WILLARD — A packed house, a tight game, pressure oozing from every corner, the St. Peter’s boys basketball team knows this scenario well.
Just as it has the past two seasons, the No. 1-ranked Spartans came through Friday night to earn a 54-49 Division IV district championship win, this time over a spirited Colonel Crawford outfit.
“They’ve all been tough,” St. Peter’s coach Joe Jakubick said. “The first (district final) against Sandusky St. Mary’s, I don’t think we had the lead until three minutes left.”
This one had a pinch of drama, too. Jared Jakubick’s trey at the end of the first quarter tied the game at 11, and his bucket with three seconds showing in the half gave the Spartans (26-0) a 30-27 edge heading to intermission.
Jakubick, the reigning Division IV Player of the Year, hit a three with 6:49 showing in the third period to make it 26-17, and it looked like the Eagles (20-5) were wobbling.
“Jared is just a great player,” Eagles’ coach Dave Sheldon said. “He’s so special, so strong. There’s a reason he’s a Division IV All-Ohioan.”
But just when it looked like Jakubick had grabbbed control of the game, Colonel Crawford sophomore Cameron McCreary, who was scoreless in the first half, rode in with guns blazing. McCreary hit three triples to pull the Eagles within 32-30 at the third-quarter stop, and he was just getting started.
McCreary and Jakubick carried their teams in the final quarter. Interestingly, with both teams playing ferocious defense through three periods, the two stars were unstoppable in the last six minutes.
Jakubick scored 12 of his game-high 25 points, including a pressure-packed 10-of-10 at the line. Meanwhile, McCreary hit three more threes, and had 13 of his team-high 22 points in the fourth quarter.
“We did a good job defensively, but in the second half we got a little undisciplined and we gave him some lanes,” Joe Jakubick said. “When he starts hitting his threes, he’s as tough a cover as there is.”
McCreary tied the game at 37-37 with his first bomb of the fourth period, but Elijah Cobb hit a free throw and a bucket to move the Spartans back in front 40-37.
“In the second half (McCreary) tried to will us to victory,” Sheldon said. “He’s as good a sophomore as I’ve seen around here.”
McCreary’s three with 47 seconds showing made it 48-46, but Jakubick hit four straight free throws, and Cobb and Caleb Stewart added one apiece to finish it.
“I worked so hard on my free throws over the summer,” Jared Jakubick said. “Any little thing can help.”
St. Peter’s scored on 11 of its final 13 possessions, but McCreary’s marksmanship kept Colonel Crawford close throughout the final moments. The Eagles were just unable to get within one possession with the ball and a chance to tie or take the lead over the final four minutes.
“They’re an excellent offensive team, they had a lot of shooters,” Cobb said.
Cobb chipped in 18 points for St. Peter’s, while 6-foot-3 sophomore Jonah Ramey was a defensive presence in the paint.
“I told him ‘Dude, you put up 20 points tonight defensively,” Joe Jakubick said. “With his defense he altered shots and rebounding, he was huge.”
Sophomore Jordan Fenner contributed 12 points for the Eagles, but for the second straight season C.C. fell just short.
“Our guys went punch for punch with the No. 1 team in the state, we just came up two punches, two possessions short,” Sheldon said. “I’m proud of our kids. No one gave them a chance, but we went toe-to-toe with them. Our kids believed they could win.”
St. Peter’s moves into Tuesday’s 8 p.m. regional semifinal against East Canton (19-7) at the Canton Fieldhouse. The Hornets beat Berlin Center Western Reserve 53-48 on Friday night.
