Geneva vs. Harvey boys basketball: Eagles' third-quarter run sparks 57-48 win over Red Raiders
Dec. 20—Geneva had a slow shooting start against Harvey in a CVC Lake Division clash Dec. 20. The Eagles were unable to find ways to convert on several strong looks in the first quarter.
They shot at a better rate in the second quarter but caught fire in the third. Geneva took the lead early as it went on to a 57-48 win.
The Eagles are now 4-2 on the year, while Harvey fell to 3-2.
Geneva's slow start was a point of emphasis for Coach Eric Bowser and his staff at the break. The Eagles were held to eight points in the first quarter but had an uptick in the second that made it a two-point game.
Bowser also made it a point for his team to contribute more on the glass and take that advantage away from Harvey to find some more high-percentage looks.
"We talked about bringing the energy at halftime," Bowser said. "We were extremely sluggish in the first quarter. The second quarter wasn't a lot better, so we emphasized the intensity and tempo at halftime. They outrebounded us in the first half, and that was a turning point for the game. Those second and third opportunities are huge for us. Having the ability to work the glass is a big goal of ours. You have to be aggressive to pound those boards. We were able to turn that."
Luke Barbo led the charge on the boards as he racked up 12 rebounds. Geneva had 31 as a team and it led to a strong third-quarter run.
The Eagles took the lead early in the frame and then went on a 24-7 run that spanned the third.
Barbo had eight points in the contest, but he was more than willing to turn his attention to the rebounding side of things.
"There are nights where your shots aren't falling, and I had that some tonight," Barbo said. "When that's not going for you, you need to be able to contribute in some way. I found a way to crash the boards, be as physical as I can and help us out in any way I can."
Caden Proy led the way in scoring with 15 points, 12 of which were in the second half, and Luke Smith added 10.
Geneva is a young group with just one senior, but Barbo thinks that plays into the team's strengths. He sees it as how the team has so much energy and ability to create second- and third-chance looks while battling with bigger players down low.
"Last year, some of the young guys had looks at the varsity level," Barbo said. "We also make sure to go hard at practice, bring that pace of play into things. They've adapted well, even though they're younger. Us being a young team is something that I can see as being an advantage since we also have a lot of experience."
Harvey was able to cut the lead to nine with an 8-3 run of its own, but that was all it could muster. Geneva matched the Red Raiders shot for shot down the stretch to keep them at an arms length.
Coach Eric Monty liked that his group kept fighting back into the game despite the run from Geneva. But his postgame talk with the team focused on the defensive lapses in the third.
"We talked about the importance of stopping dribble penetration and easy buckets at the half," Monty said. "We came out flat, though, and that was what allowed them to go on that run. We talk a lot about our response to things whether it be runs of foul calls or anything. We need to respond and when teams go on runs being able to make the adjustments needed by ourselves."
The Red Raiders were led by Armani Hall with 12 points, while Braylon Johnson added 11 with a trio of 3s.
Harvey aims to right the ship when it travels to Wickliffe on Dec. 22 for a cross CVC matchup. Geneva tries to extend its win streak to three when the Eagles step out of conference for a trip to Chardon the same day.
THE SCORE
Geneva 57, Harvey 48
