Louisville Leopards at Minerva Lions Boys Basketball 2011 Video Highlights

Louisville 61, Minerva 51

A sloppy game ended with the Louisville Leopards pulling ahead in the fourth quarter to defeat the Minerva Lions 61-51 Friday Night.  Owen Gramoy poured in 19 points and Toby Minster added 15 in leading the Leps to victory.

Both teams got off to a slow start as they combined for just 6 points through the first half of the first period.  But, sparked by Gramoy, Louisville picked up the pace by going on a 10-0 run to end the quarter.  Gramoy went coast-to-coast after picking off a bounce pass for the Leopards first points.  Later, Gramoy hit a three-ball and followed it up with another bucket just inside the arch.  Gramoy’s seven points along with the Leopards staunch defensive play that blanked the Lions for the final 5:20 of the quarter, gave Louisville a 12-4 advantage heading into the second quarter.

The Minerva student section was tamed by the Leopards play on the court.

In the second quarter a foul fest ensued and the Leopards took advantage by hitting 7 of 10 free throws.  Meanwhile, Minerva’s Eli Maurer scored 10 of his game-high 19 points in the period, half of which came from the charity stride.  Despite Maurer’s performance, Louisville’s defense continued to give Minerva’s offense fits.  The Lions endured a 6:15 scoring drought from the field until Maurer hit a fade away buzzer beating jumper to cut the Leopards lead to 29-18 at the break.

Minerva then rode the momentum of Maurer’s buzzer-beater by opening the second half on an 10-2 run.  The Lions continued to battle back, but Louisville never gave up their edge.  Minerva got within 39-38 before Gramoy popped a trey from the center of the three-point line to give the Leopards a two-possession advantage heading into the final quarter.

The Lions roared back to trail just 46-45 with 4:40 left in the fourth, but then Louisville took over the kingship of the jungle.  Minster fed a pass to Rocco Buccasso who made an easy lay-in.  On the Leopards next possession, Minerva put on the full court press, but Louisville found a kink in their armor.  The inbounding Michael Schooley lobbed a football pass to Mitch Sluss who was wide-open on the other end of the court, and he laid it in for two more.

After that it was Toby Time.  Minster was the enforcer on the defensive end, getting his second huge swat of the quarter.  On the Leopards ensuing possession Sluss bounced a pass to Minster who dropped it in off the glass and then hit the extra free throw that came with it.  Louisville led 53-45.

Maurer hit home a three-ball for the Lions to make it 53-49, but Schooley responded with an old-fashioned three-point play to extend the Leopards lead back to seven.  Then Mike Mayle made a basket for the Lions to cut the deficit to 56-51.  Mayle finished with 17 points on the night.

However, the Leopards hit their free throws and and shutout the Lions the rest of the way for their third straight victory over their archrival and their sixth straight victory in the NBC.  The trip to Carrollton looms…

Box Score

LEOPARDS: Gramoy6 5-6 19, Minster 6 3-4 15, Buccasso 2 5-7 9, M. Sluss 4 1-3 9, Schooley 1 3-4 5, O’Brien 1 0-0 2, J. Sluss 0 2-2 2, TOTAL 20 19-26 61.

3PT (2): Gramoy (2)

TEAM FG: 20-40 50%

TEAM FT: 19-26 73%

TEAM REBOUNDS: 22 (Minster 8)

TEAM FOULS: 17

TEAM TURNOVERS: 13

LIONS: Maurer 5 6-8 19, Mayle 8 1-2 17, Fick 4 3-3 11, Marshall 2 0-0 4, Fraley 0 0-1 0, TOTAL 19 10-14 51.

3PT (3) : Maurer (3)

TEAM FG: 19-47  40%

TEAM FT: 10-14 71%

TEAM REBOUNDS: 15 (Fick 7)

TEAM FOULS: 23

TEAM TURNOVERS: 14

NEXT GAME: The Leopards will travel to Carrollton to play the Warriors on Tuesday, January 18.  JV will tip-off at 6:00, while Varsity will start at approximately 7:30.

JV: Louisville 65, Minerva 43

The Leopards JV team got down early, but quickly roared back to take control and cruise to a 65-43 victory.  Cody Cheezan had a game-high 14 points and Bill Lairson poured in 13 for the Leopards.  Trevor Meredith also added 11 points, 8 of which came in the first quarter.  Minerva led 15-14 at the end of the first period, but for the second straight game the Leps busted out a monster second quarter.  Louisville outscored the Lions 25-10 in the second, but played even with the Lions in the third.  The Leps defense laid the hammer down in the final period though and only gave up a single bucket.