By JEREMY SELLEW
For the first time in 31 years, the Frazier boys basketball team can call itself a section champion.
The Commodores clinched at least a share of the Section 4-2A title Thursday and they did it in impressive fashion by blasting California, 61-30, at Henry DiVirgilio Field House.
The Commodores avenged their only section loss of the season, a 53-43 win by the Trojans on Jan. 29.
“We needed this one really bad,” Frazier senior guard Luke Santo said. “We know we’re a lot better than the team we were that first game. This one’s really important for us mentally before getting into the playoffs. Teams aren’t going to be able to take us lightly.
“We definitely had something to prove tonight.”
The Commodores let the energy in the gym get to them early as they started out slow, but once Kenny Fine hit a 3-pointer three minutes in, the team got going.
“These kids worked so hard and were so focused,” Frazier coach Zach Keefer said. “It’s like after that first game, we hit the reset button. I told them it was going to be the little things that won us this game. Free throw shooting, the 50-50 balls, who’s going to be willing to dive on the floor. The dirty work is what won us this game.”
Three Commodores finished in double figures led by Colton Arison’s 16 points. Owen Newcomer went for 15 and Luke Santo scored 14.
Frazier (14-3, 8-1) took a 7-5 lead in the first quarter on a basket inside by Chase Hazelbaker.
After California’s Matt Trunzo hit a 1 of 2 from the line, the Commodores opened up their lead in a big way.
Newcomer hit his first 3-pointer with 2:24 to go in the first quarter to kickstart a 12-0 run that lasted into the second. The Commodores led 17-6 after one after Arison hit a trey from the top of the circle with seconds to go.
“Arison is our spark plug. He’s the one that brings the energy for us,” Keefer said. “Once he gets going into that mode, we really start to click.”
California (3-3, 3-2) found a little of their offense in the second quarter, outscoring the Commodores, 13-12, in the frame. The highlight was Payton Conte’s buzzer-beating heave from beyond half court. Nate O’Savage scored six of his 13 points in the quarter. But he was the only consistent offensive performer for the Trojans.
“Nate’s always been a leader for us,” Trojans coach Aaron Balla said. “Our other leaders didn’t perform tonight. I don’t know if it was a confidence thing or just being lackadaisical. The guys came out flat and we definitely had a lack of leadership tonight.”
After leading 29-19 at the half, the Commodores brought the energy back in the third. At one point, Arison scored nine straight points for his team and pushed the lead up to 40-23.
O’Savage hit a nice left-handed layup to answer an Arison three-point play, but he got caught taunting a Frazier defender and was hit with a technical foul. Newcomer stepped to the line and hit both free throws to kick off another long Commodores’ run, this one 14-0 as Frazier took a commanding 52-25 lead into the final frame.
“We knew we were going to have to weather the storm a little. Cal was coming off a close win last night and they were feeling good,” Keefer said. “I know we shoot well here and it was just a matter of time and the lid was going to come off. That’s what happened.”
The Commodores outscored the Trojans, 23-6, in the third and invoked the running clock on a Santo pull-up jumper midway through the fourth.
“The biggest thing was our defense, as nice as we worked the ball offensively,” Keefer said. “Our defense was solid. Kenny did a nice job on O’Savage, and that’s his role. He’s a lockdown defender before anything else.
“Chase is the perfect example of our team-first mentality. He was big on the boards, he was aggressive going after the ball. He was on the floor. We really made it a point to not let them into the lane and our guys executed our defensive plan perfectly.
“Luke is our floor general and he did a great job managing the ball. Owen and him, if one’s not scoring, the other one is. They’re a perfect compliment to one another. If they’re both going, it’s kind of like pick your poison. If you try to take one out of the game, the other will hurt you.”
For the Trojans, they’ll have to pick up the pieces quickly as they head to Bentworth tonight.
“We need to turn the tide and flip the page,” Balla said. “We’re going to start one day at a time and it starts tomorrow at Bentworth.”
The Commodores will travel to Avella tonight for a section game before trying to clinch the section outright against Monessen at home Monday.
“It means everything to me to get on that banner,” Santo said looking at the list of Frazier section champions. “Our group has been playing together for 10, 11 years. We had some rough years over the last couple seasons, but we knew this could be a special year. We want to win this thing.”