Boys basketball: Brunswick beats Euclid to clinch GCC title

EUCLID — The Brunswick boys basketball team was not in a sharing mood Tuesday during a Greater Cleveland Conference game against Euclid. Having already clinched at least a share of the conference championship, the Blue Devils made sure the only team that had any chance of catching them had zero chance. The Blue Devils got the title free and clear, clinching one of the toughest public school leagues in Ohio with a 62-46 win to improve to 18-3, 13-0. "We just really wanted to come in here and do everything we could to get a win," All-Ohio point guard Trey Drexler said after his 29-point, six-rebound performance. "It means a lot to our community, and we obviously wanted to win it outright and not share it." Brunswick is now three games clear of the second-place Panthers (14-7, 10-3) with one game to play. "it's huge," said senior Sean Barnett, who had 10 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. "We have had this program for 100 years and we did it twice in a row, so it is history. Me being a part of that means the world to me. Being with my teammates that I love most, hitting up with them, playing with them my whole life, it is special to me." The game also was significant in the MaxPreps RPI ratings that will determine playoff seeding this weekend. The Blue Devils currently hold the No. 1 spot in the Northeast Division I District. "This really prepares us for what the tournament has to bring," said sophomore guard Drew Matus, who had eight points, seven rebounds and four assists. "Other big teams where we might struggle on offensive and defensive rebounds, this game tonight really showed us that we can get those offensive rebounds and get those loose balls." Drexler continued his otherworldly play, scoring eight first-quarter points to help his team to a 12-5 lead in what was a defensive showcase by both teams. Matus had the other four points. "When you see a few shots go in, you just stay aggressive," Drexler said. "That has kind of been my mentality this year: Attack early and see what they give me. Then I will find teammates if they double-team me, kick it out and find the open guy and trust them." Brunswick entered the break up 26-21 after a back-and-forth second quarter, and Drexler again was the primary source of offense with nine points in the third as the visitors extended the margin to 44-30. The lead ballooned to 48-32 on buckets from Luke Stella (4 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists) and Barnett before Euclid got things going from deep. The Panthers hit four of their sixth 3-pointers in a 14-6 run to cut the margin to 54-46 before the Blue Devils rattled off eight straight points to close the game. Brunswick didn't do much wrong in picking up the win. The Blue Devils were 12-for-12 at the line, held the Panthers to 18-for-57 shooting from the floor (.316) and dominated the glass 34-25 against a long and tall Euclid team. Drexler (6-of-6 free throws), workhorse center Adin Evert (4-of-4) and Blayke Hamilton (2-of-2) combined for the perfect night from the line. Evert has missed just two free throws this season. Matus played a critical role as the primary defender on Mekhi Asberry and limiting the talented guard to 12 points on 4-for-19 shooting "We were really just trying to get up in them, not let their best players shoot over screens," Matus said. "I think we stuck to that game plan and really locked up on defense." Contact Chad Grant at sports@medina-gazette.com. Brunswick 62, Euclid 46 BRUNSWICK&emsp;12 14 18 18 — 62 EUCLID&emsp;5 16 9 16 — 46 Brunswick — Luke Stella 2-0-4, Sean Barnett 4-0-10, Adin Evert 2-4-9, Drew Matus 4-0-8, Trey Drexler 9-6-29, Prince Abi 0-0-0, Blayke Hamilton 0-2-2, Brandt Almady 0-0-0. TOTALS: 21-12-62. Euclid — Jayden Basie 2-0-5, Dontez Jones 1-0-2, Kye Owens 6-0-14, Tyree Williamson 3-1-8, Mekhi Asberry 4-2-12, De'Shun Williams 1-0-2, Jakob Acoff 1-0-2, Kymari Carter 0-1-1. TOTALS: 18-4-46. 3-point goals — Drexler 5, Barnett 2, Evert, Asberry 2, Owens 2, Basie, Williamson. Rebounds — Brunswick 34 (Barnett 13), Euclid 25 (Williamson 11). Assists — Brunswick 11 (Matus, Stella 4), Euclid 9 (Asberry, Williamson 3). Records — Brunswick (18-3, 13-0), Euclid 14-7 (10-3). Junior varsity — Brunswick 50, Euclid 36.(B: Hamilton, Dirk Ziegler 12).