentor was outscored in each of the first three quarters and trailed, 55-34, heading into the fourth quarter.

Austin Koss came off the bench and hit three 3s for the Cardinals and finished with nine points. No other Mentor player had more than five points.

Braxton Blackwell, a D-I recruit from CPA had 20 points. Micah Davis hit six 3s and finished with 18 for the Lions. 

Steve Harehttp://www.ohiovarsity.com
Steve Hare is the Chagrin Valley Conference's Sports Information Director. He also created and publishes OhioVarsity.com, an online publication dedicated to providing hyperlocal coverage to area high school athletic programs. Hare began covering high school sports for the Lake County News Herald in 1997. Hare attended Willoughby South High School through the middle of his senior year, then graduated from Berkshire High School in Burton in 1986. He played football, wrestled and was an all-Geauga county baseball player (1986). He lives in Chardon with his wife Paulette and their children.

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