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Granville 49, Bishop Hartley 46 - Prospect Scouting Report

By Andy Hoben, 12/10/19, 11:30PM EST

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Dom Varrasso’s career night leads Granville past Bishop Hartley in hotly contested non-league win for the Aces

GRANVILLE, Ohio --  In their first game on their home floor in the 2019-2020 season, the undefeated Blue Aces looked to make a statement against reigning Division II district champ Bishop Hartley, who despite losing school legend Morgan Safford came into the game coming off of an impressive first win of the season over Mansfield St. Peter’s on Saturday. However, even without their usual leader Jake Stone, who was out for the game, the undermanned Granville squad was able to step up to the challenge and take down Bishop Hartley 49-46 in what turned out to be a four-quarter slugfest. 

The first quarter was characterized by long possessions and very few time stoppages as each team opened the game in their typical half-court zone defenses. The back-and-forth first period set the stage for how the rest of the game would play out, and while a three by senior forward Kylan Kortokrax gave the Hawks an edge late in the quarter, an impressive mid-range jumper off of a spin by Granville senior Brody Ley cut the Hartley advantage to one at 9-8 going into the second quarter. 

The battle ensued in the following period, as each team traded baskets and blows as the first half went on. While Granville was able to grab the lead back midway through the quarter, an and-one by Hartley junior Nico Thomas gave them a one point edge. While senior guard Dom Varrasso responded with a floater to retake the lead, another and-one and free throw conversion by sophomore Amari Gaston gave the Hawks another two point lead and possibly the momentum. However, after cutting their deficit to one, Granville sharpshooter Brody Ley cashed in on a vital three-pointer with 30 seconds left in the half, and after missing the shot on their final possession of the half, the Blue Aces took a 22-20 lead into the break. 

While the second half started slowly, the energy in the gym began to ramp up midway through the third when, down one, Granville was called for a foul on the Bishop Hartley shot attempt just outside the paint. Blue Aces coach Adam Teeters was called for a technical foul after arguing the call, and what could have been a momentum-swinging moment was deadened by Bishop Hartley missing two of their four free throws, keeping the game within a single possession. Down three, Granville’s Varrasso pivoted into the lane, reversed, and converted on an and-one lay-in off the glass as well as the ensuing free throw to tie the game at 33 with 30 seconds left in the third, where the score would remain heading into the fourth. 

Varrasso struck again early in the fourth quarter for his THIRD and-one conversion of the game, giving Granville a three point lead. Granville led until a timely three by junior Will Miller off of a Braden Blanchard assist tied the game back up at 41 with 2:34 remaining. Granville junior forwards Matt Stachler and Will Skerbetz stepped up offensively on each of their next two possessions, each scoring lay-ins and pushing the Granville lead back out to four. A clutch steal-and-score by Brody Ley with 24 seconds left made it a six point game, a margin that proved insurmountable for Bishop Hartley. The Aces pulled out a 49-46 victory in this hotly contested non-league game. 

Though spreading their scoring out fairly evenly, the Hawks of Bishop Hartley were not able to get enough going on the offensive end to keep their leads. Junior Braden Blanchard led the way with nine points on three three-pointers, adding three rebounds and assists. Senior DJ Donnell had eight points that included two made threes, and juniors Will Miller and Nico Thomas as well as talented sophomore Amari Gaston each chipped in seven points. Senior Kylan Kortokrax finished with six points on two made threes. The Hawks fall to 1-2 on the season with the loss. 

Without their typical offensive catalyst Jake Stone, the Aces looked to backcourt mate Dom Varrasso to lead the charge, and he stepped up in a major way. Varrasso led all scorers with 16 points, half of which came on free throws, as well as three rebounds, an assist and a steal. Brody Ley finished with 13 points on three three’s and added two boards. Junior Will Skerbetz and sophomore Carsyn Crouch each had six points and combined for seven boards, and juniors Jaden Rudder and Matt Stachler each had four points. Stachler had a big game defensively with a block and three steals. The Blue Aces move to 4-0 on the young season and will look to maintain their unblemished record against Johnstown on Saturday

 


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Dom Varrasso (5’11 PG / Granville / 2020): With talented scorers such as Jake Stone and Brody Ley on the team, Varrasso has taken a backseat offensively the last two years, usually being tasked with guarding the opposing team's best and quickest guard and being a distributor on offense. However, with Stone out, the Aces needed Varrasso to step up, and he did that and then some, taking complete control of the game and muscling his way to a season-high 16 points. While short in stature, Varrasso makes up for it in speed, strength, and focus, all of which were on full display on Tuesday. Varrasso was able to use his quick first step to gain an edge on defenders, and was able to work his way into the lane for tough finishes and drawn fouls. The senior has proven himself to be an efficient foul shooter over the course of his career and his penchant for getting into the lane and drawing contact usually means points for the Aces. When not in scoring mode, Varrasso is a leader on both ends, moving the ball to open teammates and being one of the most vital pieces to a very stout Granville defense with his quickness and aggressiveness. If the Aces are going to make a run at a Division II district title this season, they will need to be able to look for Varrasso to create offensively when defenses key in on Ley and Stone; tonight, he showed that he is more than ready to do so.

Brody Ley (6’3 WF / Granville / 2020): Ley has started the 2019-2020 season hot from beyond the arc, draining three triples for the Aces and, more importantly, coming up with a game-sealing steal and score with less than thirty seconds left to close the game out for Granville. While everybody knows that Ley can shoot the ball extremely well from beyond the arc, he was able to showcase a couple of his other offensive strengths on Tuesday, using a reverse spin and step-back to create space from his defender and nail a mid range jumper. The senior is a confident offensive player and plays with passion on both ends of the floor, and will look to carry a large part of the scoring load for Granville going forward.

Braden Blanchard (6’1 WG / Bishop Hartley / 2021): The junior marksman converted on three big threes in Hartley’s narrow loss and put the efficient lefty jumpshot that we saw in the 270 Hoops Fall League on full display. Granville’s compact zone defense forces teams to stretch their offense out and rely on perimeter shooting, and Blanchard made the Aces pay. Blanchard was active on both ends of the course, using great positioning to grab a handful of contested rebounds, and was also able to be one of Hartley’s main facilitators on offense, shot-faking and driving his way into the lane, drawing defenders his way, and dumping the ball off to open teammates in the paint for assists. What really stood out, though, was Blanchard’s intensity, as he showed throughout the game to be Hartley’s emotional leader on the floor with emotional and positive team-oriented play. Blanchard’s shooting and passion will be key for Hartley’s success as his junior season continues.

Amari Gaston (6’3 WF / Bishop Hartley / 2022): Also a 270 Hoops Fall League alum, Gaston flashed some of his major two-way potential for the Hawks, filling up the stat sheet and playing with intensity and toughness on both ends. The sophomore’s sturdy 6-3 frame coupled with a tight handle and overall great athleticism for his build allow him to get into the lane and impose his will on dribble drives, and though it was difficult to get consistently good looks against Granville’s zone, he was able to convert on a couple of his inside looks. Gaston has active hands on defense, coming up with two steals and taking one the full length of the court for an energized and-one conversion. Gaston, along with Blanchard, will look to be Hartley’s primary offensive playmakers and lead the team with their exceedingly-apparent great effort on both ends.

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