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STRONGSVILLE, OHIO — In an intense rivalry matchup in a packed gym between the crosstown Strongsville Mustangs led by head coach Kevin Sapara and the Brunswick Blue Devils led by head coach Joe Mackey, the Mustangs got it done 57-46 thanks to #3 Josh Byers with 15 points and #4 Brayden Wypasek also with 15. The Blue Devils were led by #3 Trey Drexler with 21 points and #0 Sean Barnett with 7 points.
Strongsville won the tip to start the game but turned it over quickly to Brunswick. #0 Sean Barnett quickly nailed a DEEP three for the Blue Devils. #3 Josh Byers of the Mustangs quickly answered with a three of his own as the Mustang student section went wild!
The Blue Devils quickly got to work on the boards, but the score remained 3-3 with 4 minutes to go in the 1st quarter. #33 Nolan Beard of the Mustangs hit a beautiful euro-step layup but #3 Trey Drexler of the Blue Devils had an answer of his own making the score 5-5 in a low-scoring yet intense matchup so far.
Beard was the catalyst for the Mustangs, getting rebound after rebound and a huge block that yet again made the Mustang student section go NUTS. The score at the end of 1 saw Brunswick over Strongsville 11-10.
Strongsville employed a trap defense to start the 2nd quarter and it began to work wonders as Brunswick struggled passing the ball. Beard and Drexler continued to battle offensively. Although #4 Brayden Wypasek of the Mustangs had a quiet 7 points already, leading his team with just 4 minutes to go in the half!
Byers with the big body and-1 to extend the Mustang lead to just 5 points. Another Byers bucket forced Brunswick to call a timeout as the momentum began to shift further in Strongsville’s favor. At half, the score was 24-19 with Strongsville on top but still anyone’s game.
The 3rd quarter started with an intense rebounding battle between Beard and #11 Aidan Shaker of the Blue Devils. A controversial foul call sent #12 Matt Morgan of Brunswick to the line. Yet another controversial foul call, this time against Brunswick, sent Byers to the line. Morgan stuffed a Beard shot attempt that sent the Blue Devil student section wild!
Strongsville clearly had the momentum up 9 halfway through the 3rd quarter. Beard continued to do Beard things, as Drexler continued to do Drexler things. But, the Mustang defense was SUFFOCATING.
Fan favorite #24 Ethan Jean of the Blue Devils checked in to roaring applause but Brunswick still trailed by 8. At the end of the 3rd quarter the Mustangs maintained the lead in an exciting game 36-26.
The last frame started off with a Beard 2nd chance bucket. The Mustang lead extended to 12 with a wide-open three from #13 Shane McIntyre. It felt like a scrum could break out at any second, with Brunswick’s frustration at the refs on the rise. Strongsville held on to beat their rival Brunswick 57-46!
Appreciate the detailed Strongsvile-Brunswick game recap, Jack, as I was at the Akron-Northern Illinois game for Enrique Freeman’s being honored and his jersey being risen to the rafters – – adding to the excitement of the Zips’ nation-best 14th consecutive win before a huge crowd.