Monday, March 20, 2023

VASJ routs rival Euclid to complete impressive weekend

What a weekend for Villa Angela-St. Joseph.

Less than 24 hours after putting the finishing touches on a 100-point outburst in the first game at newly renovated Viking Village on Friday night, VASJ traveled a few miles east and overwhelmed neighborhood rival Euclid, 101-53, on Saturday.

The Vikings are now 3-0 and have scored 201 points in back-to-back blowouts over Holy Name and Euclid.

Six-foot-10 senior star Carlton Bragg scored a career-high 31 points and pulled down 16 rebounds for VASJ in the win over the Panthers.

“We did a really good job of going from the inside out tonight. We did a good job of taking the layups they were giving us,” VASJ coach Babe Kwasniak said.

“We did it two different ways. We did it against a zone vs. Holy Name and tonight was different. We can score the basketball. We can be lethal when we execute and play the right way.”

After leading 22-15 at the end of one quarter, VASJ put the game away by outscoring Euclid, 59-23, in the second and third quarters. The run was sparked by a monster dunk by Bragg on a set play called Boo Gibson for the former Viking standout and current Evansville guard.

“That was the game plan to pound it inside and we took advantage of it,” Bragg said.

“It was great playing in front of a big crowd. The rivalry is amazing. Euclid gives us a great game and the experience was great.”

Dererk Pardon and Simon Texidor scored 16 points apiece, and Brian Parker added 14 for the Vikings.

Anthony Turk hit a basket that put VASJ over the century mark.

“Anthony is a Euclid kid, so for him to love putting on the VASJ uniform, and scoring that basket, was special,” Kwasniak said.

 

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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