Flashback: Chaney Cowboys Triumph in Hard-Fought Championship Win
The Chaney Cowboys basketball team secured their fourth consecutive district title with a hard-fought win over the Canfield Cardinals in the championship game. Led by 5th-year Coach Marlon McGaughy, this was the fifth consecutive year that the team made it to the district championship game. The Cowboys have been on an impressive winning streak, and this victory marked their eighth straight win.
The game started with a hot start from the Canfield Cardinals, who took a 5-0 lead. However, the Chaney Cowboys quickly responded, and after a three-pointer from Senior Guard Josiah Gonzalez, the low-scoring first quarter ended with Canfield leading 11-9.
Chaney came out strong in the second quarter, with a drive from Josiah Gonzalez to tie the game at 11. Junior Forward Clifton Scott's free throw gave the Cowboys their first lead of the game at 12-11. Chaney continued to add to their lead with back-to-back buckets from Sophomore Forward Matt Jones and a host of other Cowboys. The 13-0 run by the Cowboys shifted the momentum of the game, and Chaney went into halftime with a 24-15 lead.
Canfield's Junior Shooting Guard Dom Cruz came out strong in the second half, scoring the first five points for his team and bringing the score to 24-20. Clifton Scott's dish to Josiah Gonzalez in the paint gave the Cowboys a 28-21 lead. Junior Forward Jashaun Holcomb's free throws extended their lead to 30-21.
Senior Forward and Michigan football commit Jason Hewlett knocked down a three-pointer to give Chaney a 33-24 lead, but Canfield continued to fight. Dom Cruz's three-pointer brought Canfield within four points, with Chaney leading 33-29 going into the fourth quarter.
The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth battle, with both teams fighting for the win. Canfield's Sam Castronova's drive and a bucket from Junior Center Jake Schneider brought them within two points, as Chaney tried to hold on to its 35-33 lead. Cruz knocked down another three-pointer to give Canfield a 36-35 lead, but Josiah Gonzalez answered with an emphatic fast-break dunk that put Chaney back in the lead, 37-36, with 3:11 left.
Chaney's Clifton Scott's putback and free throw extended their lead to 40-36 with only 26.3 seconds left. Jashaun Holcomb's free throws sealed the win, with the final score of 44-36. The Cowboys Josiah Gonzalez was the standout performer of the night. He scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the victory.
Unfortunately, the Cowboys' incredible season came to a close with a 62-56 loss to Buchtel in the Division II regional semifinal at the Canton Memorial Civic Center. Although the Cowboys closed the gap heading into the fourth quarter, Buchtel's lead was too much to overcome, and they pulled away down the stretch. Nonetheless, the Chaney Cowboys can hold their heads high after an impressive season that saw them make it to the regional semifinals for the fifth consecutive year.