by PARMA HEIGHTS, OH – The Lutheran West Longhorns got their revenge on Tuesday night with a convincing victory over Holy Name. The Longhorns spread the ball around all game long which led to four players scoring in double figures. Derek Fairley led the way with 16 points, followed by Tino Yli-Junnila with 15. This win avenges their loss from last season when the Green Wave defeated the Longhorns 62-55.
The opening quarter showed two different styles of basketball. Lutheran West was attacking the paint and making their living at the free throw line. The Longhorns went 6-8 on free throws in the first quarter to go along with two buckets in the paint from Josh Meyer. On the other hand, the Green Wave were cashing in from behind the arc. Led by Adam Humenik, Holy Name cashed in four triples in the 1st. Holy Name’s hot shooting gave them a 18-16 lead heading into the second.
In the 2nd quarter, the matchup became a game of offensive scoring runs. Adam Humenik carried the hot shooting in the 2nd quarter. He dropped 13 points in the frame including three 3-balls. Christian Camargo added a 3-ball of his own in the quarter. Jayson Levis and Josh Meyer carried the load offensively for the Longhorns in the 2nd period. Meyer’s spark off the bench played a crucial role for Lutheran West. He dropped a team-high 11 points in the first half that included 7 in the 2nd quarter. Levis added 8 points in the 2nd quarter for the Longhorns as they took the lead heading into the break at 41-35.
The 3rd quarter saw a big battle on the offensive glass for both squads. Both the Longhorns and Green Wave were getting 2nd chance baskets consistently throughout the quarter. Drew Styers hit the offensive rebounds hard for Holy Name and led them in scoring with 6 points in the 3rd. A combination of constant movement and offensive rebounding gave Lutheran West the edge. Tino Yli-Junilla found his range in the 3rd and pushed his scoring total to 12 after dropping 6 points in the frame. Matt Meyer and Nick Parker each added 5 of their own in the 3rd. After the 3rd quarter buzzer, the Longhorns held a 61-51 lead.
The defense in the 2nd half for the Longhorns came in clutch as they extended the lead down the stretch. A big 4th quarter for Derek Fairley on the offensive end also helped propel Lutheran West to victory. The Green Wave did what they could offensively to cut into the Longhorn lead. However, Lutheran West had an answer every single time. A 24-point 4th quarter pushed the Longhorns to an 85-69 victory over the Holy Name Green Wave.
The Holy Name Green Wave will travel to Normandy on Friday night to take on the Invaders. For Lutheran West, they will have a D2 State Final rematch against the Buchtel Griffins on Saturday afternoon at Cleveland State. The Longhorns look to get back at the Griffins after falling to them last year in the D2 State Final.
Key Players
Lutheran West
Tino Yli-Junnila: 15 points
Derrick Fairley: 16 points
Jayson Levis: 13 points
Holy Name
Adam Humenik: 28 points
Drew Styers: 14 points
Max Bollin: 12 points
Player of the Game: Tino Yli-Junnila
