The Milan News-Leader
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ROAD WARRIORS
Milan grounds Jets 59-49
By Jerry Hinnen, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: February 22, 2007
Friday night, the Milan boys' basketball team won again in the place they feel most comfortable — on the road.
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This time, the Big Reds went to Carleton and took a convincing 59-49 win over the Airport Jets. The Big Reds never trailed after the first quarter, improving their record in true road games to 6-2 on the season.
"I don't have any theories," coach Jeremy Davies said when asked why his team played so well away from Milan. "If I knew why, I'd have them play the same way at home."
The Big Reds seized control with a run spanning the third and fourth quarters. Two quick baskets from the Jets had cut a 38-30 Milan lead in half with 2:17 to play in the third, but a Zack McGovern basket pushed the lead back to six entering the final period.
The Jets began the fourth by switching from zone defense to man-to-man, and Milan point guards Randy Monty and Paul Irwin made them pay as a series of dribble penetrations gave McGovern, Erik Draves and Monty three quick baskets for a 46-36 lead.
"I think that was the turning point," Davies said. "We got six easy points and that pushed us out to a good lead."
In the first meeting between the teams, Airport had come from behind in the fourth to grab a 56-52 win in Milan, but this time the closest the Jets could come was seven points with 5:07 to play. Despite Milan missing the front end of back-to-back one-and-ones at one point, strong Big Red defense and a lack of turnovers kept Airport outside striking distance. A Monty field goal with 1:37 to play restored the Milan lead to 10 and clinched the win.
"This time we took care of business," Davies said. "We didn't practice for a week (with the cancellations), so I'm real happy with the way we came out and played tonight."
Monty led the Big Reds with 23 points while backcourt mate McGovern scored 18. Draves added nine points, Irwin eight and Justin Fugate one.
A Monty basket and McGovern three erased a 13-10 Airport lead and gave Milan a two-point advantage at the end of a back-and-forth first quarter that saw six lead changes.
But there were no lead changes at all from that point as Milan never relinquished control of the game. Draves scored four points in a quick 6-2 spurt that gave the Big Reds a 26-20 lead midway through the second and a 27-22 edge at halftime.
That lead grew to 32-24 before Airport ripped off six straight to pull within two with 4:12 to play in the third. But Irwin and Monty hit back-to-back threes to restore the lead to eight just 40 seconds later and Milan never looked back.
The win improved Milan's Huron League record to 4-7 and evened their overall record at 8-8.
"We talked before the game about how for the seniors, these are their last five regular season games in their careers," Davies said. "We want that to end on a really positive note and they responded."
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