Boys Basketball: Reimer Road Baptist Christian gets a convincing victory over Medina Christian Academy

Albert Grindle The Gazette MONTVILLE TWP. — The Reimer Road Baptist Christian's boys basketball team is unique, but childhood chemistry is worth its weight in gold. Historically comprised of players from the surrounding area as well as home-schooled athletes, the faith-based club now is made up almost entirely of Wadsworth residents, including some who were key players for the high school's junior varsity in recent years. The results have been impressive, as the Golden Eagles extended their winning streak to 16 games Friday with a man-among-boys 87-57 blowout of Medina Christian Academy. Reimer Road Baptist Christian (16-1), whose lone loss was in overtime against the Marion Hawks club team in the season opener, has won its games by an average of 30.3 points. Included was a season-defining 66-56 stunner over Cloverleaf in early December. "This is different. We're better now," freewheeling guard Matt Fahey said. "I feel like we've come together. At the beginning of the year, we didn't play as well together. We were missing shots and being selfish, but now we're finally moving the ball and cheering each other on. "We never get down on each other. We're playing for each other now." Fahey, Sully Chadbourne, Eric Decker and Preston Demiter had Wadsworth varsity appearances under their belts as sophomores and have been the Golden Eagles' standouts. Another has been Chance Few, a quick-triggered guard known in recent years for lighting up the scoreboard against backups during blowouts, even when he was in eighth grade. Against the younger, smaller Knights (7-9), Fahey was unstoppable with his length and speed en route to 24 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and three steals while adding great defense on 6-foot-6 Medina Christian Academy freshman star R.J. Walgate. Few made 4-of-7 3-pointers to finish with 17 points and four assists, Decker scored nine of his 17 points in the first quarter to go with 14 rebounds, Chadbourne added 10 points and four dimes and Demiter posted eight points. The Golden Eagles led 22-11, 41-24 and 63-40 at the quarter breaks. They also racked up 21 assists on 35 field goals, made 8-of-22 3-pointers and were incredibly impressive while pushing in transition. "(Our size) helped a ton, because they didn't have many big guys and were on the skinnier side," Fahey said. "We have thick guys down there to body them and get rebounds." Starting two freshmen, two sophomores and a senior, the Knights simply couldn't match up physically against a far stronger opponent. Medina Christian Academy made just 4-of-20 3-pointers and was outrebounded 39-27, though its near-capacity crowd roared at every basket like the game was on the line. Freshman forward Sam Dorman was nearly unstoppable, using four 3-pointers, slithering drives and spin moves to rack up a career-high 30 points on 12-for-21 shooting while expending every bit of energy he had. Walgate overcome a 1-for-8 start to finish with 14 points, 10 rebounds and two assists, but no one else had more than five points. "(Dorman) was fun to watch," Knights coach Rob Walgate said. "It felt to me he had 50 (points). To me, it felt like he was scoring every trip, and I loved it." As a non-OHSAA member, Reimer Road Baptist Christian is only at the midpoint of the season. The Golden Eagles, whose players must attend one church function per week to be eligible and also are required find their own transportation to games, can next make a major statement Feb. 9 at reigning Division IV regional qualifier Cornerstone Christian Academy, which features 35.6-point scorer Quinn Kwasniak. The Golden Eagles are rolling with a family mentality, and Medina Christian Academy was the latest victim of the program's success. "These kids have known each other since they were real little," Reimer Road Baptist Christian coach Dan Turner said. "When you start talking to them, you find out they've been playing together for a long time, but this is the first real time they've been able to get back together and play." Contact Albert Grindle at (330) 721-4043 or agrindle@medina-gazette.com. Reimer Road Baptist Christian 87, Medina Christian Academy 57 REIMER ROAD &emsp;&emsp;22 19 22 24 — 87 MEDINA CHRISTIAN &emsp;&emsp;11 13 16 17 — 57 Reimer Road Baptist Christian — Mark Gal 4-0-8, Eric Decker 7-2-17, Sully Chadbourne 4-3-11, Matt Fahey 10-3-24, Chance Few 6-1-17, Alex Inncoenti 1-0-2, Preston Demiter 3-0-8, Seth Tavani 0-0-0. TOTALS: 35-9-87. Medina Christian Academy — Nick Malicoat 1-2-4, Sam Dorman 12-2-30, Jason King 1-0-2, R.J. Walgate 4-6-14, Isaac Radke 2-1-5, D.J. Reidl 0-0-0, Cooper Bolon 1-0-2, Caden Dyer 0-0-0. TOTALS: 21-11-57. 3-point goals — Few 4, Demiter 2, Fahey, Decker, Dorman 4. Rebounds — Reimer Road Baptist Christian 39 (Decker 14), Medina Christian Academy 27 (Walgate 10). Assists — Reimer Road Baptist Christian 21 (Fahey 8). Records — Reimer Road Baptist Christian (16-1), Medina Christian Academy (7-9). Junior varsity — Reimer Road Baptist Christian 50, Medina Christian Academy 13.