Youthful exuberance can lead to moments of lapses in judgement and execution which can result in failure in maintaining a high level of achievement.
That overflowing enthusiasm led the Golden Eagles into 22 turnovers and a loss to visiting Cincinnati Clermont on Saturday afternoon in Founders Hall Gym. The ball-hawking Cougars committed 16 thefts and scored 26 points off of KSU Tusc miscues in a 92-77 road victory over the Navy and Gold.
It wasn't for lack of effort! The Eagles shot a season best 45% from the floor making 26/58 attempts. They also rose to the occasion at the foul line where they shot 80% on 20/25 shooting and placed four scorers in double figures.
No, it was those mental gaps! After the hosts leapt out to a 6-2 advantage they suddenly found themselves tied 10-10 before falling behind 22-14. It happened again when they closed to 27-24 on back-to-back triples from Jamon Thompson (Canton, OH / St. Thomas Aquinas) and Braden Rostad (Gnadenhutten, OH / Indian Valley) with just over six minutes left in the opening stanza as they fell even further behind 35-24.
Dejavu struck again at the 2:20 mark and Coach Rich Tharp had to think he had seen this act before. After the Eagles clawed their way back to within 38-32, Clermont went up ten again before his Eagles could answer. The Eagles however, would only score twice more in the half as the Cougars stormed ahead on a 14-4 spurt to take a 52-36 lead into the intermission.
At the outset of the final 20 minutes, Clermont built their largest lead of the day (19 points) as they led 55-36, before the reeling Eagles righted themselves with a 14-6 surge of their own to cut the margin to 11.
Mix in four three throws, two DJ Haggins (Euclid, OH / New Day Academy) driving baskets, a DeJuan Lawrence (Akron, OH / Kenmore) offensive stick-back and a Reese Ringer (Rittman, OH / Rittman) triple and the Golden Eagles stole back some momentum as they closed to 61-50 with 15:20 left.
They staged another mini comeback after a basket and pair of charity tosses spotted UCC to a 64-51 lead. Lawrence boarded and laid in a offensive rebound, Haggins knocked down a 15 footer on the left baseline and Arthur Jackson (Euclid, OH / Euclid) drilled a three and the lead was chopped to 64-58 with 11:52 to play.
As Clermont's lead teetered between four and 10 points the pesky Golden Eagles would not quit. Trailing 68-58 they made another charge up the hill and cut the lead to 68-64 at the 9:04 mark. They did it again down 78-70 whittling the deficit to 78-74 with 5:26 left in the game. But that was as close as they would get.
Clermont turned up the pressure, forced several turnovers and quick shots while they scored seven straight points to forge ahead 85-74 with 3:14 showing on the clock. They would go on to outscore the Eagles 14-3 over the last five minutes of the game to seal KSU Tusc's fate.
For the Eagles who fall to 1-2 on the season, Lawrence put up a double-double with 19 points and 13 rebounds. He made 7/9 free throws and was 6/11 from the field. Jackson scored 17 points and cleared six rebounds, while Cobbs scored 13 and Haggins added 10.
The Eagles host Bryant & Stratton- Cleveland on Wednesday, February 10, at 6:00 p.m.
London Cobbs scores two of his 13 points against UC Clermont.
Reese Ringer fires a baseline pass around Cougar defenders.
Photos by Jason Keller