BEREA, OH – The last two seasons the Southwestern Conference has belonged to Berea-Midpark, but Tuesday night the Lakewood Rangers made a strong statement they are going to do whatever they can to make sure there’s no three-peat in the Titans future.
Using a strong run to start the game and huge three-point shots all night, the Rangers topped the Titans 69-65. The win puts Lakewood at 2-0 on the season, while the Titans dropped to 1-1.
“It’s a big hill to climb, but winning a game like this is fun,” Lakewood coach Alex Commock said after the win. “We have a great group of guys, it’s a 180 from last season.”
Lakewood got a huge night from senior guard Justin McDonald, who scored 22 points in the win. At one point in the second quarter as the Rangers were building their lead he scored seven to make it 38-17 with 3:47 left in the first half.
McDonald wasn’t the only one to have a big night, as senior guard Jack Witri scored 19 points. He got Lakewood off to a fast start by hitting two three-point shots in the first few minutes to put the Rangers up 6-0.
“Those guys come in everyday and shoot the ball so much there’s no reason we shouldn’t shoot well,” Cammock said. “When we’re open we’ll hit shots.”
While the Rangers shot the lights out early, Berea-Midpark had major issues trying to get its offense going.
They trailed 24-13 after one, and while Lakewood’s hot shooting continued in the second quarter, the Titans fell behind before half by as many as 19, trailing 38-19 with 3:15 left in the first half.
Senior guard Nick Gassman led the Titans with 10 points in the first half, while forward Jeffrey Petkac 
added eight in the second quarter.
It looked like a Rangers runaway in the third quarter, as they continued to hit shots and built a 52-35 lead after Jacob Sala hit a jumper with 2:19 left in the third quarter.
The Rangers led 59-40 with 5:26 left after Logan Swift hit a shot, but slowly things started to change as the Titans went on a run to make it a memorable finish.
Led by inspired play by Titans senior Jamar Robinson who hit for eight points in the fourth, the Titans made it a game with a wild 12-0 run starting at at the 3:30 mark of the fourth.
The Rangers started to turn it over, and the Titans hit some quick shots to draw it all the way from 63-48 Lakewood to 63-60 with less than a minute left.
Matt Hausler hit a three at the 2:41 mark for Berea-Midpark, and then hit the jumper to make it 63-60.
With the crowd on their feet, the Titans comeback fell short, as the Rangers were able to hit enough foul shots in the final minute, saving the win.
“I would have felt better without that 12-0 run,” Cammock laughed after it was all over.
It was a win that could send Lakewood on a run this season, a team that will live and die by their shooting.
For Berea-Midpark, it was a tough loss, but their comeback late will give them something to grow on as they get ready for a home game Friday against North Ridgeville.
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