#1 in the clutch

Tyler Moreland leads Powers to win in dominant final quarter

1 February 2008

greatlakeshoops.com

Flint-- Davison cannot finish.

Those three simple words (ok, I know "cannot" is technically a compound word) can explain away the bulk of the Cardinals eight losses this season up to and including their 76-62 implosion against Flint Powers Friday night.

They did it again.

After Danny Swain swished his second consecutive 3-pointer to tie the game at 60-60 with four and a half minutes left, Davison folded like a house of cards in much the same way as they did against Flint Carman-Ainsworth three days ago.

At Carman-Ainsworth, Davison tied the game on a 3-pointer with less than three minutes left in regulation before the Cavaliers embarked on an 11-0 run to finish the game.

Tonight, the run was 16-2, and the Cards were fortunate to get the two at the buzzer on a Corey Lang tip-in.

It was deja vu like I have never seen before.

The Cardinals turned the ball over almost every time down the floor in crunch time and the Moreland brothers made them pay dearly.

The Chargers scored 22 points in the final frame to Davison's 12, six of which came in less than a minute on two consecutive 3-pointers from junior Danny Swain.

The Cardinals actually led at halftime before a lackluster third quarter had Davison down four points heading into the fourth.

From there it was all Tyler Moreland.

The senior guard poured in 11 points in the final quarter including a trio of 3-pointers to put the game out of reach.

Moreland had scored only two points before his clutch fourth quarter performance.

Powers, much to my surprise, played a lot of zone defense in the first half and it really played into Davison's hand. The Cardinals throw players at teams in waves, and the one thing they all have in common is their ability to shoot from the perimeter.

When Powers buckled down defensively in the fourth quarter, Davison wilted.

Davison 16 24 10 12 - 62
Flint Powers 14 23 17 22 - 76

Game notes

--The cover jinx was in place for Tyler Moreland, if only for three quarters. The senior guard's picture graced the front page of this website and, lucky for Powers' fans, the jinx wore off right about the time they needed him to step up. Moreland knocked down what may have been the three biggest shots of the game--all triples and all in crunch time. Moreland, who just recently signed with Davenport University in Grand Rapids, is excited about the future and is relieved to have the process behind him. He chose Davenport over numerous D-2, D-3 and NAIA schools because of its proximity to home, its facilities (which are getting bigger and better every year) and the opportunity it affords him to play right away. Oh yeah, and Tyler's father also played there. Davenport stole this one.

--Here's hoping they can steal this one, too: Shane Moreland. The junior guard had a tremendous game for Powers tonight. He caught Davison sleeping for three easy lay-ups in the first quarter alone and six total. And Shane, one of the top stoppers in Genesee County, always plays stellar defense. He finished with 20 points.

--Super sophomore Pat O'Brien owned the second quarter. The 6-3 swingman scored 13 points in the quarter on wide array of shots. Sophomores, especially at his size, simply are not supposed to be that skilled. O'Brien finished with 23 points to lead all scorers. He also pulled down eight rebounds. This kid is the truth. He really needs to get a different number on his jersey. His is way too high for his skill set.

--Senior Corey Lang played as well as I've seen him this season for Davison. He really showed a lot of skill and savvy. Lang finished with 10 points including a clutch 3-pointer in the fourth quarter. He also had a really impressive drive and basket near the end of the first quarter. That was a college-level play.

--What can be said about Davison that hasn't already been said? They frittered away another game in which they either led or tied for the lead late in the game. This team has no consistency, no rhythm and no identity. They have the appearance of 11 mind-numbed robots playing basketball the way foosball is meant to be played--on a stick and at the whim of the spinmaster. For this reason, they simply fall apart down the stretch in games that they are in a position to win. They turned the ball over on almost every possession in the final two minutes and I can only assume it has something to do with the fact that this team does not have a go-to guy. In a pinch, Powers goes to Tyler Moreland. Who does Davison go to? They have to have someone, but he might be sitting on the bench for all I know.

--X was finally a factor for Powers. Xavier Walker, a 6-5 transfer from Flint C-A, really made himself known in front of a packed house at Powers. The senior finished with 11 points, six rebounds and four blocks. Walker, who played a ton of minutes despite not starting, is the Chargers best option in the post. He confidently knocked down 7-of-8 free throws and played with an awful lot of energy.

--Trevor Cousineau led Davison with 12 points. He's a tough and athletic blue collar big man, but he was part of the problem in the final quarter. He caught the turnover bug along with several of his teammates. Cousineau and Aaron Badour, who scored nine, could be the most productive post in the Big Nine on any given night. They just have to take care of the ball better and that means putting the ball on the floor sparingly.

--Tyler Sauer, a senior whom I mentioned in my last salvo of game notes, did not play a second tonight. Sauer, who played varsity as a sophomore and is the Cardinals' top returning scorer, is the 500-pound gorilla in the room in the City of Flags currently. No one knows why "the coach who plays everybody" isn't playing him. He is the best shooter on the team and has been productive in the limited minutes he has received this year. In a home game against Flushing earlier this season, Sauer scored 15 points and pulled down four rebounds in only ten minutes of play. After the game, Coach MacLachlan had this to say about Sauer: “I think his teammates think so much of him that everybody was looking for a way to get him going. It was just a matter of time before he broke loose, and as a team we couldn’t be any happier.” I would like to know what has changed since then. I'm of the opinion that Coach MacLachlan is smitten with the idea of a 10-man roster (with two five-man rotations) and is subtly hoping Sauer will quit. We all have opinions, but in my mind that is unethical. I just hope it's not true.