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Mentor made the journey south to Cincinnati Princeton Excessive Faculty to participate in its Vacation Basic. After three shut video games to open the season, the Cardinals confronted their largest problem so far once they took on the host Vikings.
Whereas they had been in a position to preserve the sport shut within the first half, Princeton pulled away within the second because it compelled 14 turnovers to win, 96-66. The Cardinals suffered their first loss and sit at 3-1.
The Cardinals saved it shut early thanks largely to Ian Ioppolo. The sophomore poured in 23 factors, a lot of which got here from past the arc. Head coach Bob Krizancic preferred what he noticed from Ioppolo and knew somebody needed to step up.
“He’s bought to have the ability to rating,” mentioned Krizancic. “He wants to have the ability to go inside or exterior. When we’ve got a participant, we don’t have to cover it. They’ll shoot, they will rebound, they will defend and that’s what big-time gamers have achieved for us up to now. Ian wants to have the ability to do all of that for us, and whereas there are nonetheless areas that he can enhance on, we hope he can step into that position of a big-time participant.”
Ryan Ioppolo and Matt Biddell completed in double figures with 12 factors every. Whereas that trio of Cardinals had respectable performances, Sean Collins had a tricky recreation as he went scoreless within the first half and completed with two factors.
“They had been way more bodily,” mentioned Krizancic. “Their quickness actually harm and our lack of ability to be robust with the ball actually saved us from the bucket and from scoring like we’ve got up to now.”
A part of the wrestle for Mentor was having the ability to take the ball upcourt towards Princeton’s full-court press. It’s a protection the Cardinals know effectively because it’s what they normally wish to run.
“It was an actual position reversal,” mentioned Krizancic. “That’s what we attempt to do to different groups yearly and it helps groups get some runs, create turnovers and set the tempo. Their press gave us hassle, and once we did beat it we had hassle creating good photographs however they bought the ball off the ground so shortly and we weren’t fast sufficient to defend it.”
The Cardinals have a fast turnaround. Their second recreation within the Princeton Vacation Basic is Dec. 23 towards Pickerington Central.
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