Irondequoit shrugs off slow start, hands Webster Thomas first defeat

By CHUCKIE MAGGIO

Chris Cardon calmly called timeout, using Irondequoit’s early 12-point deficit as an opportunity to refocus his group.

“There’s a lot of game left, there’s a lot of game left,” Cardon recalled saying. “I mean, look at the clock. There’s a lot of game left.”

The 35th-year coach harkened back to a crossover game at Rush-Henrietta a couple years ago, when he used two timeouts to try quelling a 15-0 run. Cardon only needed one to end Webster Thomas’s burst Tuesday night.

Irondequoit ended the first quarter on a 9-3 run and closed the second quarter scoring 11 of the last 17. The Eagles responded each time the undefeated Titans threatened to put the game out of reach, making the Titans play catch-up by game’s end. Irondequoit won 61-57, improving its record to 4-2.

Ryan Heath and Jaleel Davis scored 22 points and 16 points, respectively, to lead the Eagles, who avenged their loss three days ago in Webster by outscoring Thomas 38-25 in the second half. Davis hit a 3-pointer to end the 12-0 skid but didn’t truly jumpstart the offense until the third, when he scored six of Irondequoit’s first 14 points of the second half.

“It felt amazing,” Davis said. “After the first game, we lost a little hope. But after that we started rallying, motivated to win this game.”

After Eli Adams hit a 3-pointer to extend Thomas’s lead to 37-28 early in the third quarter, Irondequoit went on an 11-4 run paced by Davis, Heath and Evan Leonardo. Heath made a layup and one of two free throws while Leonardo and Davis each made two field goals during the stretch.

The Eagles had a few opportunities but finally took their first lead of the night when Jason Jacobs Jr. turned Thomas over in the front court and converted a layup. The Eagles were motivated, using Heath’s personal 5-2 run to turn the final minute into a free throw shooting contest.

Irondequoit stumbled at the line, however, missing three important foul shots. Thomas took advantage, using Tyler Williams’s 3-pointer and mid-range jump shot to draw within two points with 13.1 remaining. Titans coach Griffin Coles called timeout and drew up a play to tie or take the lead.

The Titans were looking for 6-foot-6 captain Jackson Kulik, who scored 29 points on the Eagles the first meeting and tallied 13 in the second. But they never got a shot off as David Petz’s pass fell out of bounds.

Davis made both free throws at the other end, granting the Eagles a four-point cushion on Thomas’s desperation heave.

“They ran what we call a hammer play,” Cardon explained, “where the guy drives baseline and he sets a screen for the guy. Kulik’s as good as anybody and Jalil was on him all night, did the best job he could on him… Our motto is ‘Juice’ and I think we had some good juice there at the end when we needed it.”

“I just didn’t wanna foul,” Davis remarked, “because I know if we fouled they would’ve had to go to the line and it would’ve been even harder to get that game and start up our momentum again.”

Irondequoit’s two-game losing streak is no more, while Thomas has its first loss of the season. Cardon acknowledged that his team defeated a quality opponent Tuesday night.

“I’m just really appreciative,” Cardon said. “These guys have fought hard all year, and they deserve success. I think they’re as good as anybody in our division. Our division, on any night, anybody can beat anybody. I know people say that a lot but this year it can. I think the top and bottom from other years have come together a little bit.

“It’s kind of like a Big Ten; everybody on any night.”

Irondequoit scorers: Heath 22, Davis 16, Leonardo 10, Damon Brumfield 5, Jacobs 5, Rowan McGwin 3

Webster Thomas scorers: Kulik 13, Shawn Mason 13, Tyler Williams 10, Andrew Quinn 8, Eli Adams 7, Will Richardson 5, Sean Linder 1

Original edition included the name of the Webster Thomas head coach as that of the late Bill O’Rourke, Jr. Article has since been updated.